Third Pitch - 150’- 5.10a/ Published as the most difficult pitch of the Headache, several, including myself, see all three pitches as pretty close to equal in terms of difficulty. This is the longest pitch, but starts out quite mellow with the crux moves right below the anchor. Move up and right of the belay on easy ground getting into a crack that takes you until you are parallel with one of two small trees (2007) growing out of the vertical face. (photo above) Traverse left on unprotected ground into the same crack the tree is growing in right above it. Continue up this crack with decent protection. This pitch really eats up the gear, like 5 #2's, a couple of #3's, a #4 and even a few stoppers. Continue up the crack alternating facial features with crack climbing until the crack takes a relatively sharp left curve towards the 2nd tree. Pure crack climbing up these last several meters below the anchor can be the most difficult moves of the Headache. Keeping your balance is key as well as knowing when to swing your lower body out of the crack. It is one of those body eating features that can be difficult to protect at the crux moves.
The Headache, II, 5.10a, Zion National Park, June, 2007
