Chess With Justin

Start on the (presently dirty) left-rising ramp and step left, or alternatively crank a tricky and powerful boulder problem to get established in the crack. Climb up with a good finger jam or two, a hand jam, and an undercling to stand up in the wide pod. Get a #5 BD nut up and left in a little slot in the crack and then launch into the crux. Technical footwork and sidepull crimps on the edge of the crack, which is much too thin for even baby fingers to fit in, will get you to a decent fingertip jam. More footwork will bring you to better finger jams and another wide pod in the crack. The technical crux is over at this point. Pumpy and interesting moves on positive holds will get you standing on a little ledge, where you can fully recover if you need it, before finishing up the last couple moves to another ledge with a two bolt anchor (thanks to Mark Sprague for popping that in for us).

I really enjoyed this route, and hope people get out there and climb on it! Could use a little love still, especially at the start. The grade is a suggestion, please share your opinion...might be easier when it gets cleaned up a bit more.

I'd like to note that this route was put up in honor of our friend Justin Graham, who died tragically last year. Justin was a strong, bold, and humble climber, a generous friend, and a brilliant inventor and engineer. He could also beat just about anyone in chess. He is missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know him.

This route ascends the right of two thin, left-angling cracks, which you can find by following the cliff right and uphill from Farewell Ronald McDonald. You will come to this section of cliff before the chimney that marks the start of Brer Rabbit.

A single rack of nuts and cams to #3 C4 will more than sew it up. Small offset nuts help to protect the crux but are not totally necessary. The small #4 and #5 BD nuts are crucial, micro cams won't fit.