Ripple Cracks

Funny how things have changed. The 1986 Lemmon guide sheepishly admits that, at the time, falls had yet to be eliminated by those who had climbed this line, but we did pull the rope and climb it clean in one go during the FA – -- which now, of course, we call a redpoint and crow about without any qualms. Progress I guess.

Relatively easy climbing leads up to a pin under the first small roof band. Continue straight up the crack over the small roof, past another pin, and to and over a second small roof band; this 25-or-so foot section of increasingly technical moves and strength-sapping protection is the crux. (If you move left from the first pin toward a bolt, you’'re about to get kicked by The Mule). Stay in the crack above the second roof until easier climbing breaks left and up to the summit. The 2000 Lemmon guide shows the route ending at chains, apparently placed when What An Ass was put up well after the FA of Ripple Cracks.

This route is in the center of Ripple Wall, left of Finger Banger, Fear of Flying, and the old A4 aid line Squirkenwerks (now apparently rap-bolted into oblivion), and right of the sport route What an Ass and the hard-man 5.9 Futz. It is the obvious crack line nearly in the center of the beta photo shown on the main page for Ripple Wall. Look for a pin as the first piece of fixed pro.

Standard Tucson trad rack. If climbed to the summit, walk off. If climbed to the chains, lower or do a half-rope rappel.