Sit Down Dude ... And more ...

Charlie Barrett has added a sit start to the classic Rock Creek arete, Dude (v9). The first move with a very bad foot, a nubbin for the right hand, and the left hand on the slopey arete is the hardest--a quick move up to gain a flat crimp for the right. It makes the climb a lot longer and less of a trick. How hard is it? Well, who knows ... "It's something to play around on," says Charlie.

A couple other things of note are two lines I did on the back of the Batter Boulder about a week ago: This is the boulder that is just up and left from the boulder with Clearcut and Overzealous (the Talus Boulder, in the guide). First, I repeated The Batter Effect (v5/6), though I started from an obvious left hand horn/sidepull and right hand on a good sidepull around the same height. There really didn't seem space to start lower if you want a pad under you, though apparently it was done from a lower start originally by Jeff Sillcox and a grade or so harder.

Andrew Stevens on The Batter Effect

Then on the back of the boulder I did the jump-start arete at left (not too hard, but committing) and also a sweet little sit-start beginning at right (also committing, but harder--v6?? Really don't know). The latter crosses the slopers until you can swing out left, grab a sidepull and then roll into the good hold and then top out as for the jump-start--well worth doing, though some serious pad skills may be needed to avoid breaking your neck if you fall.

Begin right line with both hands on the lowest point of the rail