Babyback

So you're feeling sick? Maybe climbing with a rank amateur? Feel the need to tick EVERY climb in the guidebook? This is a short one won't hurt you, and the view from the top earns one star.

Begin at the base of

The Knack

(see that route description), drop your pack and gear up. Then scramble upslope to find the start of Babyback. Located at almost the top of the Dihedral area of the East Ridge, find the first splitter crack to the right of the end of the ridge. The crack starts from a "raised area sporting trees" above the gully and requires a little scrambling to reach the base. Heck, once you've climbed to the base of the crack, you're halfway to the top already!

Begin with some fine liebacks and hand jams, cruising 20' or so until the crack widens beyond fist size. This is the "crux" and serves to make the finish interesting. If this was 100' feet long, there would be a line to climb it, but it's not, and wow, at the top already? Set up a quick anchor in convenient cracks above the climb, and enjoy a very fine view of the Indian Peaks to your west and the Goose below and east.

The easiest way off is to move your belay East down the ridgetop to the two bolt anchor for

Fountain of Youth

. You can do this safely by easing down a wide crack/slot separating the Babyback rib and the [Fountain of Youth]] rib. It's a little awkward, and being roped may make the downclimb a little less stressful, but you may not feel it's necessary. Rap back to your waiting pack at the base of

The Knack

.

A standard rack.