The Gendarme

An old climb that's likely the manufacturing facility for choss in the Wasatch. Tip toeing around loose blocks, and a cool head may very well be more valuable than specialized cams on this route.

But really why are you drawn to this route? Likely you're gaping at the massive roof of pitch 2 aren't you? Maybe it's that splitter wide crack of pitch 3. Or maybe you thought that approach pitch would be cake. Either way you've been sucked in to the vortex of The Gendarme.

Pitch 1) Climb a myriad of cracks up and left at the base of the SW corner of Middle Bell. Aiming for a ledge system slightly left of the prominent roof. Belay off cams and a bush. 5.9R

Pitch 2) The real meal deal. Climb up and right off the belay placing a few cams before you find a bolt protecting a tricky slab traverse to gain the base of the crack leading to the roof. Once to the roof there's only way thing to do. You'll be CUTTING LOOSE at the lip on your onsight attempt damn near guaranteed. This pitch actually has decent rock, and sports the steepest perfect hand crack I've ever come across in the Wasatch. Belay at 2 bolts. 5.11

Pitch 3) Pull through a bush or two to gain the "bushless" section of the wide crack. Heel-toe, arm bar, chicken wing, and thrutch your way up this gloriously long wide crack pushing your lone #6 along for the journey. Belay from a bush on top of the gendarme itself. 5.8

Rappel from the top belay bush to a stainless steel Smoot anchor on his new 5.11 face climb to the right of "Easy Way Up". 2 double rope raps will get you down.

Unsure of if this has been freed in the past. Mark Evans freed the crux onsight 11/26/2017.

Furthest left route on Middle Bell. Look for the west facing crack system on the gendarme that splits the breaking wave shaped roof.

Singles to #6. Doubles fingers through hands. Medium nuts. 2 ropes.