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Peak Mountain 3

Hidden Crack

FA Mike Fischesser, Zachary Lesch-Huie - 1999
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

A long, slightly meandering route that wanders up ledgy climbing to the left of the main East Face routes (Jim Dandy, Peek-a-boo, Skip to My Lou, etc.). The "hidden crack" is all of 20 feet long - the climbing is much more traditional Table Rock slab. It's good, with bolted anchors on every pitch (pitch 4 anchors have been replaced. There is a set of bolts with rings at the top of p4, or you can climb 30’ higher tonthe walk-off trail to a set of bolts without rings). The climbing is fun and can be used to escape some of the crowds. It's hard to find the start.

P1(100 ft, 5.7): From the tree on the right side of the narrow ledge (described below), head up and right, generally following lichen-free rock up the outside of the bulging buttress. After the "hidden crack", clip a few bolts that protect some slabby moves (crux) and then finish up and right at a two-bolt anchors. (Note: there are two sets of bolts up here; one is for Hidden Crack and the other is for Persistence of Vision (5.9), a route that climbs the left wall of the Peek-a-boo gully. Either set will work for this route.)

P2(60 ft, 5.5): Climb easier ground up to the right end of the large tree ledge. There is a two-bolt anchor down and right, slightly below the ledge. You can also use trees on the ledge.

P3(110 ft, 5.7): Locate a bolt under the right side of the big roof. Climb to the bolt, clip it, then move up and right on big, funky holds until established above the roof. Then, climb up and left past another bolt, eventually reaching a two-bolt anchor above the slab at a little ledge. (Note: from this anchor, one 60 m rope will get you to the tree ledge.)

P4 (100 ft, 5.7): From the anchor, move left and up through blocky ground, aiming for a corner/crack system that trends slightly right. Move up this a little, then move back left around the overlap, following the biggest holds and cleanest rock. Above, move up slabby ground, eventually trending right to the 3rd class terrain on the left end of Lightning Ledge.

Descent: Scramble up Lightning Ledge and trail to top. From the top walk climbers right for 100 yards or so, and look for an established trail on the left that will take to back to the parking lot. Or go back to Lunch Ledge and rappel from two bolt anchor above P3 of Cave Route (also called "The Block"). This rappel to lunch ledge requires 1 60 meter rope with some nontrivial downclimbing, two 60 meter ropes, or 1 70 meter rope.

Location

Start is left of Peek-a-boo at a dirty, slightly blocky gully just right of Tall Climb to be Good On (look for the finger crack on that route). Scramble up blocks, trending slightly right, for 30-40 feet, until you get to a narrow ledge with a tree on its right end. The climb moves up and right from here.

Protection

Gear to 2".


Routes in Table Rock


  1. 28
    Hidden Crack
    5.7
    Trad