Skid Row

This climb is one of the better lines at Happy Hour Crag, in my opinion. My partner shared this opinion.

The line wanders up and left the whole way, across cracks, face, corners, overhangs, and knobs. Rossiter calls all of this "improbable terrain." I called it "fun!"

I also made an 'improbable finish' to the route that goes solid 5.10 and was excellent but runout. This will be discussed at the end of the description.

Start this climb just to the left of the finger of rock protruding from the ground at the base of "

Grins

." From the left side of this finger of rock, work up and left for a few moves onto a small ledge. There is little good pro available here, but the moves are 5.8. Move up and left on a sloping ledge and place a few good wires in a crack above your head. Next start moving up and left arond an arete on knobs and edges, through the slight overhang and up. Any gear placed here needs a 2-foot runner. You will reach a left-facing corner (as for

Nightcap

) and climb that for a few feet before reaching the top of a huge flake, where you merge with the climb

Malign

.

Finish as a 2-star climb as for

Nightcap

and

Malign

, by climbing the left-facing and then right-facing corner system OR...

Go out with a Bang! For a better finish (3-star in all), lean back and look hard left. You will see s series of small edges and knobs. This is well above "

Tipsey

." Place gear from the ledge, up and right in the left-facing corner, from here there is no more gear. Head out left, towards the anchors of "

Thrill Of The Chase

." Reach up and hard left for a crimp and pull through This left-hand traverse is solid 5.10 and would be a thumber fall, as the last gear will be about 20 feet to the right and 15 feet down; the flake you'd hit if you blow it looks HUNGRY. The moves are hard, and somewhat long but secure. This is reasonable for a 5.10+ leader as it is solid rock. Clip the "

Thrill Of The Chase

" anchors with a long runner and then continue up and left to the cliff top.

I called this finish "Thrill of the Skid."

This line sounds like it wanders a lot, but it continually moves left. Thus, the rope will run more or less in a nice line with judicious use of 2 to 3 foot runners.

This is not a very good top-rope due to the swing potential from the bottom and top moves.

Standard light rack up to 3". The pro is not reasonable for a beginner, as there are some small placements that will be strenuous to place. One should not fear for their lives on this route, but if you are not a solid at this grade, the risk of a good thump is probably not reasonable.