A cool little trad pitch hidden in the open between two 5.12's. If you like finger cracks this one has your name on it as it is a perfect splitter layback finger crack leaning right. It's a bummer that it's a little too short. The crux is pulling over a small tricky roof low down on the route. 

  Climbing this route is a good way to set up a top rope on Rap Echo (5.12a/b). 

  Climb up under the small roof lowdown and place a couple pieces before tackling the crux pull over the roof (harder than it looks). Take a little rest and then enjoy sweet laybacking and finger-locking up the corner and if you close your eyes and dream you might believe its a hundred feet long but when you open your eyes the sweet section is still about 25 feet long. Oh well, you're at Rumney and you're climbing a sweet crack, what more can you expect?

Space Shuttle

Beat Junkie is the best 5.13b at Rumney if not in all of New England. Though Predator gets most of the attention because of it's photogenic position, Beat Junkie has better moves, better rock, and a better overall feel. 

  Start on the raised ledge, on the far left-hand side. Beat Junkie climbs up the Skewer, a 5.12c fingercrack, before veering right up the overhanging wall. This fingercrack is not to be underestimated. For many, it is the crux of the route. Tall climbers may find a repreive by reaching left to the arete. 

  Once the crack is passed, the climbing remains pumpy until a great kneebar can be found. Rest here and then negotiate The Cave, a square cutout in the rock. The redpoint crux is higher still and consists of lockoffs on flat crimpers and a desperate slap to a small edge waaaay up on the upper slab.  

  On redpoint it is possible to fall from almost any move on the climb, from the terrible jams on the Skewer to the funky Cave moves to the dreaded topout on the slab. Because of its sustained climbing and varied moves, Beat Junkie is a deserved classic.

Beat Junkie

Peanut Man climbs up the center of Main Cliff proper. Scramble from the ground (easy class four) and gain the raised ledge. Belay at an eyebolt on the far right side of the ledge.  

  The climb starts out with fun, insecure, 5.10ish climbing up steep orange corners. After passing a piton (it's not necessary to clip this) it is possible to rest off a jug at the top of the orange rock. From here, the rock turns to schist, and if you think that the bulge threatens over you like a black raincloud, then you are entirely correct. 

  The bulge presents the crux of the route--an upward stab into the obvious undercling. The difficulties continue, however, as the holds turn into slopers, leaving the climber grasping for purchase on the rounded topout. A few easier moves lead to the anchors. 

  Many shorter people think this climb is harder. A long reach helps a great deal on the final topout.   

  Note: Peanut Man got the big upgrade (from 11d to 12a) because of a hold breaking on October 18, 2010.

Peanut Man

This is not listed as it's own route in the guide book. It is now considered the 3rd pitch of Via Ferrata but as it has it's own name, was done 10 years before the crux pitch of Via Ferrata and no one seems to climb it as part of Via I'm throwing it in here. Enjoy...  

  A fun stand alone route if you rapped in to it or as a finish to one of the fun pitches that lead to the nice ledge 2/3 of the way up Main Cliff. 

  From the anchor above As the World Burns (5.12b) climb steep moves out a roof on decent holds heading up and right. Make a difficult and awkward exit through a "V" groove (crux in my opinion) and continue up dirty but moderate rock past hard to see bolts due to the way the elements have made them match their environment. The line ends at a 2 bolt anchor at the top of the cliff.  

  Amazing exposure and good climbing! Do it!

The Thing

Climb up the farthest right groove on the central Main Clif. Moderate and fun moves lead to a stance in a corner... climb the interesting corner to another stance and a hard-for-the-grade exit to the right from the corner. Easier if tall, a jug awaits just out of reach. 

  The easiest route in this area. Often dry when other routes of the grade are soaked. 

"Digger-bug (5.8)" is a popular link up that does the 1st 2/3 of Gold Digger (5.8+) but then where that route has a puzzling step right (crux) you instead clip the last two bolts of Gold Bug (5.10c/d) out to your left as you climb up the very pleasant stemming corner above to the Gold Bug Anchors... This has become a popular moderate option and proves to be an easy way to set a toprope Gold Bug (5.10c/d)...

Gold Digger

Rocket Man is a line of strength up the most beautiful section of Main Cliff. Start on Thin Man. After the initial boulder problem, rest on the slab. Here, Rocket Man moves left into a lower angled corner. Don't let this angle fool you, as the corner holds some hyper-technical 5.12+ slab climbing. 

  At the top of the corner, a good edge provides a respite before the crux bulge. A huge incut jug sits above the bulge. Now, how are you to get from the edge to the jug? Most people dyno. This is not a technical deadpoint. It's more like a most-points-off jump with feet flying in the air followed by a considerable outward swing. It is possible to move left and bypass the dyno, but this may involve double thumb underclings. Really. 

  From the jug, a few taxing high step moves lead to the pump crux: a big move out left to a gaston-jug. Many end the route here by clipping the double bolts and moving right to a no-hands stance. This completes an ascent of "Rocket Boy" 5.13c/d.  

  To ascend the full Rocket Man, continue on easier climbing, past a 5.12ish roof to the top of the cliff. The rock quality degrades quickly, which in my eyes, makes the full Rocket Man less classic. Since it is possible to fully recover on the no-hands stance at the end of Rocket Boy, this seems a logical ending.  

  The full Rocket Man (all the way to the top) may only have had a few ascents.

Rocket Man

This is the corner climb between Know Ethics(5.10d) and Gold Digger(5.8+). It shares the hard technical nature of its neighbor to the left without being quite as hair raising (for some reason Know Ethics can be a bit heady).  

  As with all the climbs in this section start up easy ground on good holds for the first 20 or so feet and get nestled in to the corner where the business happens. Solid stemming and trust in your feet are a must on this one. Work your way somewhat awkwardly up the well protected crux corner to a stance above. At this point you meet up with Gold Digger (5.8+) right before its crux. Instead of going out right like that route you want to make a few more hard moves straight up and on to the anchors.

Goldbug

Fun and varied climbing with a lot of moves that keep on coming. You can find a lot of rests but there seems to be a few cruxes."Millennium Falcon's evil twin brother"

Gunboat Diplomacy

As The World Burns is an often overlooked second pitch from the anchors of Thin Man that offers wild, exposed and pumpy climbing up through the steep center of the Iron Man Wall.Highly recommended if you want to hang it out above the crowds.Climb Thin Man or reach the anchors by climbing Underdog or Peanutman and traversing left. From the anchors head left and up a steep face, then make a pumpy traverse right under a roof before pulling it and tackling the final steepness to gain a nice belay ledge.If you want to keep the adventure going, belay here and continue up The Thing for a third pitch. If stopping, you are a little too high to simply lower to the Iron Man ledge unless you have a 70m. With a 60m will have to do it in two drops, tramming back to the Thin Man belay to anchor, pull and lower again. Alternatively, rapping off the Via Ferrata anchors 20 feet over, on the right side of the belay ledge, will get you down with a 60m in one drop (barely).A sling or two and longish draws will keep everything running smoothly as you fight the pump near the top.

As The World Burns

A short but really very fun extension to Underdog. I'm always surprised by how many quality lines are hiding in the hills of Rumney. The big surprise here is that this extension was hiding above a route I've done so many times. I just needed to open my eyes. If it was longer and maybe a bit more sustained it would be considered classic for sure. But the moves are very cool. 

  Climb Underdog (5.10a) which just gets more fun every time I climb it. Then just before the anchor head a little right to the first bolt of the Simon Bar Sinister extension. After clipping this bolt, make a few hand traverse moves right as you get in to the steep stuff. There is a big flake like hold out right that can yield a bit of a kneebar. At the second bolt you hit some small crimps and get a bit exposed as the relatively low angle rock of Underdog falls away. A few more little crimp moves lead to the lip and the best part yet. A hard move on to a slab using crimps and delicate footing will finish it up. The promise of a big airy fall if you run out of gas looms in the back of your mind.

Simon Bar Sinister

One route left of Thin Man, Rap Echo climbs a steep gray schist wall and moves slightly left into lower angled orange rock. The transition from steep to slabby presents the crux of the route. I distinctly remember fearing for my shins while I was contemplating standing on the glassy smear at the lip of the slab. Many have trusted the smear and have stood up, only to encounter thirty feet of hyper technical smearing and edging. Many others, however, have taken the whip. The fall is a big one, but it's pretty safe.  

  Maybe it should be called "Slab Echo."

Rap Echo

Polly Purebred used to be a runout and neglected trad climb until a retrobolting modernized it a few years ago. It's proximity to the most popular 5.10 at Rumney (Underdog) guarantees heavy traffic. 

  Easy juggy climbing leads to a rest ledge. Put a long draw on the bolt off the ledge and launch into the overhanging crux (previously "protected" by a shady pin). This crux can be baffling until the correct sequence is found. Layback up the wonderful hanging corner. Slabby moves give way to another crux below the anchors.    

  Welcome to the 21st century Polly, we're all glad you're here.

Sweet Polly Purebred

One of the best routes I've climbed at the grade. The climbing is not anything special by Rumney standards (because great 5.12s are easy to find), but the exposure gives it that extra something that makes it stand out as a super memorable climb. You also get the pleasure of climbing quality rock all the way to the top of one of Rumney's most beautiful cliffs. 

  Climb the first 2 pitches described for Via Ferrata (5.11c) this is fun all on its own, but keep going you will be happy you did. 

  From the ledge on top of pitch 2 of Via Ferrata step right off of the ledge and you will very quickly find yourself in quite an exposed position on a slightly overhanging face 100+ feet off of the ground. Follow the bolts straight up the face. First the climbing is balancy and awkward leading to a section that is brutally crimpy, then a quick tricky move to jugs and a rest ledge. Look up at the anchors and navigate your way to them on 5.9 moves. Wow, look at the view. Tram your way back to the anchor. Now climb it again, I know you want to.

Steel Curtain

15 feet of fun climbing that is kind of a pain to get to and leads no where since the top fell off, haha.

 Access the route by climbing rock du jours 1st pitch but branch left into a corner with regular hangered bolts to an anchor on the big ledge, then lead The Thang as a second pitch. You can also, (as i did) climb Gold Bug, then continue up Gold Member cheating off of draws if you like and continuing up the Thang in one long pitch! you can lower off to the ground with a 70m rope.

 Once you are actually on the route it is over too soon! A tough mantle move at the first bolt then 2 bolts (10 ft) of an amazing flake. You could do a hard mantle to a nice huge ledge but there is no anchor so you might just want to call it good and lower off.

 Originally a risky trad climb, then it got some bolts up in it.

The Thang

This is another great warm up for this cliff, if 5.10 is your limit consider this a great climb! 

  For this climb start in the left angling crack, then make a couple of moves up and left until the tree's routes take over the crack, then move right onto the slab and make a couple of moves on crimps to smallish ledge scrambling to the top. Anchors on this one seem oddly placed, I wish the climb ended about 3 feet lower out of the debris. 

  Don't fret about the crack, there are face holds up there for you darn sport climbers!

Supersize Me

It's not so much that its a bad route it's just so reachy that if you're not 7ft tall the holds are hard to get to. However if you can reach them (I'm 6'2" and I can just barely make the reaches) the moves are really cool the holds are great and the top out I found to be technical and super fun. If you like this style of climbing--BIG moves to good crimps and a technical top out--hop on it. 

  Climb Goldbug (5.10b) or the Digger-bug link up (5.9) to the Goldbug anchor. Clip a long runner to the anchor and step right to the nice ledge. 

  There are very few moves but they are big ones. Move up to a good crimp left of the first draw. Make a huge move up and right to a half pad incut crimp. Make another big move up and left to a nice flat full pad crimp. The feet kinda suck here so making the last big move to a sloper is a bit challenging. Once you get the sloper you make techy moves heading right until you can pull a mantel on to a ledge and climb a few easy moves to the anchors. 

Goldbug Finish

This is perhaps one of the best 5.9s at Rumney (at least for it's airy positioning), offering two pitches of climbing on the far right side of the Iron Man Wall. The first pitch warms you up with 100 ft of scrambly to quality moderate (5.7) climbing following corner systems. The second starts out with a bang, with an exposed, pumpy traverse out flakes. Pitch 1 Starts up the rightmost bolted line (galvanized glue-ins) of the Iron Man Wall. Just right of Gold Digger, climb up to an easy right leaning scrambly ramp to get you up on the buttress, then, using a bucket sidepull, step up a little left onto the wall proper, then angle up right into a nice corner, following the eyebolts to an excellent belay ledge. 5.7 (Breaking off left and following another corner with regular hangered bolts is a 5.7 way to get to the second pitch anchor of Goldbug, and the start of The Thang)Pitch 2 Now for the main course! Head out left on the big flake system past a couple bolts. Stay low on the flakes and keep traversing until you are about 8 feet past the last bolt in the overhang and it starts to feel scary, then mantel and head up a short slab to a notch with an overhang above. Note - It can be confusing with the bolts on the slab. There is a bolt out left after doing the initial flake traverse from the belay (reg hanger) from an old project. Don't let it pull you off route. Stick with the fat galvanized glue-ins through there, but also don’t break right too early into Going Nuts or you will quickly be into 13 territory.Once up the short slab, undercling and reach the top of the overhang and hand traverse right until you can mantel over. Get a shake, then head right around the arete into the exposure and up. Finishes straight up on flakes to a bolted anchor. From here, lower (don't rap) back to the belay.  You will need to get a little swing going or carefully get pulled in to get back to the belay, as the wall overhangs some. Have the second clean the route and tram back to you.From the mid  belay you can just get down to the base the way you came with a 60m rope. Be especially careful of loose stones on your descent and while pulling the rope as there are usually people below.

This route is a great outing with excellent positioning and views of the Main Cliff and the Baker River valley below.The 2nd pitch leader should be comfortable with 5.9 as the traverse moves off the first anchor are relatively stiff and intimidating (good positive holds though ;-)  The top anchor is out of sight and good hearing from the mid belay, so have your routine worked out and well communicated before you head off.

Rock Du Jours Direct

Another Main Cliff master piece of varied climbing, Hard crimping, technical slab, high flying adventure and a pumpy finish through the Rocket Man roof!

 Start 10 feet to the left of the Rocket Man/Thin Man Start. Follow 6 fixed draws through a bulge, a left leaning corner, a nice rest and finally a seemingly impossibly thin transition in to the middle of the Rocket Man corner. This Traverse right to link the new start to the old route is likely the crux but getting to there is about 13b in it's own right. Basically don't plan on any movement on this thing being inconsequential.

 The route was first climbed by Kevin Donovan as a top rope variation. After community discussion I (Lee Hansche) helped Kevin bolt it. He came back the next day and climbed through all of the hardest climbing and fell on an easier move in the upper roof due to a hold breaking. He lowered, pulled the rope and fired the line again, this time topping it out to the upper Rocket Man anchor.

Rocket Fuel

Climb Know Ethics 5.10d clip the anchors with an extendable and continue out the obvious overhanging crack using undercling beta. A hard move will let you get in a good position to pull the bulge to gain sweet fingerlock and a 5.8 traverse to the anchors wayyy over left. 

  Bring a 60m rope!

Iron Man

Another very worth while extension on Main Cliff, better for sure than the original extension to Goldbug (Goldbug Finish 5.12b). This one heads out left then up a steep crimpy wall with much shorter reaches than its neighbor to the right and a similar fun sloper mantel crux/finish. 

  Start by climbing Goldbug (5.10d). Clip a long draw on the anchor and traverse left to clip the first bolt on Goldfinger. Head up following the eyebolts up the steep face which is climbed for the most part on very straight forward crimps. The first crux is about halfway up the crimp section where the feet sort of aren't where you want them (kind of missing a right foot). Just paste your foot and go. "Thank god" crimps above this hard move give you a shake out and get you to the sloper finish. Once you mantel, the anchor awaits. 

  I found it hard to clip the 4th bolt until I was halfway through the top out, which works fine. However, a long draw may help you clip from lower down if you don't like climbing hard moves a bit above your last bolt.

Goldmember

Underdog is deservedly the most popular 5.10 at Rumney. The route is long and the views of the Baker River Valley are superb. And because of the capping roofs, Underdog is one of the few sub 5.12s at Rumney that stays dry in the rain. 

  Scramble up easy rock to the first bolt. Here the angle steepens. The technical crux of the route involves moving left near the fourth bolt. If you find yourself groping on desperate slopers, you are probably missing something. Continue past the distinctive "triangle," a hole in the rock that is easily seen from the ground. A thin move or two brings you to the last moves before the anchor. Though initially confounding, these moves yield with some thought. 

  From the anchors of Underdog, it is easy to traverse (on belay, of course) left to the anchors of Peanut Man or Thin Man for toproping or draw-hanging purposes.

Underdog

Ali Babbler is not a typical sport climb. In fact, this sequence is exactly like pitch 5 of The Prow at Cathedral. So put your trad brain on and off we go.    The very easy start gets you situated beneath the corner. The trick is getting up in to it. Use small feet on the left wall and a few crack moves and palm tricks until you can get in to a stemming position. From here you can get to the only really good hand hold on the route but don't worry, you don't need many. stem the corner to the top out, Have a seat.  

  This is a really tricky climb that I'm asked about often. With the right beta it can be nearly relaxing. With the wrong beta it can feel nearly impossible. 

youtube.com/watch?v=_e9omIs…

Ali Babbler

This is a Gear protected link up that starts on The Skewer, Climbs a pretty corner and links up to the second half of Gunboat Diplomacy.  

  Basically climb 2 bolts on the Skewer move left around the corner in to a nice corner with a seam running up it. Make a few easy moves before getting to a decent stance where this get blank. Plug in a few small nuts and pull the crux. I did a lunge/dyno to a sloping edge then on to easier holds and bolts on Gunboat to it's anchor. 

  Shorter folks will have a hard time on crux i think. 

  Easily TRed after doing Gunboat but use a few directionals.

Shiskebob

Note -Not to be confused with the bolted direct version. Much has changed from when this was done as described below, with huge chunks having come down in the middle. If you want to try it, be ready for adventure and watch for loose rock. Might be something to do when nobody is below.First pitch is the original start to Iron Man. 2nd pitch goes up right of the belay through face bulges and ramps to the same belay as Iron Man again. Third pitch is up the side walk in space right of the start to the third pitch of Iron Man. After the sidewalk traverse up and right to another great sidewalk ledge. Traverse ledge right to go directly up on small face holds to the top. I found the way to bring Bill up this steep wall at (5-8). Bill was in his comfort zone on this one as far as climbing it went. There was (5-8) on every pitch and maybe the finish is (5-7). Bill was thrilled and I repeated the ascent with other climbers. Seems to me climbers stopped knowing where this route went up. We would walk off from the top down the death slab (now the Predator access ladder trail). Rock De Jour was climbed in 1986.

Rock de Jours

Thin Man climbs up the center of Main Cliff, just left of Peanut Man. The climb can be recognized by a large, complex orange corner leading to an ominous schist roof.  

  Belay on the ledge. At the second bolt, bouldery moves deposit the climber onto a hanging slab. More technical moves lead to another hanging slab and the last true rest on the route. From here, a long move up and right to a rail may stymie climbers with less reach. The technical moves continue until a big, energy sapping, deadpoint out right allows exit from the corner.  

  The schist overhang above is classic Rumney: weird, insecure climbing on steep rock. I have been told that a neck/shoulder scum under the roof offers a good rest. I never could find it and felt instead like my body was being pressed lengthways in a vice. There have also been rumors of a knee bar rest here--never could find that one either. Thin Man ends at an anchor on the upper ledge, about ten feet left of Peanut Man's anchors. 

  Though traditionally graded 5.13a, there seems to be consensus that Thin Man is at least a letter grade harder. Shorter climbers may find it harder still.

Thin Man

Placing gear in schist is often tricky due to the strange grain of the rock. I recommend practicing placing gear at Rumney on routes like this because when you get out on granite or sandstone the gear seems so obvious and easy to place in comparison. It's also a great route to warm up on if you are getting on the routes in the 5.8 to 5.10 range that are found in the vicinity.  

  Climb the left facing left leaning crack/flake below the big ledge at Main Cliff's central area just right of the leaning boulder. After laying back and finger locking you will get to a few moderate face moves that lead to a nice stance and the 2 bolt anchor. The cool texture on the first half of the route make for really nice foot options.The gear can be tricky but solid.

Fear of Abraham

Note: I will give it a cleaning soon. 

  A pretty fun line that I honesty like better than the routes to either side. I had looked at it for a while but never got around to climbing it. No, it isn't a classic, just worth telling folks about. Could be nice for an extra toprope lap after doing one of the adjacent routes.  

  Pull a fun little mantel move right off the ground, climb a few thin moves on solid rock to gain a crack. Follow the crack up and right to easier climbing off to the left.  

  Though this route is an independent line I am not in to throwing in bolts on every climbable route. I do think however that a bolted anchor may be worth while so that on a busy day there could be another TR line to keep folks entertained. Anyone have thoughts on that?

Working Man

Every time I climb this route I am ecstatic to have discovered it again.  It's so good you can't even remember how good it is until you're back on it.  Start upward after a small tree stump left of the belay bolt to a good stance below a vertical section, the crux of the route.  Here a good sequence goes a long way.  Get a good rest (which involves using your head--physically) then move up toward a  mantel on big holds.  The mantel can be scary, but is safe.  Get another good rest then pull over the lip for a fun, technical bit of climbing to the top.

Millenium Falcon

Awkward moves lead up to a few crimpy moves to the right. For shorter folks a big move right to a big hold is the crux. After gaining this hold, it's like 5.9 to the top, steep but with big holds. 

  Fun moves on nice rock. 

  Check out this video of the climb: 

youtube.com/watch?v=lj4W4rd…

Little Big Man

SO FUN!!! These days most people know this route as the first half of Beat Junkie (5.13b). Whether done as a start to that route or to its own anchor it is a must do climb for this section of cliff. 

  Head up the moderate start in the corner on to the second bolt. Stem up the corner until you can get a good hold out left and shift to a stance under the crux headwall. There are two ways to to do this section and your style will decide your fate. Either work the crack with your right hand and the arete with your left as you hug your way through the crux stabbing the slots with precision. Or, climb the crack with a super sequency collection of strong moves and tough jams (if you are good in cracks this seems easier, but not easy by a long shot).  

  After the crux you make a funky mantel on to a super slab and move left to a ring bolt (the old anchor) Don't bother clipping it.  Make another tough move out right on to another slab, a big move gets you  to the final wall of schist leading to the anchor. The climbing here is technical and crimpy and the movement is good but the rock quality is a bit worse, foot holds are still breaking off.

The Skewer

A great and exposed route that climbs all the way up Main Cliff.

 Pitch one: 5.10a. Climb Underdog to its anchors, then traverse left past another set of anchors and a bolt to the anchors of Thin Man (5.13a). Belay from chains. 12 bolts.

 Pitch 2: 5.11c. Climb up and right to a crack that heads right past more bolts. The feet on this part are weird but the hands are good crimps turning to jugs. Throw a heel and pull over in to an awkward stance. Pull up through one more tough roof and on to a good ledge with an anchor. Be careful of a potentially loose jug on the arete just before the ledge. There is a hairline crack behind it. If continuing up, clip a directional and move across the ledge to the anchor on your left and belay there. 5 bolts.

 Pitch 3: From the left end of the ledge, climb up through the roof and an exposed notch and on to more moderate climbing to the top. 7 bolts to an anchor near the top of the cliff then lower back to the ledge.

 Be careful of loose rock because you will likely be climbing above folks on the ground.

 A 60m will get you to the ground from the top of pitch 2 as long as you use the right anchor, but knot your ends.

Via Ferrata

Above Space Shuttle move left to crack in the middle of slab and aid crack(A-3). At crack ends move left and enter alcove (left edge of alcove is Beat Junkie). Then move right to rotten crack in right facing steep corner (A-2) and nail it carefully. At top of corner aid crack and move left to stance (5-9) and 2 bolt belay. Move up very rough face (5-9)that I started to climb and then down climbed because Joel decided to stay on the ground. The climb after the rough face would enter 5-4 left facing corners to the top 100ft up. I lowered leaving a large tri-cam in the alcove. I came back with a friend and screwed up the crack in the middle of the slab because I didn't nail it, instead was using stoppers on both ascents. Therefore I took a 20ft fall to the base of Space Shuttle after ripping out all gear above Space Shuttle lay back end section. The new rope I was using was trashed and I had a bruised hip.  

  This climb if nailed creating pin scars for finger holds in the crack and the loose rock of the crack in the steep right facing corner was removed and bolted should go at a high grade of free climbing difficulty. That's how some of the old aid climbs became free climbs in the past from pin scaring chipping. Anyway it's dangerous, that's for sure on pitons and stoppers only. 

  Walk off or rappel to bolt belay. The bolts are not stainless steel and twenty two years old.

Sky Lab (incomplete)

Previously called Soup To Nuts and graded 5.12c this route suffered the loss of THE key hold on the route. A big jug in the steep wall. Over the past 5 years numerous people have tried to figure out a sequence through the nearly blank wall. I myself inspected the route at least 5 times before being able discover a solution. Due to the severity of the change to the route and the years it took to see another ascent I thought it was appropriate to re-name it. The new solution is unfortunately a bit height dependent but all the same I am glad that the line has been proven possible again as a line of useless bolts is a sad thing on a pretty wall.

 Pitch one: 5.7 Climb the first pitch of Rock Du Jours to the two bolt anchor.

 Pitch 2: Follow eye bolts up and left from the anchor then out right to a slab ledge below a steep bulge. Hand traverse up and right along a good ledge beneath the bulge to a solid clipping hold and get ready for a short but stouts series of moves on crimps (V7/8?). My sequence from the jug used a minuscule right hand side-pull with an equally tiny thumb catch. With my left foot on the ledge I used a left hand under-cling crimp to shift left and do a big (height dependent) move with the left hand to a hold in an awkward undercling/sidepull position. With some intense core engagement I went up right hand to a "jug" matched it and moved right and back into the same finish the original route continued on. This is a series of edges that after what you just climbed, will feel pretty mellow. Difficulty continues to ease as you move up and on to the anchor of Rock Du Jours.

Going Nuts

Feel like warming up for Underdog? Or for Polly Purebred? Then this is your route! 

  Climb the slab either starting with the flake/block to the right or directly under the 1st bolt and use the multitude of hand holds and edges and gain the bigger holds as the climb nears the anchor and the pebble covered ledge above.

Fat Man

2021 NOTE - See Comment about hornet nest on route. RH ,Admin.Know Ethics climbs the tight inside corner to the right of Polly Purebred. Many a climber has lowered off only to say, "That was the hardest 5.10 I have ever done."Though desperate, the climb is well protected with bolts. Climb up easy schist until below the orange corner. A hard pull deposits you into the corner at which point it might be helpful to think, "palms." And maybe "stems." Continue up the corner until it is possible to move left. You probably want to get out of the corner at this point anyway.A hard move then leads back right, across the top of the corner, back into the gray schist. Easier moves give way to the anchor that, unlike almost every route on the wall, does not have quick clips. (edit - Does now)

Know Ethics

Main Cliff is the tallest wall at Rumney and also home to some of the best routes. Whereas most of the other cliffs at Rumney are composed of schist, Main Cliff is distinguished by a band of quartzite stretching across it's middle. This rock has many of the characteristics of the best sandstone: fine grained, angular, and bullet hard.  

  Most climbs on the Main Cliff proper ascend  distinct corners and aretes, and the climbing feels a bit more "trad" than at other cliffs. Though the routes can be long and pumpy, the different rock presents various technical challenges. Insecure stems, burly laybacks, and technical smearing can be found on almost all of the routes on the center of the cliff. Various outlying walls also comprise the Main Cliff area.  

  Main Cliff is large and complex. Ward Smith's guidebook is de rigueur for navigating this area.    

  It was brought to my attention that the rockfall warning on the Main Cliff Right description could do well here as well.  

ATTENTION: In March, 2010, there was a massive rockfall at Main Cliff. It probably originated above Iron Man, Gold Digger, or Rock du Jours. Be extremely careful when hanging out at the base near these routes. This area is very unstable. The possibility of another rockfall appears significant. Routes such as Rock Du Jours, Gold digger and others in that vicinity are of greatest concern. 

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Main Cliff