The Radical Left

The Route

A radical (If I may say so) new line at Lakeview. Probably the best line at the crag, unless you prefer slab climbing, then you will like the other routes. Steep, featured, and by virtue of being the exposed section of the arete, the rock is very clean with great texture. This route initially started as an alternate finish to the route Left Unlocked and was bolted ground up. An anchor was later added to allow lower off with a 70 (barely! Tie knots in the end of your rope) and a direct start was discovered which was bolted on rappel. Although Left Unlocked is badass, probably the best way to do this route is via the direct start as described herein.

The route begins in the dirty corner to the left of the arete. Place good gear through about 40 feet of the crack. There is a bomber .75 camelot just before the traverse right toward the bolts on the face (double length sling recommended on the cam).

After traversing right from the crack, gingerly mantle on top of a hollow flake (don’t kill your belayer). Clip a bolt and make moves on crimps and jugs and a nice hueco-like sidepull past two more bolts on a slightly overhanging face. A long move to a jug awaits just before mantling to a no hands rest where you can clip the 4th bolt.

Make some fun balancy face moves with a thumbdercling or two to a good meat hook sidepull where you can clip the bolt above the small roof. Begin the bouldery crux section involving slopers, sidepulls, and maybe some other tricks. Once past the crux and holding a good ledge hold, figure out how to get stood up on it, without Weekend Whippering yourself (

youtube.com/watch?v=Yl8wJtM…

).

Finally, move left to the beautiful arcing rail feature, clip another bolt, mantle the rail and make one final red-point crux slab move before reaching the anchors…You can also top out through 5.7 R terrain for a slightly better view at the anchors for Left Unlocked and belay from gear or the bolt anchor (double rope rappel if you top out).

The Name

It was important that we one up Mikey Williams by naming the route with a quadruple entendre! Unfortunately, we failed to beat the legend.

We did manage the triple, courtesy of my friend Ben (who had a lot of good suggestions, including Adam Areteondra). The triple goes like this: First, the route is left of Left Unlocked. It is also clearly radical. Finally, it was put up using radical left principles. An endangered fauna and flora assessment was performed. We didn’t find anything except for a couple baby seals, which were clubbed in accordance with the Clean Water Act. The route was approved by the Klub for Parity in Outdoor Participation which found the route to be of similar difficulty for all genders and races, and one member saying that it does in fact bring her joy. The route was initially bolted ground up as required by K-POP, but later a direct start was rap bolted, just to stick it to the man. Some grass was pulled out of the vegetated corner to clean it up, but the environmental impact was offset by planting some kudzu. Oh yeah, some of the hangers were also recycled from Hidden Valley bolt replacement (this part is actually true).

Next season we are going to put up the Radical Right at the other end of the cliff. Not only will the bolts be drilled, they will also be fracked. You will have to show ID to climb it, and even though the route is a lying, narcistic, authoritarian piece of crap, you will climb it anyway.

Starts in the dirty corner left of the obvious striking arete at the left side of Lakeview

Light rack for the initial corner, 7 bolts, to double bolt anchor. A 70-meter rope will barely get you down (Tie knots in the end of your rope!!!!!)