brotherbbock
climber
So-Cal
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Killer Route.
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John Cassese
climber
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Awesome climb. Did it in 5 pitches with a long 2nd pitch and belayed for the third pitch just above hand traverse. Has a little bit of everything. Crack, face, slab.
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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just got this feedback from a supertopo user:
the hangers from the bolts on the top of pitch 2 of frogland have been removed. plenty of places to build an anchor, but it means bailing after pitch 2 involves leaving some gear.
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George Bell
Trad climber
Colorado
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On the third pitch, don't be lured by a big bushy tree on the right which is on a ledge and has many slings around it (good thing you can't see these slings from below). We ended up belaying at this bush and were rather confused as to where to go. This tree is shown on the topo, under "5.6 many options". It is not easy to get from this tree back onto the route, but you can traverse left on the face, or follow a decomposing corner up and then left (the one shown in the topo).
Although we rejoined the route, I never noticed the "5.8 bulge" shown at the end of pitch 3 (there was a bulge but it was easier than this). At the start of pitch 4, there is a roof to be negotiated, and the easiest option is to go right and then traverse back left just above the lip (5.4). Two other options are shown in the topo, and are probably higher quality and more challenging.
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Sheik aka JD
Trad climber
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Beautiful route. Did it in four, long pitches with a bit of simul-climbing. Didn't find the topo area marked "ugly" to be that bad/unprotected of a variation (even found cam/biner booty there -- I think someone got scared on that variation and lowered back to anchor). The 10a variation traverse was fun, but slightly unprotected; I recommend slings on most of the gear for that great pitch (reduces rope drag, but increases larger fall potential) and then belaying on top of block.
Question:
Anyone know the name/rating of the route(s) found on the right side of the Frogland descent trail? We climbed a two-bolt traversing face, to a thin lie-back, up left to an initially flared (then splitter) hand crack up to an anchor. It was right of the right-facing dihedral/flared crack with a single bolt. Anyone know of this face/crack route? I think it is around 5.10a? Thanks.
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speedywon
Trad climber
Kansas
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When I climbed this route in mid March (2006), the bolt hangers were missing on all the belays above the 1st pitch. Make sure you save some gear to build a natural anchor. I think I used a #1 Camalot in each one, so plan ahead.
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chillios
Trad climber
Newburyport, MA
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WARNING: Watch out for the HUGE loose blocks up and to the left after the hand traverse (you may want to place pro behind the lower block BUT DONT!) both blocks are loose.
Other than that a great route. (Use a 60 to link pitches)
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vegastradguy
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV
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Although Frogland is a great route, the first pitch is less than stellar. If you're looking to do this route, but want to replace the iffy first pitch with a first rate one, step left about 30' and climb the left hand side of the small outcropping the forms the first pitch's belay ledge. This excellent pitch starts in a corner and leads up and into a left facing corner and meets Frogland at the first belay. It's a 5-star pitch and goes 5.7!
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TIM SHEA
Trad climber
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA
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We got lucky and were 1st on the climb. We had it all to ourselves. Highlights of this climb for us were, The hand traverse and arete move, the belay above this, and the move under the huge chockstone. We were thrilled by the varied nature of this climb. And the best part is that it's a walk off !
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Ken Zemach
Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
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Did this pitch last weekend. We did it starting at 6 am to beat the crowds; while the pitch was in the sun most of the time, it really wasn't too hot. Wear sunscreen.
Advice for "newer" climbers leading near their limit:
I passed at LEAST six fixed cams on this route, all of which were in fairly parallel cracks and way, way overcammed. What this means is that either a) the people setting the pro were wigged and jammed in the wrong piece or b) they didn't bring enough cams and were forced to use something too large.
I'm voting for b. If you aren't a strong leader in this range, do bring doubles from at least your smallest cam (heck, I even used stuff smaller than the recommended .6, and 5.8 is well within my runout comfort zone) to 2.5", then singles in the larger recommended sizes.
Enjoy!
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Lextalion
Trad climber
Sonoma ,CA
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Did this route last weekend. completed the route in about 4 hours.
Loved I think pitch 4 with the caulk stone problem. Thought the chimmey was kinda sporty. Had a bit of a problem with the layback area on an eariler pitch but thats due to the lack of practise.
Definately a route I'm planning to do again.
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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just redid this route last weekend ..
i think the 5.8 rating is a bit soft .. more like 5.7 ..
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lazy bi
Trad climber
san jose ca
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did this route 4/1/05, the bolt hangers on top of the second pitch have been removed as well as the hangers after the traverse
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vegastradguy
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV
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Seems like Larry is always climbing this route- climbed it with him today and of course got that famous hip belay!
At any rate, here's a friendly note to all interested parties:
As of 4.3.05 the bolts at the belay above the traverse have been chopped- plan on using small to medium cams in a horizontal slot about 10' below this point.
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malabarista
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV
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My only beta: listen for the Frogs! They are quite audible.
We were on the route with Larry DeAngelo, who wrote all the history pages for the guide. He was climbing in a Swami Belt, and his partner was using the body belay for his lead on the first pitch! He said "You only need a harness if you plan to hang."
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dmitry
Trad climber
the evil empire
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Good varied climbing.
Bring a couple extra medium units (P3 belay).
P1. Pleasant straightforward climbing to a ledge.
P2. Beautiful stiff 5.8 thin hands crux.
P3. Good. Check out the 5.8 bulge out left (more asthetic).
P4. Bring a small tricam for the pocket on the stiff 5.8 traverse. It would feel R without it. Dreadful anchor situation at the topo suggested spot. With a 60 m rope go up past the bolted slab move (exciting) and set a good belay in the corner.
P5. and P6. easily combine with a high P4. belay and a 60 m rope. Stimulating climbing in the corner (decent gear) to a manky belay on the 4th class ledge.
Cheers!
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moabbeth
Trad climber
Los Angeles/Moab
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You can actually turn this climb into 4 pitches easily with a 60M rope. Saves time, is more efficient and lets you cruise the route. Just make sure if it's windy that the leader and belayer have alternate commands than voice (i.e. tugs on rope) cause once the leader gets out onto the face (around what would be normally P4/5) and up to the next belay it can be hard for the second to hear if you're doing it in full ropelength/combined pitches.
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El Jefe Gordo
Trad climber
Richardson, Texas
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We did this climb in December of 1998. Guess what? - It was really cold! Using a 60 meter rope we combined pitches 4 and 5 and belayed on top of the giant chockstone. An added benefit of combining these two pitches is that you get to snag the two cruxes in one long pitch! Great route.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Thanks HandCrack, we'll see if we can get to Rain Dance to add to the next edition, maybe also the 5.10 to the right.
Greg
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HandCrack
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal.
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Hi Greg,
I think the topo is very clear as to where the first belay is, as well as showing the bolted anchor off left. Perhap Rain Dance could be noted on the topo. The bolt low on the route is shown already. According to Swain, it's 5.10+. I didn't do it but it looks quite good.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Good comment Jim, we recommended belaying on top of the chockstone to help avoid drag (also a cool place to belay!), but even if you do that you can get drag going around the little roof/corner just above and right.
HandCrack, the topo's supposed to show the first pitch belay in the trees, and mention that there's a bolted anchor off left, but it's all squished in there.
Thanks for the beta!
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Jim
climber
Mammoth Lakes
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I had nasty nasty rope drag from the tunnel-through. You won't feel like you need to place gear once you're through, but I recommend a piece on the left, just above/by the huge chock to keep the rope from getting wedged after you traverse right and up. Then just keep going until you run out of rope for a nice long pitch. All that remains will be some easy soloing to the summit!
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HandCrack
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal.
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The "1st Anchor bolts way off left" are actually the top of another route, Rain Dance.
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Matt M
Trad climber
Alamo City
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After Prince O' D, we hustled up the slope and jumped on this for a nice moderate finish to the day (Sunset was in the 5:30 range now so days are shorter!) Cool, cool climbing. 1st Anchor bolts are way off left so just use the tree on the ledge. Top of 3rd pitch is a gear anchor with welded (and i mean welded) forged friend, some tat around the pillar and I threw in a .5 camalot. The traverse under the roof seemed to have a high and low way - the chalk made it look like the low way was more popular - try the high way with you fingertips in the roof - cool and easier in my opinion. We set our anchor higher than the ledge on the topo above the 5.8 slab part and below the 5.7 tunnel through. This worked great because we were able to stretch our 60m to the 4th class above and avoid setting a final belay (a little simul might be involved) Do the 5.6 awkward corner neat the top on the left - Very cool knobs and 'heads with wild stemming and pro in pockets. On the decent, keep and eye out as the trail splits after the initial steep gully. One leads left, back around to the start of the route, the other drops down towards the main approach trail.
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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The American Safe Climbing Assn. may have replaced anchor bolts on this climb. To find out visit the ASCA Replacement Page
The ASCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to replacing unsafe anchors. To learn about helping the ASCA click here
DONATE NOW
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TIM SHEA
Trad climber
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA
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Deb and I did this climb on 3-30-03. Outstanding climb. In the shade after the first pitch. We did it on a monday morning, arrived @ 7:30 to base. I got going on the first pitch and the next party arrived. I started up and ran past a lot of fixed pieces. The crack flared and I found this a little tough. After this dihedral, there is some bolts for a belay and a couple choices as to where to go, but push on and belay farther up. I took the chimmney & flake which I loved (called nasty on supertopo)P4 5.8 was the best, runnout slab to a hand traverse, up an small crack/corner to a big ledge and on to the belay. This is the spot ! awesome views from here. From here to a bolt and on up under the huge chockstone. Whoa ! Totally cool. I took a pic from here. I would belay here to avoid rope drag. easy from there to top of wiskey peak. Totally enjoyed the climb and would highly recommend it !
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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almost epiced on this route ..
got a late start at 3 pm .. pushed on to the summit and made it by 6:30 pm .. had no headlamps and neither me nor my partner had read the descent -- we followed the wrong cairns down to the gully behind froglands (instead of the easy gully to the left) .. (did i mention we left out headlamps at our packs! - and ran out of water on route!)
ended up bushwacking and downclimbing some serious 4th class -- and maybe the occasional 5th class traverse (on hiking boots -- ugh!) ..
.. made it back to our packs by 7;30 .. and by the car at 8:30 ..
.. good example of what not to do ..
 ricardo
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JG
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Good climbing on all the pitches. 5.10 route to the left of the first pitch is great and well worth doing while you're there.
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Scott Flagg
Intermediate climber
San Francisco, CA
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Don't bother looking for the belay bolts on the top of the first pitch. The topo shows them right there, but they are too far to the left to do you any good other than rapping off. Build an anchor and move on.
Suggest you modify the Topo and put the bolts to the left of the tree.
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frank
Intermediate climber
San Francisco, CA
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It was very windy and cold!
We split the third pitch in two to reduce rope drag.
Kept lower on the fourth pitch traverse.
The descent in the gully was very well marked with cairns.
The route is long but I liked Dark Shadows better, maybe I would have enjoyed it more if we were not so cold.
Overall it is a very good climb.
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sweatyballs
Trad climber
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Cool route, However packed with climbers. I started up a sweet hand crack that leads up to another sweet, slightly overhanging, #3 camalot sized crack. The pitch ends on rap bolts next to the end of the first pitch of frogland. What is this routes name and rating? It is awesome, feels like 5.7 or 5.8 and thought it was the best of the other Frogland pitches.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Mike White just replaced most bolts on Frogland - all the bolts were 3/8" but had old-style SMC hangers (break like Leepers). He just switched hangers on the ones where the head of the wedge bolt was not damaged. Those Urioste 3/8" bolts break unnervingly easily compared to any other 3/8" bolts we ever run across - a few whacks downward with a hammer and they shear off (normally you have to bend a 3/8" stud back and forth a bunch of times until it snaps).
Greg
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Archie and Deb
Intermediate climber
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Beautiful 70 degrees in Vegas, but still felt a bit chilly on the climb. Hat and gloves were deluxe.
Your topo (which I got later) rocks! Might note that the thin crack after the crux traverse on the 4th pitch does not accept substantial pro - marginal leaders might vote for a bolt or pin here. We got in a small tcu which caused rope drag and eventually walked loose. Also, despite probably thousands of ascents, there are still a few loose blocks resting in some of the chimneys - so test your holds and enjoy!
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Frogland has varied climbing, a bit of routefinding, and a slightly runout slab crux.Photo: Greg Barnes
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*What is "Route Beta"?
It's climber slang for information or tips on a route as in, "what's
the beta on that route?" As a service to fellow climbers we ask SuperTopo
guidebook users to post tips and updates to this website if they have relevant
information to share after a climb.
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