- Edit (TBD)
Description
Pitch 1 (5.9): a bouldery move off the ground leads to easier terrain, belay below a small rotting tree. (~100 ft.)
Pitch 2 (5.10a): move into a groove where tough moves take you out and right where the climbing eases. (~100 ft.)
Pitch 3 (5.10a): fun climbing moves up into a dihedral and the crux of the pitch. A short slab section leads to "Launch Ledge". Move the belay to the left about 30 feet before starting pitch 4.(~100 ft.)
Pitch 4 (5.11c): "The Scoop" pitch begins with a nice crack leading into a corner. Take a good rest, and launch up the dihedral. Sustained finger and hand jams with good gear take you up and to the left, finishing up with a 5.10 hand crack to a nice belay ledge. (~195 ft.)
Note: it is now possible to skip the classic crux "Scoop" pitch by climbing a hand crack to the right (the Nectar 5.10+)
Pitch 5 (5.10b): move down and left on a small ledge that takes you into a slab dihedral. Small cams and nuts are useful here to move up and into a nice dihedral crack (wet in early season). Move out and left of the roof to another nice belay ledge. (~100 ft.)
Pitch 6 (5.10a): Climb up the right side and find the easiest way to move back out left to the rock tooth on the left. A nice 5.9 dihedral above take you to a small roof and the final ledge (tree belay). (~100 ft.)
Pitches 7-10 (easy fifth): find the path of least resistance up and left to the summit and the balanced rock.
Location
Located right of the Tempest, left of Rikki Tikki Tavi
Protection
Double rack to 3", extra small cams and nuts helpful.
No fixed gear, pins, or bolts on the route.
Natural anchors (trees and horns) allow you to rappel the route.
Routes in Colchuck Balanced Rock
- 9The Scoop5.11cTrad