Ascents in North Lower Merced Canyon

Mr Luck seconded in the nude - freak

bailed after trying to pull through on gear at offwidth crux

Follow clean P1, onsight lead P2/P3 linked with double ropes

Linked the lower (crux) section of this into the upper (crux) section of Trough of Justice, avoiding the doddly bits of both routes. I found the climbing and crux of this route perhaps a touch soft compared to other valley routes, but thoroughly enjoyable friction slab climbing on big slopers, and appropriately bolted.

Linked the lower (crux) section of Knuckleheads into the upper (crux) section of this climb, avoiding the doddly bits of both routes. I found the climbing and crux on this to be extremely balancy (almost hands-free), and more in line with other Valley 5.10b's, but the bolting means you do the crux above a runout and an unclean fall, somewhat ruining the experience.

A very hard start (relative to the rest of the climb - though probably easier than many yosemite 5.10b's), followed by easy fun knob-jugging up a hanging block. If you get to the 3rd bolt, its all cruisy to the end, but heaps of juggy fun. A good warmup.

Mostly easy-ish (but great) crack climbing with a gnarly short crux near the top. Definately worth a lap.

Second shot

Sure, this is only about 10m high, but its also ALLl trad on a 30 degree overhang for 10m. I was on this for a surprising amount of time as I struggled to whipe dirt and moss off the mantle topout before committing. Very juggy, but bloody steep and pumpy.

Sweet crack and knob hauling.

Technical and scary mantles all the way. A great sport route.

Very unique climbing for the valley. Short crux but fun moves the whole way.

Got on this as my first route in the valley. Heinous. Still have the gobies a full week later.

Tough move near the top knob before topping out on jugs. Done for the day after this one.

Sustained climbing in the first half with what I thought were insecure hand jams.

Really good. Felt harder than knob job.

Great adventure route. Pick your own line up 'the wall of knobs'. Many knobs to choose from but only 2 of them clipped the chains at the top of pat and jack pillar. Tony has rediscovered himself as a chimney climber - positively brimming with joy as he back pressed the final chute to the summit. I expect to have to talk him out of free soloing steck salathe.

Wow, tough start on a hot sunny day. Don't forget to douse yourself in deet, the mosquitoes were swarming in late June

Good, was only raining a bit.

First route in the valley : ). A sport route hahaha

mega fun adventure, worth the crowds. tests your ability to climb everything: splitters, boulder sequences, steep jug haul, chimney (p5, p8), committing to balancy mantle above a first bolt/ledge (p4). pitch breakdown was arbitrary but worked out well: I somehow got the bouldery pitches (p3, p7) and not the reachy ones (p1, p6)

Had to take on the first go. Decided to leave the gear in and see how I went on the pink-point 2nd go around and it felt much easier. Perhaps I should have pulled the gear and went for a proper red point burn.