Smooth Operator

This route has also been known as "Sweet Crude."

Pitch 1: Climb the chimney and corner to a sloping belay stance below a bulge. (5.8, 120’)

Pitch 2: An exposed diagonal traverse leads up and left through the bulge, with lots of air below, but good pro. When you’re back in balance, a sloping traverse leads left about 30 feet. Now go straight up a steep jamcrack to a roomy ledge. (5.9, 110’)

Pitch 3: Poorly protected face climbing for 30 feet leads to a chimney, which is followed by moderate moves up the continuing crack system, to a comfortable ledge where the crack system splits. (5.8, 190’)

Pitch 4: After an exposed move right, jam a steep crack for 20 feet. About thirty feet of exposed, varnished face lead right and up to the base of a prominent, black, left-facing corner, where a hanging belay is established. (5.9, 70’)

Pitch 5: Climb straight up the face and corner, then up easier terrain to a belay ledge. (5.8, 160’)

Pitch 6: 200 feet of class 4 lead to the unroping spot.

Descent: Go west towards the Brownstone Wall, staying low across the slabs, then descend Juniper Canyon.

This route ascends the Jackrabbit Buttress, starting in a corner about 100 feet left of Ernest Stemmingway. To reach the start of the climb, one may go uphill along the base of the cliff from ES, or go halfway up the steep dirt portion of the Juniper Canyon approach trail before cutting back toward the base of the cliff. Both ways are brushy.

A standard rack up to a 3 or 4 inch cam.