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Flirtation with the Lack of Self Preservation

This route is located in the Lower Gorge Region at Pistol Ridge

 The X Files

2.
+1
1 votes

It's a Wonderful Life 5.9 (Sport) ***

First Ascent: Erik Farley, Mike Dunne in 1997
Length: 80ft
Bolts: 8 (report bad bolts/anchors)

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This route ascends the arete on the front of the main pinnacle.
5.9 R to the top if you wish to top the route out.
Descent: Cold shuts
Stays Dry: Does not stay dry
Owner: NFS
Steepness:
beautiful (1) long (1)
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Quality Consensus
 

3.34 stars (76 votes)
Grade Consensus
5.9+ (64 votes)

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Submitted by: Redpoint
Date: Oct 21st, 2010

Submitted by: possum2082
Date: May 4th, 2009

Submitted by: ray
Date: Dec 19th, 2005

Comments

36 comments {add your own comments}
1
vic said on August 12th, 2003
Use a 60 meter rope. 45 meters was a little on the short side.
2
Johnny said on September 27th, 2003
Third hanger missing making it an R route. Hitch a wire over it for pro.
3
weeksjr said on November 10th, 2003
Lots of fun. I had lizards showing me up, though... they were free soloing and laughing as they went by!
4
merrick said on November 11th, 2003
no hangers were missing when i did this route nov 2003
5
Anonymous said on June 2nd, 2004
awesome route, great exposure. a little sketchy going from that ledge out onto the face! I love it!
6
pianomahnn said on June 21st, 2004
Okay. . .this route is dumb. However, the AMAZING view from the top makes it worth it. Route gets negative 8 stars, the view gets like 50,003,527,683 stars. :-)
7
Sco Bro said on October 30th, 2004
There are two reasons to get on this climb: (1) it's a fucking blast and (2) the view is spectacular and a great place to eat lunch. Go for the second anchors, it's a little frightening.
8
travelinyouth said on May 28th, 2005
Excuisite view! Insotiable rope drag! And a plethora of bees!
9
K-Dawg said on September 28th, 2005
Bees and snakes, ... and snakes that shoot bees from their mouths...my favourite! :( still better than climbing indoors. Great view from above.
10
Captain Bad Beta said on October 1st, 2005
It's wierd... you climb 5.9 to a ledge, go for a walk to another 5.9, and then climb 5.9 to the top. Anyways, it's a climb. Lots of snakes, lizards, and turtles at the bottom. I haven't ever scene anyone else at this wall.... very quiet.
11
dah-le said on May 2nd, 2006
2nd set of anchors is almost directly above first set, and slightly left. There are also glue-in's sortof in the center of the top block. Also a bolt on the back side of the summit block...it is possible to traverse left on the ledge all the way around to the back side to see this solitary bolt...may be easier or harder to get up this way than the direct version. I didn't do the direct version.
12
p0bray01 said on June 1st, 2006
Just did this route yesterday....hmmm well the most exposed I have ever been in the Red. Good climbing! Bees were numerous. No snakes. Lots of Salamanders. What a view! I chickened out going for the second set of anchors...wow I felt naked up there. Rope Drag is horrendous. Man what a route...I think it may be a little taller than 80 feet. OH! third bolt hanger was there...and looked quite new. ;)
13
rhunt said on June 1st, 2006
wow I might have to check out this route just to see the numerous reptiles that seem to hang out on or near this route.
14
B.J. said on June 27th, 2006
Didn't really enjoy this route that much. TONS of rope drag thanks to the large ledge little over 1/2 way up.
15
ruetut said on July 17th, 2006
If some one set it up to be done as 2 pitches, um yea, that would be great...
16
belay slave said on October 3rd, 2006
First route I climbed at the Red years ago and thought it was awesome.
17
Anonymous said on July 29th, 2007
i got 4 bolts up and i had to bail out considering my rope was too short but next time i'll bring a longer rope. damn lizards can climb better than me
18
Anonymous said on September 1st, 2007
Great climb except when an enraged wasp decided to go kamakaze on me after the first pitch; good thing I was safely standing on the ledge. However, If you're looking for 5.9+, it's well worth a battle with demon insects.
19
Josephine said on May 12th, 2008
you can walk up to the ledge from around to the left. i found the second bit to be quite a bit more challenging. the view is quite lovely
20
Sco Bro said on May 18th, 2008
Rope drag is not a problem. Hang a sling on the bolt before the easy walk/traverse. This is something that some trad climber taught me. Silly tradys and their thinking man’s climbing.
21
rjackson said on June 22nd, 2008
I wouldn't recommend it for the novice leader. If you aren't comfortable with the exposure and blow the first clip of the second half, it could be very ugly. Fun climbing up there and a great view from the top.
22
kjake035 said on July 17th, 2008
What a great view and climb! Not to many bees over last weekend but enough flys to drive you mad. Not a bad hike to get to the climb but a sign at the begining of the trail would be nice.
23
uberwhipper said on August 9th, 2008
The entire second half of the climb had crappy bolts. Some were bolted on sideways so it would crank your biner sideways and snap it between the nut and the hangar and then both anchor bolts were loose. I'm not complaining because I am a gumby that doesn't know how to fix any of this, but It was kinda freakin me out climbing to the top and each new bolt offered little in the way of protection. Awesome climb if the bolts were cool though
24
p0bray01 said on August 9th, 2008
You think those bolts are bad? Wait until you see some of them on those "less trodden" trad climbs. ;)
25
pigsteak said on September 1st, 2008
anchors could for sure use some love.
26
Brentucky said on September 22nd, 2008
good line followed by GREAT view. during a windstorm it's even better!
27
zcravey said on November 17th, 2008
this was an interesting route. i had no problem with lizards and snakes, it was damned ladybugs, thousands of them. that may have tainted my view of it, because i was really trying to finish it, to get away from them. but most of the bolts were loose, or shaky. maybe R. but good moves, and a really exposed and heartpounding finish. if not for the rope drag this would be classic and very recomendable.
28
possum2082 said on December 2nd, 2008
wow...so much to say. i think it's sandbagged. struggled a bit at the left arete traverse thing on the first pitch. it might have been my mind or the cold, but i thought the top out was harder than a 5.9. 1st bolt was a spinner. both anchors are loose. already reported to team suck. a lot of the rock on the second pitch is hollow. in short, it's everything i love and hate about outdoor climbing
29
vooshniva said on March 26th, 2009
fun
30
jenbongo said on April 6th, 2009
long sling on the first bolt above the ledge helped with rope drag. top bolt and 2 sets of anchors were a little scary, but the view from the top was worth it; the rap rings on the top look solid, but I would never trust any webbing attached to them even though it looked new
31
BabeeJeezus said on June 6th, 2009
Don't let your friends toprope this one.
32
Anonymous said on April 5th, 2010
Always enjoyed this climb but never topped out. Anyone know if one can rap the whole way with a 60m rope, and if there are fixed anchors or trees to sling?
33
CLIMBTRAD said on December 11th, 2011
New anchor and a few bolts. SS glue in bolts. DO NOT LOWER THRUE BOLTS. Leave a biners if you must bail. I will be back in a few weeks to remove old studs, unless someone wants to before I get their. You will need a hacksaw or grinder.
34
dustonian said on December 12th, 2011
Nice work Patrick! Thanks for the hard work.
35
Anonymous said on June 5th, 2018
All of these comments are years old, so I'm wondering what this route is like now if anyone knows. Thanks
36
Anonymous said on June 5th, 2018
Awesome. Really hard for a 5.9. Kind of adventurous in a few spots. Awesome.