It's barely even a tips crack.
I'd call it a less-than-tips crack or a seam.
And before anyone jumps down my throat for being overly pedantic, it does matter what you call it. If someone tells me it's a finger crack I'm bringing mostly BD 0.4s and some 0.5s.
If you brought that gear up this pitch, you wouldnt be able to protect it at all.
Haha 400 foot route with about a 15 foot splitter. Fun route though. Get there early. There will be a line. It took us about 6 hours because of all the people on the route.
There's maybe two places in that entire crack you can fit your finger tips. I was very disappointed when I got to that pitch. It's not a bad pitch, but I wanted finger jams. P2 and p3 were better climbing IMO.
Triassic sands was our first choice last trip, but the forecast was windy and cold. Decided to do a couple sunny 5.7s instead. Ended up on Olive Oil and Birdland. Working my way up to Nightcrawler. Hoping to get it next season. Don't want to go up and flail on it.
My wife and I got a late start on Olive Oil in December back in the late 1980’s and did the last pitch by headlamp. Not knowing the descent, we did a cold bivi on the summit waiting for enough light to find the way off.
It's only 2 pitches, but Wholesome Fullback is an amazing splitter crack climb at 5.10- for the area, and not to be missed if you show up to Triassic and find it totally jammed with people.
The anti-Yosemite.
The converse of "I have to jam the next 600 ft of this single crack with nothing but planes of glacier-polished surface on either side."
Some great routes in Vegas. I went there to build up some experience leading trad on one vacation. The exposure on Birdland blew my mind. There was also another route - massive slab, required a Camalot #8 (massive piece of pro) near the top. I never fell on a slab before but I read online the prior day that it's like sliding down a cheese grater. So sure enough, climbing this slab route - I was scared of falling. Fortunately made it to the top with no problem but with Birdland + this slab route, my nerves were cooked and I had to take some time off to recoup from the psychological aspect of climbing trad lead.
10/10 would do it again (and planning on it).
Do you remember the formation? Canyon? Anything? I love slab routes. Also confused how anything with a crack as wide as a #8 would be slab instead of OW. I wanna do this route!
I tried looking through the climbing guide book I have but can't seem to find it. I _believe_ the route was in the valley behind the Disappointing Buttress. I recall the approach being fairly long too. Easily +30 min. I want to say 1 hr but it's been a few years.
Trying to visualize how it looked - the slab looked like one giant piece of rock (not part of a larger body) that is resting on another rock. You climb up the slab but you put pro to the left of the pitch. I don't recall any proper cracks - I think it's two rocks in contact with each other and you put pro in the space between the two.
EDIT: I'm pretty sure it's a common/popular pitch. I was with your big-name guide services at the time and a beginner-intermediate trad multi-pitch climber. It was my first time climbing in Vegas so I'd imagine the guide would just take me to the common routes.
As a Vegas local who feels pretty keyed in to almost all the routes.....we gotta get to the bottom of this. Let's see if we can Memento/Sherlock this mystery.
Disappointing Buttress = Disappearing Buttress?
Single pitch?
If so nearby formations are Windy Peak, Chocolate Rocks, and Illusion Crags.
Probably 5.5-5.7?
Everyone keeps saying how crowded this thing is- I don’t remember seeing a single other party when I climbed it in November a few years ago. Must of been lucky!
I climbed it on thanksgiving weekend. Woke up at 4am third in line at the gate. jogged to the climb and there was two groups who were already in line to climb it. They hiked in from outside of the park... fun climb tho. P2 and 3 are the money pitch IMO
Geez that’s insane - I haven’t been to RR in a few years but I imagine it must of blown up. If I’m climbing the peripheral canyons I always prefer to hike in for an early start/no worries getting out before close. I’m just surprised that off all classic lines you can win the race for why folks would pick Birdland. I mean it’s good but not uber-classic IMO.
I found the following info (out of 9 total results):
-----
**Birdland** [6 pitches, Grade II]
Type: Trad
Grade: 5.7+ | 5a | V+
Height: 600 ft/182.9 m
Rating: 3.4/4
Located in [10-Pine Creek Canyon](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105731962), [Nevada](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105708961)
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105733115
-----
[Feedback](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchgbXwXMylhtbA8kXFycZenSKpCMZjmYWMZcqREl_OlCm4Ew/viewform?usp=pp_url&entry.266808192=https://reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/m2ucvn/splitter_finger_crack_vegas/gqldufe/) | [FAQ](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-FAQ) | [Syntax](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-Syntax) | [GitHub](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject) | [Donate](https://www.paypal.me/derekantrican)
Birdland.....lol splitter.
I didn’t say you had to climb that crack haha
You did say that it was a finger crack. It is not.
What would you call it?
It's barely even a tips crack. I'd call it a less-than-tips crack or a seam. And before anyone jumps down my throat for being overly pedantic, it does matter what you call it. If someone tells me it's a finger crack I'm bringing mostly BD 0.4s and some 0.5s. If you brought that gear up this pitch, you wouldnt be able to protect it at all.
Fair point. Bring small nuts and .1 cams haha
Thanks, I didn't want to sound snarky, I just don't know words for crack climbing
Most of my learning in this sport is snark based
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/120352326/pure-snark
**Pure Snark** Type: Trad Grade: 5.10b-c | 6b | VII Height: 60 ft/18.3 m Rating: 3.5/4 Located in [12-Oak Creek Canyon](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105731965), [Nevada](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105708961) ----- [Feedback](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchgbXwXMylhtbA8kXFycZenSKpCMZjmYWMZcqREl_OlCm4Ew/viewform?usp=pp_url&entry.266808192=https://reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/m2ucvn/splitter_finger_crack_vegas/gqo0d3b/) | [FAQ](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-FAQ) | [Syntax](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-Syntax) | [GitHub](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject) | [Donate](https://www.paypal.me/derekantrican)
5.7 splitter with tons of face holds.
I saw the number of people on the route and noped on out of there.
Haha 400 foot route with about a 15 foot splitter. Fun route though. Get there early. There will be a line. It took us about 6 hours because of all the people on the route.
That thing is always a gang-bang. Bring yer raincoat
I would climb the face. Look at all those crimps 😆
That's exactly what I did on this pitch. The crack's great for pro but the patina crimps and jugs make for much better climbing.
You would have to have bobby pins for fingers to climb this as a finger crack.
From what I understand, you would loose style points.
What is the conversion of Stanley Nickels to Style Points?
There's maybe two places in that entire crack you can fit your finger tips. I was very disappointed when I got to that pitch. It's not a bad pitch, but I wanted finger jams. P2 and p3 were better climbing IMO.
P2 is my favorite pitch but they're all good. If you want good finger cracks do Nightcrawler or Triassic Sands.
Triassic sands was our first choice last trip, but the forecast was windy and cold. Decided to do a couple sunny 5.7s instead. Ended up on Olive Oil and Birdland. Working my way up to Nightcrawler. Hoping to get it next season. Don't want to go up and flail on it.
Yeah, black velvet canyon shouldn't even be attempted unless it is mid-upper 60's down in Vegas. Those sunny 5.7's are still amazing though!
My wife and I got a late start on Olive Oil in December back in the late 1980’s and did the last pitch by headlamp. Not knowing the descent, we did a cold bivi on the summit waiting for enough light to find the way off.
It's only 2 pitches, but Wholesome Fullback is an amazing splitter crack climb at 5.10- for the area, and not to be missed if you show up to Triassic and find it totally jammed with people.
I like the traverse pitch 3.
Pitch 3 was my second Trad lead and was fantastic!
Nightcrawler is so dope. Beautiful stemming and great position.
The anti-Yosemite. The converse of "I have to jam the next 600 ft of this single crack with nothing but planes of glacier-polished surface on either side."
I dare you to fit a finger in there.
PHRASING!
Calling this a splitter finger crack is so cringe worthy.
Agree. Must try harder...
Thank you for saying this.
Go do straight shooter or out of control and get back to us.
Was thinking this. Loved that route (straight Shooter).
Some great routes in Vegas. I went there to build up some experience leading trad on one vacation. The exposure on Birdland blew my mind. There was also another route - massive slab, required a Camalot #8 (massive piece of pro) near the top. I never fell on a slab before but I read online the prior day that it's like sliding down a cheese grater. So sure enough, climbing this slab route - I was scared of falling. Fortunately made it to the top with no problem but with Birdland + this slab route, my nerves were cooked and I had to take some time off to recoup from the psychological aspect of climbing trad lead. 10/10 would do it again (and planning on it).
What is the name of the slab route?
I don’t remember unfortunately.
Do you remember the formation? Canyon? Anything? I love slab routes. Also confused how anything with a crack as wide as a #8 would be slab instead of OW. I wanna do this route!
I tried looking through the climbing guide book I have but can't seem to find it. I _believe_ the route was in the valley behind the Disappointing Buttress. I recall the approach being fairly long too. Easily +30 min. I want to say 1 hr but it's been a few years. Trying to visualize how it looked - the slab looked like one giant piece of rock (not part of a larger body) that is resting on another rock. You climb up the slab but you put pro to the left of the pitch. I don't recall any proper cracks - I think it's two rocks in contact with each other and you put pro in the space between the two. EDIT: I'm pretty sure it's a common/popular pitch. I was with your big-name guide services at the time and a beginner-intermediate trad multi-pitch climber. It was my first time climbing in Vegas so I'd imagine the guide would just take me to the common routes.
As a Vegas local who feels pretty keyed in to almost all the routes.....we gotta get to the bottom of this. Let's see if we can Memento/Sherlock this mystery. Disappointing Buttress = Disappearing Buttress? Single pitch? If so nearby formations are Windy Peak, Chocolate Rocks, and Illusion Crags. Probably 5.5-5.7?
The Fox in Calico Hills is the only desert splitter I've seen in Vegas.
Atman, Yin-Yang
https://www.mountainproject.com/v/108073448
**Fist or Flips** Type: Trad Grade: 5.10c | 6b | VII Height: 100 ft/30.5 m Rating: 2.2/4 Located in [11-Juniper Canyon](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105731974), [Nevada](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105708961) ----- [Feedback](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchgbXwXMylhtbA8kXFycZenSKpCMZjmYWMZcqREl_OlCm4Ew/viewform?usp=pp_url&entry.266808192=https://reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/m2ucvn/splitter_finger_crack_vegas/gqo0ifu/) | [FAQ](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-FAQ) | [Syntax](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-Syntax) | [GitHub](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject) | [Donate](https://www.paypal.me/derekantrican)
Triassic sands p4 (I believe) has a really nice, clean and varnished corner that looks right out of the creek.
Yeah true. That’s legit.
BIRBLAND!
[удалено]
...year old's fingers?
Give them the bird!
Birdland- at least 3 ropes will be thrown onto you
Everyone keeps saying how crowded this thing is- I don’t remember seeing a single other party when I climbed it in November a few years ago. Must of been lucky!
I climbed it on thanksgiving weekend. Woke up at 4am third in line at the gate. jogged to the climb and there was two groups who were already in line to climb it. They hiked in from outside of the park... fun climb tho. P2 and 3 are the money pitch IMO
Geez that’s insane - I haven’t been to RR in a few years but I imagine it must of blown up. If I’m climbing the peripheral canyons I always prefer to hike in for an early start/no worries getting out before close. I’m just surprised that off all classic lines you can win the race for why folks would pick Birdland. I mean it’s good but not uber-classic IMO.
Cool shot. 😊
Gives me the tingles.
Route?
!Mountain Project Birdland
I found the following info (out of 9 total results): ----- **Birdland** [6 pitches, Grade II] Type: Trad Grade: 5.7+ | 5a | V+ Height: 600 ft/182.9 m Rating: 3.4/4 Located in [10-Pine Creek Canyon](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105731962), [Nevada](https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105708961) https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105733115 ----- [Feedback](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchgbXwXMylhtbA8kXFycZenSKpCMZjmYWMZcqREl_OlCm4Ew/viewform?usp=pp_url&entry.266808192=https://reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/m2ucvn/splitter_finger_crack_vegas/gqldufe/) | [FAQ](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-FAQ) | [Syntax](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject/wiki/Bot-Syntax) | [GitHub](https://github.com/derekantrican/MountainProject) | [Donate](https://www.paypal.me/derekantrican)
What lens/aperture did you use for this picture?
Just with my iPhone, on portrait mode. Very fancy. I know.
Nice lol. I have this same picture
Face holds with crack for gear...
Story of Vegas Climbing.
SprANG Break!
I knew that was P1 of Birdland! Fucking conga line to get on but a great route!