Free Speech

FREE SPEECH

Climbers on Free Speech, 5.12a.

There is a bolting ban on this aspect of The Whale's Tail. Luckily for us sport climbers, Mike Brooks got this one done before the ban. It is everyone's right to whine about slippery river polish. Ha! But really, the quality of the rock is excellent, the holds are comfy-smooth, and the approach is world class easy.

A huge stick-clip can be employed to reach the first piece of protection; an ancient ring-angle under the roof. Alternatively, a crash pad makes the start a lot safer too.

The ring-angle piton is the second fixed pin on

Spoof

and hard to see in the shadows under the roof. Blow off the first pin on

Spoof

. That way leads to Crazy Town just before you're able to clip the second pin. I prefer my cruxes lower, so instead climb straight up to a slippery, unprotected, 5.9+

undercling

up onto a smeary left foot.

THE UNDERCLING

5.9+.

Slightly easier high ball bouldering gains the ring-angle piton under the roof. Clip the rope in from the nice hold an inch left of the ring angle (finally!). Back up the old pin by stuffing a purple/0.5 Camalot next to your fingers and the pin.

Begin the sport climbing by leaning out right to clip the first bolt. The crux is basically top-roped. Begin with a tricky toe-hook under the roof, find the left hand undercling, and then get both hands firmly established on river polished slopers.

SETTING UP FOR THE CRUX DYNO

5.12a.

After getting hands matched on the highest sloper, launch rightward to a pistol grip that is both comfortable and secure for the next clip. My feet always cut loose after the sideways dyno to the pistol grip and that feeling of success when regaining control is what makes this route so fun.

CLIPPING THE SECOND BOLT

Pistol grip.

After clipping the second bolt, your left hand goes into a deeply incut finger-bucket. Get the feet up as high as possible. Paw at the lip with the right hand, then dyno (about 15 degree right of vertical) to a totally hidden mini-pothole that ends the business.

REACHING FOR THE POTHOLE

Hard to on-sight because you can't see the mini-pothole!

ANCHOR

I added a second anchor bolt about 1991 with committee approval. No links or chains allowed per Park rule. Adding protection for the extension didn't fly with the members at that time.

EXTENSION

Adding a bolt to protect the extension would make a much better route. For now, continuing is at least 5.9 and the gear is not to be trusted. The crux is pulling the final bulge and a fall might end upon the retaining wall.

#0.5 Camalot slots great next to the ring angle yet leaves room enough for the fingers, then 2 bolts, and shortly a two bolt anchor.

For the extension there is a small cam just above the anchor and then some side-ways RPs just below the crux bulge. Equalized and tied tight on rappel, the RPs held bounce tests. Placed on lead, with one hand, they were awfully loose.