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forkliftdaddy
Mar 17, 2008, 8:38 PM
Post #1 of 3
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Registered: Jun 3, 2003
Posts: 408
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I was wondering if someone could give me the skinny on gear for the following routes at Middle Clear Creek:
- Smiley Face
- Rain Man
- Blue Sky Green Water
- Brain Contusion
- Brutalizer
Rather not tote the whole rack if I can avoid it.
Thanks!
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noell
Apr 7, 2008, 9:49 AM
Post #2 of 3
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Registered: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 309
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Now Scott... you should know how we roll down here in TN! It's the Obed! Clip some bolts on a horizontal 5.10 and wonder how on earth holds could be so big.... 
Seriously though, when are ya'll headed this way? You know you are welcome to crash at our place if you need.
In the meantime, I will ask a couple of others 'round these parts if they've done any of the gear/mixed routes at Middle Clear. They don't get done that much, I can tell ya that! Most of the traddies head down to Twall for their gear fix and just clip them bolts at Obed.
(This post was edited by noell on Apr 7, 2008, 9:50 AM)
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cjones12
Apr 20, 2008, 2:29 PM
Post #3 of 3
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Registered: Jun 28, 2006
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3 of those are my first ascents so I'll help you out. Smiley Face is straight forward gear. You'll need cams up to #2 or #3 camalot.
Brain Contusion is just that - an R to almost X route. Mostly small to medium tcus in shallow horizontals. After I redpointed it I swore I wouldn't lead it again and never did. Watch the ledge below - a helmet might save your life but a wheelchair is still a possible scenario unless your endurance is superior and your mental game is on. But hey you're a Carolina boy.
Rain Man is mostly cams to #3 camalot and not very frightening. Sense of accomplishment on the left (arete) is a much better line. Both tend to stay dry in rainstorms.
Liposuctor Crack is superior to all three of these and the best trad/crack route in the Obed/Clear Creek but you need to drop a piece of webbing off the cold-shut at the top lip to clip for lowering. The top-out usually stays too dirty and polished to finish up and you are looking at a possibly fatal fall if you fell topping out. Even if you make it to the lowering anchor the fall potential is very intimidating. When I did it, the copperhead I placed in the last seam crux fell out and it didn't provide any level of protection (not even good enough to rest on). I highly recommend a toprope preview of this line which is unbelievably fun even without leading. No other attempts on this route that I am aware of have gotten past even the first roof half way up. It is brutally pumpy and beta intensive.
I was told that Liposuctor and Brain Contusion were unrepeated since they went up in 1990. I'd love to hear that someone did these- two of my favorite climbs ever.
I should also recommend two other trad routes: Muppet Show Express (first bolts ever placed in the Obed system so be watchful unless they were replaced, gear requires tcus and stoppers) on the Chocolate Wall and Alpine Dihedral which sews up to #3 camalot .
I'll be back in East TN for the summer working as a ranger so PM me if you want a tour of the old school Obed/Clear Creek. I'd also like to install a cold shut or two at the top-out of Liposuctor to make this route less of a pain in the butt to lead. Also, I heard someone placed a sport route very close to this crack which I hope isn't interferring with the style or protection of the trad line.
Email Tim Roberts in SLC for beta on the other two routes. Don't know his email address though.- - lost track of him when I left Utah. Kelly Brown in Knoxville can probably give you the beta also and he has quite a few nice trad routes of his own in the Obed system.
Happy whippers,
Chris
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