Sensual Tickle

This route is a scrap for sure as far as first ascents are concerned, but it is what it is. I had a great process bringing the lead to fruition, and it is indeed a fun and very engaging challenge for those on the hunt for such a thing. It's a beautiful, colorful, blank-looking face with great rock, unique holds and just enough wandering features to make it reasonable. However, the gear is spacious and must be worked for so proceed accordingly. I head-pointed this route and I would suggest the same for all but the most bold. I asked the usual suspects; Mikey, Pat and Kenny, and they all confirmed that it likely had never been led but that's not 100% certain. It has of course been top-roped over the years because of the ease of access from Muckraker, but leading this thing is a whole other endeavor.

The name has its roots in an inside joke. Essentially, there are two types of tickle; the playful, roughhousing kind and the soft, sensual kind. When the term "sensual tickle" came up I said it would make a good route name. So it is. On the day of the FA I realized that the name also conveniently related because the route tickles the periphery of both Perseverance and Muckraker, and I lost my sense of touch on the lead due to freezing temps. I almost fell as a result and were that to happen at the end of the crux section things could get interesting. Like many things in life I narrowly averted disaster having begun with near-certainty.

You start as for Perseverance but don't clip its first bolt. Shuffle up and left and you'll find the first mail slot with gear options. Another body length or so higher one must jog out left to drop in the next small gear, again in a mail slot. It's now time to get it on. Connect the dots and twenty or so feet higher the final piece of gear near the end of the crux section is a #1 BD Camalot in the hole. This is a little tricky to place. If you fell above this and the cam came out you could likely be skimming the ground. Buyer beware. Above this things mellow out. I chose to stay right of Muckraker all the way until its last bolt, which I also chose to skip for some goofy reason. Your call.

Immediately right of Muckraker and just left of Perseverance. Obvious beautiful face.

Minimal and specific. See photos.