Job Review

The first fully bolted route completed on The Highlander crag, Job Review ascends the large grey plate that is left of the sprawling ledge system used for the "Peer" routes.

What a treat to be able to credit one these first ascents to Dr. Tom McFarlane. A long time guide from Estes Park, and an accomplished trad climber, Tom had to suck a lot of wind to watch me drill holes in the rock. I had the opportunity to climb for a full year with Tom before seeing him off to medical school and a brilliant career as a family clinician.

Job Review is the right of two long routes in this sector, one that he and I started and ABS and I finished. Shuffle up on easy terrain and half a dozen or fewer clips to a spot just below a small roof. Get a clip, move a bit right for a second clip, and swing out left to negotiate the roof. A friction crux on small feet, the roof is completed by padding back right to stand just above the last clip. It has cool moves that I always thought were 5.10 but are better imagined as 5.11a. This is bit reachy, and it helps to have a ridiculous ape index. A slew of clips and close to 80 more feet of friction climbing through seams and water channels gains the anchors.

This route is a gas by any measure and worth all of the two stars that I'll give it here.

QDs only. This 120 foot route needs 13 - 14 draws and something for the double bolt anchor at the top. Don't even contemplate doing Job Review or its neighbor,

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, without a 70m rope. There is no mid point anchor.