Rat Race*** - 5.11d

freakin good. One of the more interesting routes out there..

Ken and I, (Splitter) did the F.A. on this stellar route! I could not nail the crux sequence despite repeated attempts on T.R. At the top of Civilized Evil there is a sitting, no hands rest. From there, some easy 5.9+, abet awkward underclinging/traversing to the right gains a wierd, right thumb press at the lip of the route. A stab up with the same hand nails a small incut. On the redpoint attempt, and after Ken had floated it on lead, I thrutched up with my left hand to match just as both my feet cut loose! Miraculously, I replanted my feet on sloping ledges under the roof, then fired to a small right hand sidepull a foot or so higher. A high-step with my right foot over the lip prevented a fall. With nothing for my left hand or left foot, I manteled onto my high-step just in time..whew!! Some steep and thin climbing leads to the anchors about 20 or 30 feet up! It was my spastic and lucky "sequence" at the roof which indicated the rating. I don't climb any harder than that! Perhaps someone with some sembalance of climbing control, could dial the rating down to maybe .11b. Ken certainly made it look easier than my recommendation of .11d....no surprize, he always makes things look much easier than they are!! Please comment on what you think of this testpiece!!! Thanks, Splitter

Set up a TR for this climb. I think I climbed just to the left of any crack pro placements and followed the tiny, shallow finger pockets all the way up to the anchor for Civilized Evil. Pretty tough climb but the moves are all there, just have to find them and trust those small pockets.

Start at Civilized Evil first bolt, but go up and right to nearby bolt #2, .11a crimp and smear at bolt to runout 5.9 and then bolt #3. Up and right crossing Dirty Rat Crack from left to right, when slightly above belay pillar (passed on your left) use cams to safely reach bolt #4 at the lip of a large orange overhang (.11+ ish). Above the overhang is another bolt and rp protected .10a seam to the chains.

You can also climb straight up to bolt #4 with cam protection adding more pump to this route with this slightly harder variation.

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