Juggler
Trad climber
Earth
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The first pitch was Nate's first 5.7 lead. It was a nice challenge and easily protectable. The exposure for the first few moves of the second pitch are pretty intense and then it's just a route finding problem. (Once A) Bushy Ledge was quite crowded when we arrived so we found a very small ledge to the right on the 5.6 traverse and set up our belay there, then went up an alternate way using a 5.6 flake before ending up back on route.
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Nathan
Intermediate climber
Earth
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Just climbed this route for the first time. What a great climb. There's a red sling hanging from a flake around the area where you want to start heading left on the wild 5.7 var. for the 2nd pitch. Go higher than you might think for the 5.6 traverse left. It's pretty easy to spot the traverse I felt. All the holds are there, great hands with smaller feet but didn't feel like a sandbag to me. There's a couple of pods in the traverse that took iffy nuts, tri-cams might have worked better.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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I like the old 5.6 rating for this. Climbs like surrealistic pillar, corrugation, bear's reach, and so on all have more teeth than east wall.
First time on this route I got lost and went straight up the sandy ledge. Don't do it, you'll die. Straight up is 5.9R/X liebacking on lichens with sh#t pro between you and the ledge. Left is improbable, but correct. It's "exciting" but not hard climbing to get up to the crack. The traverse is heady, but not hard. When in doubt go higher. It's easier to get into the dihedral at the far end of the traverse from higher holds than if you stick it out with the original set of dikes.
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TShimkus
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe, NV
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We left our guidebook on the ground so ended up going up the dihedral system to the right of the first belay ledge. Being only my third lead this variation was pretty frightening.
The holds are decent but the pro is terrible. All the cracks are flaring and there are few spots that a piece will actually hold. An old piton about 1/3 the way up was one of the few pieces I was confident climbing above.
This pitch took far longer than we anticipated and daylight was fading so we ended up bailing from this pitch.
I would love to come back and finish this one soon.
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tex
Trad climber
everett, wa
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Well, not flaming here, but the overview does say not for fledgling 5.7 leaders...and with good reason as the route does wander in a somewhat unobvious manner. Again, not a flame as when I led it several years ago, I was with a partner who had a lot of experience at the Leap...and without him, I would not have chosen the line we climbed, which was the proper one as depicted in supertopo. Looking at that jog left on the route pic, I would never have taken the exposed, undercling flake as being it. I guess what I am saying is that I believe what I read in the route beta now and have been much the better for it. I really don't want anyone to end up hurt because they see 5.7 and think its easy climbing. Glad you got thru it fine with just a lesson learned and experience for your future judgements. Hope all your climbs end the same way safely and have fun. And to anyone else, believe the beta, go with experience.
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TShimkus
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe, NV
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I returned a week after my first attempt at this one with sufficient time to finish this route this time. The sling and carabiner I bailed on a week prior were surprisingly still where I left them.
Routefinding beyond the first pitch is very tricky, even with the guidebook. It ended up taking us four pitches to complete because we never knew exactly where we were going. After about four hours we reached the top.
Go with somebody that has previously climbed this route unless you like wandering around trying to figure out where to go next.
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Storm Shadow
Boulder climber
Minden, NV
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First time ever doing traditional climbing, let alone anything multi-pitched. Awesome introduction at East Wall....couldn't have been a better experience for me. I would have gone Bear's Reach but it was too crowded so I hit East Wall instead.
I'm thirsty for more. Lovers Leap is awesome.
I'll be hitting that up more often for sure.
Storm Shadow.
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Storm Shadow
Boulder climber
Minden, NV
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I'm looking for some rock climbing as well as bouldering friends to go climb with.
I live in Minden and will go anywhere in a 50 mile radius to top-rope, sport climb, trad climb, and boulder.
Give me an email: info@ultimateninjitsu.com
Storm Shadow
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john hansen
climber
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I remember doing this route in the early 80's. I had led the first pitch before but did not have the balls to step out onto the wall to the left and commit to the climb.
Came back at the end of the year with a guy much better than I , who took the second and third pitch,back then it was 4 pitches in the guide.
The traverse seemed very straight forward and it took me less than 30 seconds to cross from the big belay flake to where it joins Bears Reach... Thats because there was a huge squall coming up the canyon and I did NOT want to do that traverse when it was wet.
We sat there in our T shirts and shorts while the belay turned into a waterfall, and shivered away for twenty minutes or so until the rain passed.
My buddy took the last pitch too, saving my ass once again.
When I got to the top he didn't have anything in for a belay.
Just a hip belay with his feet against a ledge.
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joebuzz
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA.
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What a FUN route! Thanks, John, for reminding me. I haven't done it in years now but remember it as being one of my favorite moderate's on the east wall. There are a few different variations on the last two pitches if you poke around a bit that are definitely worthy and still no harder than 5.7. Good Fun!
Another fun moderate "game" on the wall is Haystack (5.8), but with only a rack of stoppers. No cams = more fun!
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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Did this route last week for the first time since about 25 years ago. We found a botched bolt chopping on the ledge at the first pitch belay. Certainly these bolts should have been removed, but without leaving a chopped stud and a beaten over hanger. If anyone goes up there with proper tools, it merits repairing. If it remains until next spring I will try to do the job.
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A view from the approach.Photo: Chris McNamara
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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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