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Welcome Back to the Tour!
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Welcome back to the WTF 5.7 tour! After a several month hiatus - first due to over flowing hospitals because of COVID (not a good time to get injured...) then because Stef injured her knee - we are now, finally, getting the tour up and going again - just in time for summer. (The temperature was 98 degrees F when we stopped to get gas at the Terrible Herbst near Red Rock.)
We did these climbs in the afternoon because the wall is (mostly) in the shade by around 3 p.m. |
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Dirty Undies!
Well, because of Stef's injured knee, it's been a few months since we've done the WTF 5.7 Tour: Red Rock. If you've been following the tour you know that we seem to run into a fair amount of dirty underwear (no it's not ours! Haha! We pack our shit out - and, we haven't had an "undies accident" yet...) It seems the universe has stored up a BUNCH of dirty undies for us on this special re-start of the tour. We encountered not, one, not two, but THREE pairs of dirty undies. Here are some photos for you to enjoy.
Two of the pairs we encountered on the trail - one was fresh as was not on the trail on the way up! One pair was a jock strap under a rock by the anchors. This is the most pairs of undies we have encountered in a single day. To commemorate this record-breaking event, we have a special video. for you.
Two of the pairs we encountered on the trail - one was fresh as was not on the trail on the way up! One pair was a jock strap under a rock by the anchors. This is the most pairs of undies we have encountered in a single day. To commemorate this record-breaking event, we have a special video. for you.
(Click the photos to enlarge and see the caption or hover for the caption.)
The Climbs
All three of the 5.7 climbs on the Ragged Edges wall are on the left end. We present the climbs from right to left as you are facing the wall.
Setting up the Topropes
We scoped out the first two climbs, Dumptruck and Midnight (7+) and based on both the Mountain Project comments and what we could visibly see, the climbs appeared unprotectable (and also more difficult than a 5.7), so we decided to lead Go Ahead and Jump (5.6) and then top rope them - and after climbing them we are really glad we did. At the top of the first pitch of Go Ahead and Jump ignore the tat and go out left past the bush entering onto a narrow ledge. There is a crack against the wall, set up an anchor there (using very long slings to minimize the rope sliding against the slabby rock) and belay up your second. Use this anchor position to top rope the climb Dumptruck. Rappel down.
After you are done with Dumptruck, continue left on the ledge. There are some bolted anchors that are about halfway down the wall ledge between Go Ahead and Jump and the third 5.7 on the wall Diplomatic Immunity. (Note that these anchors can be difficult to see.) Use the bolted anchors (with an anchor set-up, do not toprope through the rappel rings.) to toprope the climb Midnight.
After you are done with Dumptruck, continue left on the ledge. There are some bolted anchors that are about halfway down the wall ledge between Go Ahead and Jump and the third 5.7 on the wall Diplomatic Immunity. (Note that these anchors can be difficult to see.) Use the bolted anchors (with an anchor set-up, do not toprope through the rappel rings.) to toprope the climb Midnight.
Dumptruck (5.7X)
Climb: Dumptruck (toprope, 60 feet)
Wall: Ragged Edges
Rope: We used a 70m
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? This is not a safe lead climb at all. It is rated X. It is best done as a toprope.
Conclusion WTF? What the FUCK! (for no pro and significantly harder than a 5.7) - What the FEISTY if you do TR.
Wall: Ragged Edges
Rope: We used a 70m
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? This is not a safe lead climb at all. It is rated X. It is best done as a toprope.
Conclusion WTF? What the FUCK! (for no pro and significantly harder than a 5.7) - What the FEISTY if you do TR.
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This climb is only found in Mountain Project. It starts on top of the white boulder and goes up a seam, onto a smooth face, then into huecos at the top. There is basically little to no protection on this climb, and it is not a 5.7. You might be able to place a small piece in the few shallow holes in seam, but those are also the only spots your finger hold onto. A fall from this point would be pretty bad, either getting bounced off the boulder or getting a limb caught between the wall and the boulder. Good luck finding a piece of pro in the next 20 feet (or so) beyond the seam. Of course the fall is going to be worse. By the time you reach the huecos, where it gets easier, you might be able to find a cam or tricam placement somewhere.
The climb itself, as it is described is not 5.7. It's at least a strenuous 5.9. Stef explored climbing to the right of the seam, closer to Go Ahead and Jump, starting immediately to the right of the boulder and using the side of the boulder for feet, then up and left across the hueco face. That is much closer to a 5.7 and has potential protection - both in the start of the Go Ahead and Jump crack and in some of the huecos. The rock is solid on this climb, and if you ignore the rating, it is entertaining. |
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Midnight (5.7+) - We believe this is rated X
Climb: Midnight (toprope, 60 feet)
Wall: Ragged Edges
Rope: We used a 70m
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? This is not a safe lead climb at all. It is rated X. It is best done as a toprope.
Conclusion WTF? What the FUCK! (for no pro and for anyone shorter than say 5'8"... Stef is 5'5") otherwise What the Feisty! (If taller and on TR)
Wall: Ragged Edges
Rope: We used a 70m
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? This is not a safe lead climb at all. It is rated X. It is best done as a toprope.
Conclusion WTF? What the FUCK! (for no pro and for anyone shorter than say 5'8"... Stef is 5'5") otherwise What the Feisty! (If taller and on TR)
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Mountain Project describes this climb as going up the black water streak, while the Handren guidebook drawing/topo shows it going out into the white. slopey, broken face, then over into the black water streak. Neither guide resources calls this a rated X climb (MP rates it a PG-13, Handren has no warnings). We believe it is rated X. There is no protection except for one bolt, about half way up the black water streak. The next protection (maybe?) might be in the huecos (if you can find something that works) near the top of the climb. A fall between the huecos and the bolt is a sure-fire deck - and the crux is well above the bolt.
We both went up the black streak. My and Rick's experience with this climb is pretty different. This climb is extremely height dependent. Rick is 6 feet tall and could reach key holds. I am 5'5" and had to make several difficult moves to get to these decent-sized holds - especially at the start and at the crux above the bolt. One move was extremely contorted - definitely not a 5.7 move - where I had a good left hand above me, I had to heel hook my right foot onto a lip pretty high above, roll over towards the wall and grab a tiny hold with my right hand, bring my left foot up and switch my left hand to a palm/mantle matching with my left heel, bump my right hand up to a better hold, then shift my weight and lever over onto my feet. Rick caught the tail end of the move on video (too bad he didn't catch the whole thing1) I feel like the 5'5" version of this climb is a 10b/c. Rick felt like it was an 8, maybe an 8+ - haha! Quite a difference! Either way, the climb is rated X and merits a WTF rating for that and how difficult it can be based upon size. With that said, the rock is solid and, if you ignore the 5.7 rating, it's not a terrible climb. |
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Diplomatic Immunity (5.7)
Climb: Diplomatic Immunity (Trad, 60 feet)
Pro: To 3" (it will take larger gear at the top but it's easy terrain, so some might choose to skip it. We used a #4 in the anchor, but it's not needed)
Wall: Ragged Edges
Rope: We used a 70m
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? If the climber has good upper body strength and is confident over a bulge, then yes, it's pretty straight forward and nicely protectable.
Conclusion WTF? What the FEISTY!
Pro: To 3" (it will take larger gear at the top but it's easy terrain, so some might choose to skip it. We used a #4 in the anchor, but it's not needed)
Wall: Ragged Edges
Rope: We used a 70m
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? If the climber has good upper body strength and is confident over a bulge, then yes, it's pretty straight forward and nicely protectable.
Conclusion WTF? What the FEISTY!
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Diplomatic Immunity is rated a 5.5 in the Handren guidebook and was also rated that in Mountain Project until recently, when it was upgraded to a 5.7. The upgrade is merited for the bulgy, bouldery start (first 10-15 feel or so.) Fortunately the start is protectable. This is a fun, well-protect climb that goes up a widening crack on slopey terrain with scattered petina holds. After the start, the climb is in the 5.6 range, then finishes off quite easy, in the 5.4/5.5 range.
Some of the guidebooks say pro to 4". You might use a 4" or 5" in the wide crack near the top, but Rick never placed any of the large gear - the terrain was easy and he ran it out to the anchor. Rick did use a #4 in the crack for the anchor, but it's not really needed. Bring up the second then walk over to the bolted anchors used for the other climbs described above. The ledge is fairly good-sized, but there are some bushes and a large yucca cactus that force you to walk close to the edge. If there is any discomfort, you might consider belaying over. Rappel down using the bolted anchors. |
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Climb Stats to Date
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DATE OF CLIMB: June 6, 2021
WALLS HIT: 1 NUMBER OF 5.7 CLIMBS TODAY: 3 NUMBER OF 5.7 PITCHES TODAY: 3 NUMBER OF FALLS: 0 NUMBER OF TAKES: Stef had several (sort-of, it was more like starting over) trying to figure out the start of Midnight. 5.7 VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 190' DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TODAY: 3!! (I guess it's major dirty-underwear-catchup-time....) TOTAL CLIMBS SO FAR: 158 TOTAL PITCHES SO FAR: 206 TOTAL 5.7 VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 18,115' NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 80 (out of 237) VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: 32,702' DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 8 |
FALLS SO FAR:
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