New Route at Oil Crack

ray · Post by **ray** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 4:10 pm

Apparently there is a new route left of Blue Plate Special at Oil Crack.
Does anyone have any info on it?

Post by **SikMonkey** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:04 pm

Really? Wow, I was there Saturday and didn't see it. Maybe I just missed it though.

Mj

Post by **LittleMonkeyMojo** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:35 pm

Hmmmm, if I'd have known I would have looked. I got there and there was a couple on Blue Plate Special, so we went over to that damned evil chimney instead.

Post by **Saxman** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 8:18 pm

The route was put up Sunday afternoon. We arrived at Blue Plate around 4 or 5 and they had just finished it. Don't know who they were though.

Post by **Power2U** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 9:57 pm

Just curious but is there a bolting free for all going on in this area? A line between Blue Plate and Skinflute sounds like a squeeze job to me.

Post by **SCIN** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 2:01 am

Yea, no kidding man. I went to the online guide to look at Blue Plate Special just to get an idea of where this route could be and just couldn't see where a line would fit.

Post by **t bone** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 2:24 am

Sounds like a squeeze job to me also!

Post by **hamsco** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 2:41 am

did anyone climb it? How long, how many bolts, grade?

Post by **Sam** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 4:02 am

The route info is as follows:

Crazy Game of Poker 5.11d** (S)
This is the bolted line 15 feet right of skin flute. Begin just left of the first bolt. Boulder up the technical start to an easier finish.
Variation start (5.10): Begin by climbing the first 15 feet of Blue Plate Special. Traverse left once you reach the ledge to regain the route.
Chain anchors. 40ft. 4 bolts.
FA: Sam Cervantes, Therese Condit, Chris Wenz, Keith Long

It would be nice if you guys actually took a look at it before criticizing someone's route. If you want to see squeeze jobs, just look at Roadside or the Motherlode. This route has at least 15 feet of space on each side. It has a fun, super-technical start and awesome crimps up high. Go climb it and see what I mean. Just make sure to stick-clip the first bolt.

And NO! There is not a bolting free for all going on in this area! Before bolting I obtained a concensus from several experienced and reputable bolters that this would not be a squeeze job.

Post by **SikMonkey** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 11:41 am

I will be out there this weekend and will give it a look-see. I definitely wouldn't consider the Lode a squeeze job though. I had a friend who went out west recently (can't remember exactly where) and when he got back we were at the Lode and he looked up at the Undertow wall and said "Damn I am glad to be back at the Red. The routes out there were only this far (holding his arms at full span) apart".

So who are these reputable and experienced bolters you have talked to (just to get an idea of whose route spacing I am going to be looking at)?

Mj