Creaking Plank

Formerly a trad route with somewhat shaky rock, retro-bolting and aggressive cleaning have created one of the better 5.9 sport routes in BCC. The first three bolts protect increasingly steep climbing, culminating in a wild overhanging layback up a hollow flake. Above, more bolts protect a slabby but airy traverse to the right and spectacular climbing just left of an arête. Above, stay left of the

Red Gorilla/Nimbus

chains on the face of a block-like feature past a bolt, then up to the last bolt protecting a boulder move to hidden chains. See the photodiagram on the

Orbital Decay

page.

Follow the approach for

Starstruck

. Once on the ledge system from which

Starstruck

starts, walk east on the ledge, eventually passing under the slightly overhanging bolt lines of

Red Gorilla

and

Nimbus

, to a point where the ledge begins to die out and downclimbing would be necessary to continue east (but don't do it; the route starts here). Above this point the first three bolts of

Creaking Plank

should be readily visible. See the

Orbital Decay

page for a photodiagram.

Descent: Probably best to rap off the chains, rather than lowering. If you do lower, and the rope is running through the draws, anticipate a very hard pull.

Eight draws, plus biners for the belay. A small cam or medium size nut may be useful for getting to the first bolt, but the climbing is easy (the exposure, however, is a different matter). Consider using a shoulder-length runner for the third bolt to reduce rope drag later, once above the roof.