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Peak Mountain 3

Foaming Cleanser

FA Chris Reveley, Ajax Greene, 1976
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

Since High Anxiety isn't in the database yet, this one is a bit hard to orient to. Nevertheless, right (downhill) of

Verschneidung Dihedral

and

Varieties Of Religious Experience

are three right-facing corners all in a row. This is the middle corner, with the left being Irreversible (11c X) and the right being High Anxiety (11a/b R). The two left corners move through a 30-foot rotten band high before traversing left to a good belay on a huge ledge at a giant tree, just below the second pitch of

Varieties

....

[I'd still argue for a VS, given the opening sequence. The guidebook recommends traversing right to avoid the upper chossy band, but if you go straight up it, you will find some solid holds and a couple of cosmetic RPs, with the climbing going at about 5.10-, a variation called She's a Soft Scrubber: 10a X; Derek Hersey, Brad White, John Huffer, 1980s].

In my mind, this is truly a VS--licheny, two cruxes done of off either distant and/or psychological pro, and lots of loose rock up high. With less lichen, it would feel more comfortable.

Scramble up on the slab to belay at a small tree. Move left, then back right along the break under the undercut wall. At two parallel seams, drop a TCU in below your feet on a flake, then go up the right of the two seams (good RP), which forms a small left-facing corner. Punch it to a break, put in a crap RP, do another crux (THE crux, I think), then step back left into the corner. Finally, a finger crack and good gear. Move past a huge hollow shield into a pumpy crack, place a good piece as high in the crack as you can after some pumpy layback/jam moves (good gear), then up the purple choss to another ledge. Either belay here off a good crack (small-hands to hands) or set directionals and traverse, gingerly, to the tree....

Protection

Double set of RPs, cams to fist (#3 Camalot) size, double in finger sizes.