Cornucopia, 5.10a, 5 Pitches

2nd Pitch- 170’- 5.10a/ The chimney section goes easy for the grade, so I would avoid placing too much gear here. Reason being is that you will squeeze out the top and move right to a steep and sustained crack where you must mantle through two small overhangs. I had a single rack as per Handren’s book and this pitch can eat up much more gear than that. I placed one .75” piece in the chimney, nothing else before the crack, and still wished I had more 1”-2” pieces. The chimney is fun and easy with a squeeze through the top. Then move right a bit to an obvious crack. The crack starts out wide (4”) and becomes fingers before the first overhang pull which has a huge horn to jug on. There is a bad flake inside the crack that messes with your gear placements before the overhang. It is best to reach (height dependant) and place a 1” in the crack at the huge horn before you make the mantel. Continue up better rock to another, smaller and less technical overhang. Make this pull and then follow a much easier and more solid crack up to a flaring chimney (5”) to establish a belay. Rope drag is an issue on this pitch with a single rope. Cornucopia, 5.10a, 5 Pitches, Monument, Red Red Red Rocks, NV, January, 2010