Information From the Applicant- The Fixed Hardware Review Committee has received the following information from the applicant.
Application Type New route with new fixed hardware.
Location Rincon Wall _ far right (south) side.
Approach Via the Rincon Wall trail and then up the approach gully between Rincon and Shirt Tail Peak
Difficulty and Length 5.11- and 80 feet
Description The route starts off a ramp left of approach gully. The first 30 ft. climbs an easy slab which will safely take trad gear (5.5).The route then generally follows a red wall midway between two green lichen streaks. The first bolt is at the start of the steep wall. The cruxes are at the 2nd and 3rd bolts (5.11-) with 5.10- climbing above, up to the double overhang. The overhangs are climbed on the right side, then back up and left (5.10+). The anchor at the top allows a clean lowering point to the base.
Fixed Gear 8 bolts will be placed on the route and 2 will be placed at the top anchor. Bolts on the route will be Rawl 5 piece 2 __ x 3/8_ (1/2_ hole). Anchor bolts will be Rawl 5 piece 3 __ x 3/8_ (1/2_ hole) Hangers will be camoflaged Metolious hangers with rappel hangers at the anchor. All bolt heads will be painted to match hangers.
Rock Quality and Independence of Line The new route has good quality rock and is an indepentent line. Tsunami traverses toward the new route from the right, but ends 20 ft. away.
Nearby Routes Tsunami (5.11) starts 60 ft. up and right and has 2 old bolts and 2 old pitons. Another Pipeline Bonecrusher (5.12+) is 50 ft to the left and has 3 bolts and 2 fixed wired nuts.
Information from FHRC
Factors in Favor
Independent Line- The proposed route is an independent line. It appears to be harder to climb off-route from the line than to climb up it, for the whole pitch. To the left, the nearest climb is Another Pipeline Bonecrusher. The nearest approach of the new line to Another Pipeline Bonecrusher is at the top of the new line, at its lower-off anchor, and one can traverse fifteen feet across fairly easy slabs. There would be little temptation to traverse from Another Pipeline Bonecrusher to the new line. At the level of the crux of Another Pipeline Bonecrusher, the two lines are considerably more distant, and separated by much hard unprotected face climbing. To the left, the nearest route is Tsunami. The crux of Tsunami (on its second pitch) is about fourteen feet right of the final protection bolt of the new line. There are two fixed pins on Tsunami, protecting the crux. From the left one of these, it is about twelve feet to the final bolt on the new line. Climbing from Tsunami over to this bolt would require climbing leftwards and slightly downwards through exposed, steep and slightly loose terrain harder looking than the 5.11a crux of Tsunami. Therefore the fixed protection on the new line appears not to be too much of a distraction/temptation to the leader on Tsunami.
Direct Line- The proposed route climbs fairly directly up. The lower section follows a line of holds up the middle of a very clean wall, and the upper section takes two roofs pretty directly. Good Rock- The proposed new route has mostly excellent rock. Pulling over the roofs involves using several jugs. Conceivably, these could break, but they appear solid.
Interesting combination of moves- The proposed route has an interesting variety of face climbing moves. The climbing involves much climbing in the range 5.10 to 5.11-. The lower section is sustained and thin, and the upper section has a couple jughauls over a pair of roofs.
Safety- The proposed route will be safe. The only runout is encountered at the start, on 5.6-ish climbing, before reaching the first bolt. The rest will be bolted with approximately body-length spacing. There will be a two-bolt lower off at eighty feet, where the line meets easy slabs.
Location- The proposed route is located high up on the right (south) side of Rincon Wall. While there is much traffic on the main face of Rincon Wall, the right side gets little traffic. The line is accessed by the climber_s trail to Shirt Tail Peak. The proposed new line may help reduce crowding in the vicinity of Center Route and Rincon.
Aesthetic Position-The climb first ascends a very clean pink face, then heads over a couple of quite exposed overhangs.
Factors Against
Altered Routes- The proposed route has not been chipped or chiseled in any way. Rock Quality- The rock quality is excellent. Protection Reachable from Neighboring Routes- Definitely not from Pipeline Bonecrusher, and barely from Tsunami. Natural Protection Possibilities- There is little chance of any substantial protection for this line. The start can be protected by cams (5.6 to the first bolt). There is a nut placement under the first roof behind a small flake. This is an ok placement, but the flake is thin and might well break under the impact of a fall. This flake is also a handhold. Therefore it was not really considered as a viable option. There is bolt about six feet below this placement, and another about two feet above this placement. Neutral Factors
Dangerous Routes- The proposed route is certainly safe for an Eldorado climber competent at the grade.
Ability to toprope- The route can be toproped, but setting this up is not simple. After rappelling from the ledge system above the face (and below Shirt Tail Peak), one uses a directional on a small tree, then sets up cams in a diagonal crack above the proposed line, to set up the approximately eighty foot toprope.
