Marlin Alley

This is a good long pitch with a little of everything and a pumpy crux tossed in for good measure. There will NOT be gear overhead when you pull this, but it is not a terrible fall either.

This is a great climb and the best I have done on Batman Rock. Start off as for

Hand Over Hand

or

Clown Time Is Over

. The book indicates the first of these is traditional, and that is how I did it. Step up off the ground and climb a few knobs and edges (5.6, S) to move up and left to a left-facing flake (5.5), continue up the flake as it becomes larger and now is a left-facing corner, which goes up to end below the HUGE roof above. The corner is low-angle, but it gets steeper just above some large flakes on the right, just before a handcrack appears to split the right side wall of this now large corner. You can pull into this leaning handcrack (5.10) or stay in the corner (5.10-). I chose the first option, as it seemed more consistent with the grade and looked fabulous. Pull into the crack and place a few cams. 2-3" is the size. The gear is bomber and so are the jams. The difficulty comes from the outward and left-ward leaning angle, as well as a section up to of 1-1.5" crack (off-fingers) just before reaching a good rest. The pump-clock has probably started ticking....

Move up past the last of the corner (10c) and into a jammed block left under the roof and set good gear on a long sling. I set 2 pieces here (pumpy due to the double overhang). Pull up and right on good hands through the roof on some flakes and sidepulls (11b). Gillett refers to this as an undercling, which yes, it may well be, but forget the delicate goose-stepping impression you may have, this route is all about power.... Pop out over the roof on locker holds just before the right hand side gives way to vertical rock and mantle up (5.9), fairly well above gear, this would be an awkward fall but not seriously hurt you if your gear is good.

I HOPE you used good slings or the drag could do you in... it just about did me.

You could probably get an Alien or funky TCU in just above the roof, but it will pin your partner down for the traverse through the roof. It would be kinder to let the rope go vertical for a bit.

Go up and right or up and left and through the next roof above (no harder than 5.9 but a bit run in places) and join a line to the top. Going well left, you could join

Hand Over Hand

.

Continue to the top of the rock, or at least to a belay tree. (5.8+)

If your second falls at the roof, they will be hung in space with little to get back on. They have to be lowered to reach the wall again. If they have cleaned the gear, and you have not placed a piece right over the roof and pinned them down, then if necessary, they can pendulum out of the corner a few meters to the right and ascend via

Hand Over Hand

, thus skipping the 5.11 crux and the prussiks.

This climb ascends a face to the massive left-facing corner under the right hand end of the main roof on Batman Rock, then up through the right hand end of said roof.

A set of nuts, a set of cams from .5" to 3" with doubles in 2, 2.5, 3". Take a lot of longer slings, as this is a long pitch and it leans and pulls overhangs- drag could be a killer. I suspect double ropes would have been handy.