I Am Not The Man

The hardest line at Bulo, this route seems a mystery to most and the line/beta is not very clear. In my time spent on this climb, I came up with three options for climbing this route:

Option #1- Make a few easy moves and clip the first bolt. From here, move leftwards towards the arete and climb the face and arete utilizing crimps and sidepulls with your right hand and the arete with your left. This line actually seems the most natural and logical and the second clip is fairly easy to make. After reaching the good edges above the second bolt, move right and up, finishing direct. This feels like low end 5.12 to me.

Option #2- Make a few easy moves and clip the first bolt. From here, head up and right on progressively worsening crimps to a hard lockoff to a decent crimp (crux). Match this crimp and move left to a bad gaston pocket. Find a foot, make a tricky move to another pocket with the right and on to the good edges with the left. Clip the second bolt and continue upwards on large holds to the chains. There is some groundfall potential on this one as it is easiest/best to clip the second bolt after reaching the good hold above it. This feels like mid to hard 5.12 to me.

Option #3- This could be the intended line, but it climbs somewhat contrived. Start the same as the other options. After reaching the first bolt, climb directly (just right of the bolt line) utilizing a few mighty small crimps and a gaston or two. The crux involves deadpointing to a decent crimp with the right while not losing contact with the left. There is also groundfall potential on this option as clipping the second bolt before reaching the good edges is nearly impossible. This feels more like low end 5.13 to me.

The rock on this route is some of the best at Bulo and each one of these options is fantastic. They are all good tests of technique, footwork and finger strength.

This route is located in the Main Area to the left of 'Plumbers Crack' and 'Return Of Yoda'. It climbs the obvious thin slab.

2 bolts