The Beekeeper

This route begins on the same ledge as The Long Haul and takes the steep, left-trending line to a massive jug just below the top of the cliff.

Danny pioneered this route in the winter of 2011 and ferreted out a rope "ladder" start to navigate the first 45 feet of horrendous choss--a tactic that has become generally accepted at the Puoux in order to conveniently and safely reach the good stone.

The route begins on an old abandoned bolted project and finishes on cruxy new terrain. Unlike its neighbor, The Long Haul, The Beekeeper is completely natural.

And it's a great one! With a little bit of rope-drag management, this route can easily be climbed from the ground with a full 70-meter rope. Climb the rope ladder, clipping extended draws on the rope-ladder bolts (I recommend backcleaning the first rope-ladder bolt after getting the second one clipped). After reaching the anchor at the ledge, reach up and clip the first bolt of the route (note, you can now access The Long Haul via this new approach, again belaying from the ground with a full 70-meter rope, and also use The Beekeeper's first bolt for protection).

Now the climb begins: hard, bouldery moves right off the ledge lead to a slightly taxing clip at the second bolt of the route. Then pumpy 5.12+ climbing with high feet and big moves between big holds lead to a jug shake. If no draws are on the route, use a full-length runner at the bolt before the traverse left).

From here, the cruxes begin. Two stacked V7(ish) boulder problems are separated by a shake. Other than using a right kneebar (kneepad recommended) for a single move, there is not a whole lot of jessery--just good, old fashioned, big, powerful, rad moves on crimps, pockets and slopers.

This route is best climbed in cold weather in order to avoid climbing when the massive beehive (strangely inactive in the spring of 2011) found in the dark, chossy cave is humming with activity. The route is almost always dry, and makes for a good hard project when the Fault Wall is seeping wet.

This is the left-trending line found just right of the massive, overhanging, choss cave.

Bolts, quickdraws, extended draws.