My Place In the Universe

A compelling line that called me the first time I saw it. I knew I'd return to climb it someday. Although it initially was very loose, I cleaned the starting 'cave' from the ground with the help of Mark Ruocco. I then climbed it, cleaning the rest on the way up. It turns out to be great set of hard moves for the first 20 feet, followed by easier climbing through the vertical section, then some still dirty rock up at the very top.

The grade is uncertain, as it was cleaned ground-up and may have felt harder on the FA than it truly will turn out to be once clean, but this is certainly secure somewhere in the 5.11 grade. This and

Cosmic Explorer

are by far the hardest routes at Solaris, in completely different ways.

Climb up on the right wall using slopers for feet and holds on both sides for hands and stems. Gear can be placed on the left side. Convert to underclings, knee-scums, and body tension to pull the big roof (crux, 5.11?) then pull a few more semi-awkward moves to establish feet above the roof (5.10a?) and then climb the more mellow crack to the top. The last few feet are pretty lichenous, but will clean up over time. Presently the critical holds are cleaned.

This climb was cleaned ground-up and has yet to be thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed- this contributes to some ambiguity about the grade, and the final bit of climbing being still licheny (will be cleaned on rap later.)

Potential leaders who are used to sterile conditions might find themselves in a pickle if they get to this before I finish cleaning it...

You can TR after accessing the top from

Mission To Mars

, or if you set a directional using trad gear and TR from the

Mission To Mars

anchors. But watch out down low, so you don't hit talus from the opening moves back in the cave with rope-stretch.

Just to the left of

Mission to Mars

, there is a huge overhanging slot that pulls up through a roof. Above that, a crack. Below the slot there is a pile of talus that fell from within... this slot, roof and crack are 'My Place In the Universe.'

Tricky and pumpy in places, but all there. A set of stoppers + cams to 2.5" Belay on the left, where the gear is and do so attentively. An early fall could land the leader in talus, though this is not the crux (maybe 5.10).

You can TR after accessing the top ledge by climbing

Mission To Mars

, or if you set a directional stopper, you can TR from the

Mission To Mars

anchors.