Baggins
Boulder climber
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Liam vance on whale tail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0L-ZFelKdI
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Boz
Trad climber
Davis, CA
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As for the Whale boulde... On the side facing the leap, "Whale Tail" starts at the obvious flat ledge on the left side, head straight up with a big left hand move to the lip, and then some sincere trickery to get to the top. I think this one goes at about a 9. Cool temps are key.
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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I got this feedback from Victor Copeland:
As for Lover's Leap, the topos missed a trio of classic problems in the main concentration. To the right of the "5.12" off width, there is a great little slabby V3 that moves off small crimps to a sloper and the top. To the right of that is a wild double arete roof that starts from a sit and climbs straight out the prow -- the Manzanita Mangler V6. To the right of that there is a small seem with incut crimps and a big ramp for your feet -- a clean, noneliminate double dyno called the Manzanita Strangler V5.
There is also a cluster of great new problems around Lower Buttress. Right near Blue Wind on the Lower Buttress, right near the switchbacks taking you toward Dear John etc..., is a tall boulder (25 feet or so) with a dike at about shoulder height cutting up and to the left following the hillside. Maybe call it the Bar Bloc? The classic Idiosynchronicity (V2R) rides the rail from the far right (a lower sit start has been done at around V6, but it's not that fun) until you reach a tall juggy crack system. Layback the crack, do some committing slopey arete moves, and pull onto the jugs well off the deck. The Snail (V6X), another classic headpoint, starts as per Idiosynchronicity, at the rail, but goes straight up the arete on slopers and edges to a bucket. Take the bucket left and do a long reach to the sloping arete at the lip. Follow the arete until you can do an insecure rock over onto the slab. Climb a grainy easy crack to the summit. Further
right is a small cave that houses Engage (V7). Sit start at underlings on the left side of the roof. Move past a perfect sloping pinch, and cut right through incuts to a good jug and a cruxy lip encounter. Follow easy climbing for 25 feet or so to the summit.
An incredible boulder sits atop Lower Buttress -- the Tetris Block. The Northwest arete (V2R) is a nice summit route. The Downclimb (V0), following a seam on the north face, is also nice from a low start. The Cubist (V10), a brilliant problem, starts in the cave from an undercling for the right and a large flat edge for the left. Climb straight out the cave onto the west face, following a small seam diagonally right, to long moves between sloping side pulls to the top. A powerful little arete problem (V3) has been done between The Cubist and the Downclimb. Between the Northwest arete and The Cubist is another nice tricky problem (V5). Start sitting with the arete forming the Cubist cave with your right hand. Heel hook and slap until you reach the horn on ther Northwest Arete. There are some proud projects on this boulder too!
Another noteworthy problem is the Deer John Cave (V4 or V9/10?). Starting at the arete on the right side of the cave on the right side of the Deer John Buttress, pull some hard moves into strange dike-pods and bust left into a massive undercling jug system. Surf the jug system up and right and drop off at the sloping bucket at the cave's lip (V4) or continue left across the face all the way to the 5.9 corner (I have worked this unsuccessfully, but Mark has probably done it). Speaking of Mark, the problems on the Whale are hard!
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Mark Nicholas on Monks Traverse (V4)Photo: Chris McNamara
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