Old School - 5.9

Originally did this route as Trad route, with a PG13/R rating. No repeats in several years, bolted 2003. Tricky 2nd clip, but much easier than getting gear. Still can be done trad.

#8

re-did on top-rope to clean route, just keeping count as this was a training day for me.

OK so am feeling good this day and no problem with the other 5.9 so decide to lead this for (second to) last climb of the day. First time I'm on this route. Not knowing how the route goes I was staying away from the right-hand corner (not sure why), anyway very difficult clipping second bolt. Took me two times up and down working sequence to get comfortable enough to commit to what for me was a balancey move up onto overhanging section on crimpy holds. If you miss this second clip you fall onto very large boulders below and then onto ground as first bolt would be no help. This is definitely an "R" clip here. Somehow got comfortable, got the balance right and made the clip (whew!!), finishing the climb no problem. My second couldn't get up the route (end of long-day) so I top-rope it to clean, thinking this will be interesting, wonder how much easier it will feel on top-rope. On top-rope I actually couldn;t remember what I had just done to get through the second bolt. Rushing I took two attempts to get through the second bolt, falling once here and ending up wondering to myself how I did that on lead. Weird... Probably would not lead this again, especially since it would be easy to set-up by topping out Mosquito and walking over to these bolts to hang a top-rope. Not worth broken back, but maybe staying much farther right there are good holds around the corner?

Punked out and clipped a bolt on Mosquito before comitting to a section with a bad landing.