Susie's Wild Ride, 5.9

Susie's Wild Ride

Susie's is a Mission Gorge classic. Variously described as 5.8+ or 5.9. The climb has very consistent difficulty from start to finish, making it a very fun sport route. The bolts are very well placed to protect the crux sections. Rap rings at the top.

The route has a distinct upper and lower section. Three bolts below and four above.



Start up a blocky white vein in the rocks. The lower part stays very close to some adjacent rocks that make if very tempting to step out onto something easier, till you pass the second bolt. This allows you to walk over and clip the first bolt. But you can still hit the rock after clipping the first bolt too.

At the first and second bolt the route is vertical, but starts sloping to an easier angle for the third. It also gets smoother at the third bolt so the lesser angle doesn't really help.

After the third bolt you get to a very large safe ledge, most people want to follow the ledge, but it will lead you very far right of the fourth bolt, and force you to back track.

You can clip the forth bolt from the large ledge, protecting the mantle move up onto the upper section, tiptoe right across a very thin ledge to clip the fifth bolt. Move up through some very small and not very positive holds to the sixth bolt, the route is blockier and easier if you move a little right toward the top of the route. Rap rings at the top.

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