Thin Red Line

[Weekend_Climberz]

Updates are needed for 'Thin Red Line' on Libery Bell for the new Red Beckey. If anyone has recently done this route (last coupld of years) and has anything to add to the description currently published, it would be greatly appreciated. Looking for information on rack, fixed gear, and any bolted belays that now exist. PM me and I'll get you in touch with the Author.

[telemarker]

Okay, Kyle Flick and I have been up the first five pitches of this route like, three times now. Here's my take on it. Others can dispute it as they see fit. I have some photos posted in my gallery of each pitch. Check out the TR I posted w/photos and those of others as well.

 

P1: Start left of where the Nelson guide tells you to start. Look up about 40 meters and you'll see a chain anchor. You should start right below that, and climb 5.8 climbing to a short bolt protected 5.10 crux move. End at the chain anchor, but use the two bolt anchor that is 15 feet climber's right of this. No aid on this pitch, just mostly fun 5.9 climbing with two bolts and small to medium gear.

 

P2: Aid over a small overlap, that has a fixed knifeblade. Excellent, solid gear leading up to the overlap. C1. Then, a camhook in a pinscar gets you past a flare, to more easy aid C2. A slider nut is useful in these tiny cracks. After 20 meters, free up a fun corner with 5.8 stemming, until it steepens, then C1 gear up and left to a beefy, 1/2" three bolt anchor. There is a fixed nut and pin high on this pitch. Pitch is about 50 meters.

 

P3: Aid or free up to the roof. C1 gear. Start the horizontal traverse under the roof on C1 gear. A 4" cam is useful on a large flare to link one fixed pin at the start of the traverse to a fixe stopper. Then easy gear to the end of the roof. Follow a nice crack and three bolts out left from the roof, avoiding the loose blocks that the Nelson guide mentions. Then, traverse back right, up over to a lower angled ramp to some fixed slings. Clip cleaning the roof makes it trivial following. C1 pitch.

 

P4: Easy and fun 5.7 free climbing up to the arch. The arch is flaring, and takes HB offsets, and small aliens really well. No need to hammer in pins here. Solid C1+ gear, ending at a funky belay. There are three bolts: One an ancient button head that feels quite solid, another a new 3/8" bolt that appears to have been kinda fudged, and a 1/4" bolt. Not the best of stations, but I'm still here to talk about it. Short pitch.

 

P5: Lower about 15 feet from the belay, and pendulum over to a hand rail. Hook it with a solid grappling, or free it by manteling. Once standing on this rail, there is a nice crack for a medium cam, then all C1 gear leading up to the double roofs. There are several fixed heads on this pitch, all of which were very solid. The first roof protected nicely with a 3.5" cam. The second roof was the only place I hammered in a sawed off angle in a tiny flair. I'm sure a cam hook will suffice there for our next attempt. Then over the second roof, excellent, fun aid or free, on C1 gear to a gear/pin belay. There are three Knifeblades at this belay, but a great crack for gear. About a 45 meter pitch I think. Great exposure!

 

And this is where we stopped....

[DirtyHarry]

I climbed it a couple summers ago but I don't remember shit except some creative cam hooking and getting rained on.

[pms]

Harry, did you happen to remember any more shit?

Edited January 9, 2008 by pms

[tomtom]

No hammers.

 

2" hook useful.

 

There's a second line of bolts heading straight up to the correct anchor on p1.