Spuds in the Gym

A really great sport route that was described by Todd Skinner around 1987 as "the best sport climb in America." While I doubt that was true, it is easy to understand the enthusiasm the gregarious Skinner issued toward this climb. Power underclings with smears for feet follow the arch to a stance where you then climb direct and surmount the roof to the face above. You then essentially follow the strange vertical white quartz dike surrounded by great patina edges that later become huge jugs.

Farthest left route approached from the redtail trail access area of Rabbit Rock. Head uphill through the bushy area about 40 feet uphill (northish) from Redtail. Sit down on the nice quartzite bench at the bottom, directly under the dominate arch.

Placing extra gear in the crack at the start and after the last bolt is optional. Also you need to use long slings on the bolts for the underclings (at least two) to inhibit rope drag. I suggest placing a small nut to protect the starting corner, then clipping the first bolt with a runner, then backcleaning your nut. After the last bolt, expect a 25 foot 5.8 runout, but a finger sized cam can tame it if you choose.