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Peak Mountain 3

The Crackhouse

FA Dean Potter
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Description

Start in the Birth Canal and at it's end take a 90 degree turn and climb through fifty plus more feet of fists, twists, hands, and maybe a few tight hands as you wind through a tunnel like cave. At the mouth of the cave bust through a big hands dihedral where the crack goes vertical for a few feet, followed by ten or more feet of splitter hands to tight hands that lead to an exciting finish. The Birth Canal is one crux and the end is a second crux, but endurance over the distance is the true challenge here as no individual section is any harder than 12-/V5 or so. This is without a doubt one of the finest cracks anywhere. It is especially appealing to me because it splits the cave it is in through it's proudest aspect.

There are many other variations starting at the various cracks and going to either side of the cave, including the one that traverses the jugs into the crack. This version is the one generally referred to as The Full Crackhouse.

Location

Drive down the Gemini Bridges Road. The Crackhouse will be right off the road a little before Gemini Bridges if you are coming from 191, and a little after if coming from 313.

Protection

At least one big pad for the lip is quite comforting. Even though the landing was flattened out significantly, there is still about a five foot drop off you could land half on and half off, so a spotter or two is helpful as well. The crack itself varies from five or so feet off the ground all the way up to about ten feet off the ground, so a spotter throughout the problem can be quite nice.