Guides Rock - "For Sure" 5.8+, "T Bam Crack" 5.9, "Cheese Grater" 5.8

Great day out with warm weather, lots of sun, but a cool wind; can't complain too much for early April rock climbing.  Went to Guides Rock on Mt. Cory with Brad and did 3 routes.




OSWB leading up pitch 1 on "For Sure", 5.8+, 40m

I started with a lead up “For Sure”, 40m 5.8+, generously bolted. Great delicate slab climbing with the crux having super polished holds, didn’t make for great feet.  The crux were two water worn runnels that cut into the blank slab, providing interesting and strenuous side pulls to make them work for hands; slippery feet made this spicy.  We did a short simple traverse to the base of “T Bam Crack”, an alternate pitch on the popular “Aftonroe” (5.7, 220m). T Bam is a short (30m ish) trad 5.9 corner/crack.  Mostly an awkward corner that doesn’t really flow well, strenuous mini cruxes, but the trad gear is near and super easy for cams.  Brad led this very well.



Brad leading up `T Bam Crack`5.9 trad, 30m

Next we did “Cheese Grater” 100m and 5.8, generously bolted (p1 5.8, 25m; p2  5.7, 20m) Brad's lead, he combined the two pitches. Original route section, similar to For Sure, but a bit easier.  The next two pitches are a brand new addition.  I did pitch 3, 5.8, 30m, a bit of 5.8 corner and tricky slab.  Brad waltzed up the last pitch, 5.8 about 25m; more delicate slab.

 



Brad leading up pitch 1 on `Cheese Grator`` 5.8, 100m

OSWB leading up pitch 3 on `Cheese Grater``