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Peak Mountain 3

Double Crack

FA Jim McCarthy, Hans Kraus, 1955. FFA: Jim Geiser, Jim McCarthy, 1958
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UPDATED 

Description

This route is probably the burliest 5.8 in the Gunks. There's no one move that will shut you down, but the climb just keeps coming and coming.

P1: The technical crux is low down (about 20' up) but by the time you get to the top, every move is another crux. If you're not up to the big bite, or if your second is needs a good belay for the start, you can belay in the middle at a decent stance that takes finger-sized gear for an anchor. 5.8, 150'.

Some of the rock towards the top is not as secure as it could be.  Climb carefully.

There is a rap station (2 ropes) at the top. Or bushwack/scramble around climber's left toward the top and traverse left to Silly Chimney or High E if you only have one rope.

Location

Head up at the next trail just past the High E area. Double Crack starts at a prominent crack system on a big right-facing buttress just uphill and around the arete from the obvious wide crack of Ventre de Boeuf, and about 40' downhill and left of the big dirty Broken Hammer corner.

Protection

Usual Gunks rack - bring lots of it if you lead this in one pitch and you're a wimp like me.