Cryptic Egyptian

Can you say crimpy? This route has gotten harder as glue-reinforced crimps on the finishing headwall have peeled off. Thankfully there's lots of them, so there's still plenty to work with up there.

Cryptic is the second route from the left in the Wicked Cave and often has draws on it. It moves through ledgy rock down low and left through a scoop to a large flake. A bulge above the flake leads to a consistently overhanging wall with one good rest about 2/3 of the way up. The upper wall is very colorful, streaked with blue and red hues that make for good eye candy while you're dangling on the end of the rope.

This route can basically be broken down into two sections -- the lower half, with its cruxy bulge and pinch boulder problem getting onto the face, and the upper business, consisting of a very sustained 25 feet of crimping to get up and over the nice headwall to the anchors.

Avoid this route in July if at all possible as the Wicked Cave teems with mosquitoes and the air is generally hot and stagnant.

14 draws and a 60 meter rope.