- Edit (TBD)
Description
5 Easy Pieces is classic Jack Nicholson movie about a talented pianist frustrated with a life of mediocrity...oops, sorry. This is a gorgeous route up the front face/left arête with 5 distinct bouldery cruxes, some of which may induce a heart flutter though the gear is good. As are the rests. This magnificent piece of granite wrastlin' is marred only by the fact that many of the high quality cruxes can be avoided by climbing around the corner to easier ground(The Book of Eli). That makes this an eliminate of sorts but so be it! It's a sensible eliminate that simply climbs an amazing face.
Climb to the alcove ledge of Legion of Decency but instead of mantling reach left into awesome left hand side-pulls. Climb thru a micro seem that leads to a good rest beneath a roof/arête. Resist the urge to climb around the corner onto the slab. Get gear and bust some rad moves to clear the lip and gain a tiny overlap/corner/roof. And a jug which gains access to a no hands ledge. From here, step right to the front face and another sweet set of moves to gain the next overlap/overhanging arête. Climb the arête to an awesome ledge.
The safest way to climb the final crux is to keep climbing rather than stopping to belay here. Leave the comfortable ledge being sure to place some solid pro. Mantle onto a small ledge on the arête's left side. Stick your neck out for some tiny gear in a horizontal, commit to the vertical face, place more gear, and decipher fun techy face moves to a welcome jug. Make one more set of moves to gain another sweet ledge, a great place to belay. The rest is a victory romp.
Location
Bent Buttress
Protection
Tiny wires, single rack to hands. Doubles of small cams