Zig Zag Crack
Climb: Zig Zag Crack (Trad/Toprope) (50')
Gear: Finger-sized plus a #1 and #4 (the #4 is a nice spot, but could be skipped; a blue Totem would be good for a wonky crack just over 1/2 way up)
Wall: Calico 1
Beginner's Lead? Yes, I think so.
Conclusion WTF? FUN!
Gear: Finger-sized plus a #1 and #4 (the #4 is a nice spot, but could be skipped; a blue Totem would be good for a wonky crack just over 1/2 way up)
Wall: Calico 1
Beginner's Lead? Yes, I think so.
Conclusion WTF? FUN!
Zig Zag crack is listed in Handren and Mountain Project as a toprope climb. You can access the bolted anchors by going up and around either left or right. As you can see on the Climb-On Map excerpt below, going right has easier terrain and is shorter (green and yellow - easy and moderate - trail versus orange - strenuous.) Be careful accessing the anchors.
We went ahead and toproped it first, but upon inspection we felt there were enough good spots for protection for this climb to be lead-able (see photo). Rick went ahead and did the lead with no issues at all. Our main tip would be, when you see a spot for pro, take it. The second photo is after Rick lead it and basically shows the spots where pro is possible.
This climb is a little sandy and has a few friable spots, and maybe one or two awkward moves, but it seems easier than a 5.7 - more like a 5.6. As you can see, it's protectable - just seek and find.
We went ahead and toproped it first, but upon inspection we felt there were enough good spots for protection for this climb to be lead-able (see photo). Rick went ahead and did the lead with no issues at all. Our main tip would be, when you see a spot for pro, take it. The second photo is after Rick lead it and basically shows the spots where pro is possible.
This climb is a little sandy and has a few friable spots, and maybe one or two awkward moves, but it seems easier than a 5.7 - more like a 5.6. As you can see, it's protectable - just seek and find.
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Rick placed gear to show where the spots are for pro.
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Cialis Cleft
Climb: Cialis Crack (Trad/Toprope) (60')
Gear: Small to Medium, one #5 and #6 (for fun I placed the #7 but didn't need it)
Wall: Calico 1
Beginner's Lead? Yes, probably (now that there is a bolt protecting the first moves)
Conclusion WTF? FUN!
Gear: Small to Medium, one #5 and #6 (for fun I placed the #7 but didn't need it)
Wall: Calico 1
Beginner's Lead? Yes, probably (now that there is a bolt protecting the first moves)
Conclusion WTF? FUN!
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Cialis Cleft is a fun, scrappy, dirty, climb up a "cleft" that makes you think and forces you into a variety of moves, including a short section of "squeeze" between the rocks. Other than the need for a couple pieces of bigger pro and that one small "squeezy" section, it's not really an offwidth per se (i.e. one that requires inserting body parts into the crack.) For newer climbers, be aware that start is awkward and has some challenge. It's is more like a 5.8+ or 5.9 for the first few moves. In 2022 some new sport climbs were added in the area, including one immediately to the left of this climb but they share the same start. What was once a difficult-to-protect move (the only pro was where you needed to also jam your hand) is now protectable by the bolt, making it a much safer start (there is a boulder below that you'd hit in a fall.) If you want the "OG/old school" experience of this climb, don't use the bolt. If you prefer safety, clip in. The next somewhat challenging spot is the squeeze/awkward body positioning just before the wide-pro section. Then the climb eases up into some face moves, stemming and into a cool flake. This climb ends at a bolted anchor with chains. Bring a #5 and #6 (I used my brand new #7 for the fun of it - but you don't need it). |
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Climb Stats to Date
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DATE OF CLIMB: August 23, 2020
WALLS HIT: 1 NUMBER OF CLIMBS TODAY: 2 NUMBER OF PITCHES TODAY: 3 (repeated one climb) NUMBER OF FALLS: 0 NUMBER OF TAKES: 0 VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 110 (160 including the repeat) DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TODAY: 0 START & END TIMES:
TOTAL CLIMBS SO FAR: 126 TOTAL PITCHES SO FAR: 168 TOTAL 5.7 VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 14,650' NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 112 (out of 237) VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: 36,097' DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 4 |
FALLS SO FAR: 0
TAKES ON LEAD SO FAR:
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