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Peak Mountain 3

Deception Crack

FA: Bruce Burling, Frank Jager, 1970. FFA: Jeff Thomas, Ted Johnson, 1977
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

Originally aided, then eventually freed in the '70's, Deception Crack sat neglected until it got a cleaning and hardware upgrade in 2017. This former death tour of ancient bolts and teetering blocks now has good protection, improved rock quality, and is one of the better cracks on Smith Rock tuff for the grade.

P1. 5.10a. Start at an anchor left of the Jenga Pile on Anglin Buttress' main ledge. Angle up and left on the "Gutter" pitch of Lava Lanes for forty feet. At a rappel anchor, continue 110 feet straight up the obvious splitter crack to a chain anchor. 150 ft.

Options from here: Continue up Deception Arete (5.10+), or make two rappels with a single 70m rope. Your last choice should be to continue up the original off width and chimney to a notch (5.7R) then around the backside of Osa Thatcher's Needle (5.7R). It's unimproved since the '70's. Expect very loose rock.

Decetption Arete variation- P2. 5.10+. Step left off the belay stance, then delicately angle up and right to gain the arete near the third bolt. Continue on the exposed arete to a comfy ledge. 9 bolts. 100 feet.

P3. "300 Club", 5.10. Continue straight up the arete to the top of Osa Thatcher's Needle. 7 bolts. 60 feet.

Location

Deception Crack is accessed by the bolted 5.4 approach to the main ledge on Anglin's Buttress.

Protection

Double set of cams from big fingers to big hands, stoppers. No small cams needed. 8 bolts in 150 feet. Single 70m rope.