Margin Of Error

A good route, a harder finish to a classic line, complete with hard moves and runout. Be careful of my proposed grade. I do not know in fact how hard the line will be in all. I rated it only for its moves, not sustenance. It has just been affirmed by some locals (Chris Watford & John Liles) that this was a probable F.A. and likely still unrepeated.

The following was a description I wrote in 1995 and just recently found again with Google:

"I got up Sunday morning just before sunrise and cooked some oatmeal before heading up the hill. I was up there by 8am, and climbing. I hooked up with Joe, a guy who was also alone that day, at least until his pal showed up in the afternoon. Joe is a guide and instructor for a local climbing school, and knows Twall pretty well. Joe asked what routes I did the day previous to figure out what I climbed like, so he could choose some good lines for us to do. I mentioned doing "A nastily runout 5.10+ that seemed to be more like a 5.11 to me" Joe said "Was it called MEAN CUISINE?" Apparently the route has a reputation...

Joe and I warmed up on the moderate, yet sustained "PASSAGES (5.8)". It is a **** lovely route, about 130' tall, a must-do. Joe cruised up behind and we rapped off. I spent some time doing some boudering and snagging a few routes before Joe and I decided to do a 5.10a dihedral called "Margin Of Profit" that I'd heard about. I and Joe located it and I quickly jammed up past the first roof, then up to the second roof about 80' or 90' off of the deck. Several people had said something about heading left out of the dihedral, and there was a big horizontal. I placed a few pieces under the roof and looked both left and right. I was getting pumped, so I hastily went left, as I thought I had been advised. Well, as I heel-hooked up and around the arete on which I had arrived I pulled myself to a spread-legged sitting position on the 8 inch ledge/corner and yelled "I must be in the front Row!" A few people looked up and said that I was off route, and that I should have gone right. Standing on the ledge and looking over, I realized that they were right. There the big holds were! I was too pumped to get back down the roof, so I paced a blind nut or two and started strait up. One person yelled "Hey, it's a new route." I responded (20' above my last piece, feeling pumped and on 5.10 moves) "I'll call it 'Margin of Error' if I live.

After about another 10' I got a good piece, and ran another 20' to the top. It was an awesome route, about 130-140' or more in total height. Joe trailed his rope and started up. About 10 falls later he started talking about it being a bit difficult. At the top (20 falls later?) he looked at me with saucer sized eyes and said "That was a stout lead." I looked at him and responded: "Thaths whffath I Wath Sthfinking!" My mouth was still a little to dry to talk correctly...

John Cioci (my usual climbing partner) had arrived to see the latter half of the adventure, and pulled and coiled the ropes while I booted and packed up. We hiked out and started the drive back, my head still abuzz. It would have been my last route of the day whether or not John showed up. I'd had my fun, and the week's climbing had worn on my body."

click to read the full 1995 trip report

Start as for Margin Of Profit, but stay left of the arete and tend left under roofs for the final 10 meters, approaching the route 'Sun King.'

The rack is as for Margin Of Profit plus a few nuts to finish up high. It is a little runout, but there is not much to hit in the event of a fall.