Well this is very hard. Managed all the moves up to the crux at the last bolt which is around V9 and very very reachy. Probably 12+ except for that sequence. Pretty rad.
I misread the guidebook and started trying to free this.. nope. Then realized it'd make a good practice bolt ladder. Needs one rivet hanger, I think the third piece from the top.
Nice climbing. The runout to the left and up to the bolt on the slab (if done in one pitch) could easily make for a ground fall. A piece in between would be possible but would introduce some real drag.
Funchimney, tons of friction on the back and feet. It feels a little bit distressing when the obvious first pro is about a metre away (and the ground 10+ metres down), but the climbing is easy.
Figured this would be a nice warm-up morning having led most of it in April. Nope, turns out it's super cold on this shaded side of Saddle Rock at this time of year, and it made the slab very difficult. Wandered far left with 8+ metres of runout to avoid the steepest section of slab, which was a non-issue in the spring.
Followed pitch 1, lead 2 & 3. I actually was intending to link 2 & 3 -- but I never found the anchor and the end of pitch 2, and after the fourth bolt on pitch 2, ran it out to the anchors at the end of pitch 3. Probably more than 30m run-out by the time I, very carefully, finished the pitch. Talking with others who had climbed it the day before, they ended up doing the same thing.
Did the 5.8 start, greatfun climb, slab, crack and chimney, great way up the saddle rock, 2.5 hours car to car, in three pitches, joined two and three. About 180m of climbing. Single 60m will get you to the ground
Excellent finger crack with great gear. Looking back it might be on the softer side of 10a at Jtree (compared with say Taxman, in my opinion). It made a great first 5.10 lead at Jtree. I toproped this twice and then led it.
