Hand in the Honey Pot, 5.11, 11 pitches

Overview

This is an amazing route, with trad protected climbing up to 5.10a, one well protected 5.11 sport move, and two great pitches of 5.10+ sport climbing. It was established by Brett Lawrence & Jeff Relph in July 2007. I'm including my added thoughts here, and the original route description they published unmodified below.

My Thoughs

Gear: I would suggest bringing a BD #4, as it is the only way to protect the top section of the crack on the final pitch. We also enjoyed having doubles of .5 & .75.

Pitch 11: We climbed with 60m ropes, and had to simul a small part of the last pitch to reach the tree belay in the meadow. I would suggest breaking this pitch in two even if you have 70m ropes, it will keep things much more managable.

Look at the attached photos for the approach! It's surprsinly easy to miss the start of the route, but with the photos for reference it should be easy.

All of the content below this point is from the original route writeup they published, which I've linked at the bottom.

This excellent modern mixed route follows a steep, direct natural feature from bottom to top. The rock is mainly excellent and in some places exceptional. Some loose rock does exist but tends to be on the easy pitches. The climbing is varied and exciting and most of the belays are on big comfortable ledges, with the exception of pitches 5 and 6 which just have small foot ledges. Stations 1-8 are all equipped with ring bolt anchors. Station 9 is a single bolt and gear and after that arboreal belays exist. A great days adventure.

Getting There

Approach: From the parking lot at Whitemans pond, gain the good trail on the west side of the road leading past Kanga crag towards the true grit area. A small trail diagonalling north can be found below spud crag and followed through woods and scree to join the main trail which traverses below the cliff. Follow this until below the route. About 50 minutes.

To Start: (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS) About 250m beyond the start of the obvious ramp marking the McKay route, locate a small 3m high cave with a steep corner above. The alternate direct start climbs out the roof of this cave, while the normal start begins 10m to the right at the toe of the buttress. The direct start offers good climbing and good protection but is a bit loose, and quite a challenging way to start your day

Route Description

P1: 45m 5.7 Climb directly up the buttress on good holds for 10m to a bolt. Continue up on good rock with 2 more bolts. At the 3rd bolt a rising rightward traverse gains a corner/chimney which is followed up to a comfortable belay.

P1 Alt. 45m 5.10b/c From the right side of the cave climb up to a ledge and clip a good angle. A big step up allows you to clip a bolt and difficult moves up and left lead past another bolt and into the main corner which is followed to the same belay ledge.

P2: 35m 5.9 Climb up left to gain the top of a small pillar and a right facing corner. Climb the striking finger crack above on excellent rock with good gear to reach a large flake. Traverse right for 5m to the belay which is hidden around the corner on the biggest part of the ledge.

P3: 35m 5.10a Move left from the belay and climb up on good jugs to a bolt. Step up to a big solid undercling flake with a good cam placement in a hidden crack on its left side. Continue up the steep corner above on great climbing and good protection to awesome exit moves and another nice belay ledge.

P4: 35m 5.6 Climb up the crack above to the top of a small pillar. Step right onto the face and continue up on good holds to a short left facing corner. Climb up the face on the left using good holds to a foot ledge. Clip a hard to see bolt on the right and move easily right to the belay.

P5: 40m 5.10c/d A sensational pitch. Walk right from the belay and climb to the top of a pillar. Clip a bolt and climb up and left on awesome holds to a groove. Climb up the groove for a ways to where a step left onto the face is required. Make a couple difficult moves left to laybacks and up to better holds. Step back right over a small overlap and move right to a shallow right facing corner with good incuts on the slab to the right. Climb up the corner on thin gear to belay at a small foot ledge.

P6: 45m 5.11 b/c Step left and climb the corner above on good stone to a bolt. A hard move leads to better holds and a lower angle corner. Follow this up left for several meters to a bolt. Pull up onto the small ledge to belay. The crux move is difficult although brief and well protected but could potentially be pulled through on the bolt to make a good long 5.10 route.

P7: 55m 5.10b/c Difficult moves leaving the belay lead to a bolt. Traverse right to gain the arête. Climb up on perfect rock to a steep section and then a hand traverse out right. Continue up the break above to a single bolt and perfect crack to belay on a luxurious ledge. Good use of long slings is required to minimize rope drag. This pitch is entirely bolt protected but is a sustained and exciting lead.

P8: 60m 5.7 Climb easily up left for 15m on mediocre rock to a small pillar. Clip a bolt and climb up solid rock with good holds to another bolt. Step around right to gain a corner feature with some cracks and follow this up and left passing 1 more bolt to a great belay at a tiny meadow atop a pinnacle. A full 60m pitch.

P9: 45m 5.9 Step down and traverse right on perfect rock to a flake. Layback moves lead up into a corner and a small overlap. Pull the overlap, move right, and continue up the obvious weakness. Belay at a single bolt and gear on a ledge.

P10: 50m 5.5 Climb a nice crack directly above the belay to a small ledge. Move left on nice rock to gain a groove. Climb easily up the groove to join the ridge crest and belay at the highest tree.

P11: 55m 5.10a Climb the crack on the left side of the buttress above. Either belay at its end after 25m or continue up easy terrain to a tree belay in the meadow on top. (this pitch is the alternate finish for the McKay route)

Descent: Walk off by either continuing up scree to the summit and following the hiking trail down or traverse slopes on the east side of the summit to gain the same hiking trail in some alpine meadows. Follow the trail down staying close to the ridge and eventually going left into the woods for the final couple switchbacks down to the spray lakes road. About 1 hour It is possible to rappel the route from as high as pitch 9 but this requires 2 ropes, and pitch 7 must be strategically backclipped to avoid hanging in space. Also pulling ropes can generate rockfall.

Essential Gear

A standard Rockies rack from #1 TCU to #3 Camalot, as well as a set of nuts, 14 draws, including several long slings, and a 60m rope are required. A 3.5 Camalot is useful but not absolutely necessary.

External Links

https://www.tabvar.org/sites/default/files/Hand_in_the_Honey_Pot_0.pdf