Balls

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 37.03010°N / 119.3814°W
Additional Information Route Type: Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Time Required: Half a day
Additional Information Rock Difficulty: 5.9 (YDS)
Additional Information Number of Pitches: 4
Sign the Climber's Log

Description

This climb is a strong 5.9 in the old school tradition. It requires solid granite face climbing skills. Put up in an age when mistakes carried consequences. Enjoy!

"Balls" was put up by Jenson and Brennan in 1976 (thanks Chief).

Approach

Descent Trail: (approx. 1/4 mile) begins at the hanglider's slab and descends between the Beginners/Sunday slab area. The trail bends to the right, skirts the slab, follows the basic contour of the rock until the base of the rock is reached. The climb begins on the slab to the right of "Tollhouse Traverse" and "Direct" and to the left of "Swallow."

Rap Route: Begins on the ledge that the route finishes on, on the upper left of the rock, just North of Cap rock. Descend 3rd 4rth book to a ledge with two rap hangers. I have used two 60m ropes.

Tollhouse Descent  TrailDescent Trail

Route

Pitch 1: Follow five bolts over sustained 5.9 to a two bolt belay (new bolts).

Pitch 2: Follows two bolts over 5.7 face climbing to the base of a dramatic arching corner.

Pitch 3: This pitch is the climb's crux. Follow the right arching corner, protectable with smallish gear, then move up onto the face to what is now the first bolt of the pitch (the original bolt is no longer with us). Continue up past a sustained mucho pucker factor set of 5.9 moves for a few more bolts. Continue up a stout left facing headwall to a two bolt belay.

Pitch 4: Move up past three bolts past a 5.8 crux move and then onto easier climbing above. Belay at two bolts above the boulders on the ledge above.

Finish by following the ledge to the left until you reach the 4rth class ramp which heads up to the right then left up a small corner to the summit.


Gear

Trad Draws
Micro to Mid Sized Cams (pitch 3)
60m ropes





Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.