Time Bandits

The newest addition to the popular cragging area at the base of Lower Cathedral. This former moss-covered mystery is now a clean, safe and modern free climb.

Execute a few tricky

bolt-protected slab moves off the ground to a gear protected thin-crack system. Climb up past two more bolts before switching crack systems, to another gear placement. The baffling crux is at the top and it’s protected by two bolts, it can be tackled from either the left or the right side of the bolt line, although it is much easier to clip the final bolt when approaching from the right side. Lower from the bolted anchor next to the tree, or try clipping an anchor bolt and traversing left to finish on the bolt line of Labor of Love.

Read on for some historical information (or lack thereof) about this route:

For at least 15 years, a lone bolt has existed 10-feet from the ground, on a dirty-looking, featured face immediately to the left of "End Of The Line". After conferring with one guidebook author (who is currently developing the new comprehensive guidebook), he reported that based on his conversations with the major developer of this area, neither of them knew the history of the bolt or the terrain above. The first reference I could find to the bolt was in my Supertopo book from 2003 and it was just marked as a lone bolt and not associated with a distinct route. This whole area was not even listed in the old Reid book (or any prior book).

When we first checked out the route, we were very convinced that it had never seen a proper ground-up free ascent. Without the bolts that we added at the top, a fall from the crux would have likely resulted in a 70' ground fall. It doesn't make sense that someone would have protected the first 10-feet (not-cruxy), then neglected to add bolts at the hard bouldery crux (at the top). That said, it is very possible that it was previously aided from the ground-up and considering the proximity to other nearby routes, this route (or parts of it) has likely been top-roped from adjacent anchors.

The route starts just a few feet left of "End Of The Line".

single cams from tiny to .4 BD, 5 draws.