Begehungen von Olive Oil

Bring a double rack to link P1 and P2 (70m rope required) and bring a #4 and #5 regardless. Descent (up and over the top, go left and down climb) is exposed slab at first and then a steep class 4 gully.

Not what we set out to climb.. we had planned an assault on drifting. Antoines mate had told him it doesnt get done much so its probably sandbagged. We held our hope.. and.. made it to the 3rd bolt.. of the entire route. Antoine and i got sandbagged hard by this absolute mincer of a slab move that reeks of 5.12. Being north facing, there was still alot of snow and our fingers were freezing on the wall, but still. Fook. We took advantage of the approach by punching out a very alpine style ascent of olive oil with some questionable on-the-fly clove hitch simul cache adjustments. Copped a swim in the creek on the way down and a dirty bin feed disposed of by an angry mexican at a bbq house back in vegas. Ytbins.

Gave Eva the glory pitches so I led 1, 4 and 5.

Solid climbing at the grade all the way through. Varied climbing, gorgeous rock, & lots of serious runout all the way through. No bolts on the route now, though chops are not even visible. The climb begins with very serious runout slab from the ground up to about 20 feet or so. Stay right to pull the bulge. It’s Harder on the left. The runout traverse on pitch four is also scary but very juggy & rope drag is the challenge. The Crux is pitch 5, which also begins with a runout traverse right off the anchor. Very Poor pro until you get up further into the crack. From there it is pure steming on fantastic rock which eventually becomes more of an offwidth chimney. P 5 is one of the best pitches I have ever climbed. The gulley descent is quite long & relentless. Olive oil is a full on trad line made to order for trad purists.

led all odd and second halves of the even pitches

Good intro to Red Rocks.

We were passed by a solo climber high on the route, quite unnerving watching someone climb without a rope, especially when under the fall-line!

Excellent climb.

I loved the finger/hand crack on the second pitch.

Led pitches I,III, V