Crash and Burn

Crash and Burn is yet another climb that has increased my respect for Henry Barber's boldness and commitment. This thing will have you giggling or crying, depending on how you handle fear -- before you even commit to the crux.

Begin on the far right-hand end of Sky Top, very close to where the trail from Duck Pond meets the base of the cliff, at a very obvious 50'-high pillar that is completely separate from the wall.

This pillar appears to have fallen away from the main wall, forming a large cave and roof. One must climb to the top of the pillar, and reach across over the void to the lip of the roof. The prospect of a fall while committing to this move is horrifying: your only reliable pro is well below your feet on the pillar. The problem I had with the move was that, at full extension, on my tiptoes, I could just barely touch the lip of the roof -- and as it was, I had to "fall into it" -- only to find that the jug was still an inch or two out of reach! It wasn't fun looking straight down from an almost prostrate position, trying to figure out how to gain enough momentum (while my body was completely stretched out) to either return to the pillar or reach the jug. Fortunately I did not "Crash and Burn."

Snag the jug (crux, 5.9+), do a pull up and a very high heel hook, or campus to the next jug, and continue up 70 feet or so of sustained (and relatively well-protected) 5.9 face climbing.

I believe a single 70-meter rope will get you down (rap station climber's left), but I remember seeing an intermediate rap station halfway down the wall.

Standard Rack.