crazy streak - 10 pitches class 5.8+
Leopard Skin - 4 pitches class 5.8
December 2021
Crazy Streak is a fun 10 pitch route in Zion between the east enterance and the Mt Carmel tunnel along Highway 9. The route is mostly 5.7 with a crux 5.8 second pitch and is very well bolted with double bolted anchor belays spaced 30-35 meters apart, meaning the entire route can be climbed and rappelled with a single 70m rope. We parked at the turnout on the north side of the highway 0.4 miles west of where the road passes right along the base of the Checkerboard Mesa (see map) and walked west along the road for 300 yards around one curve and cut left (south) off the road as shown by the blue approach line on the map below. The whole approach was only a third of a mile long and gained 150 feet or so. A single tree more or less marks the start of the route. On the approach, pass this tree and continue a couple more minutes up and slightly rightward to locate the first pitch flaring crack, the largest of all the flaring cracks along the base of the wall.
I led up the first pitch, a nice flaring easy crack in the 5.4 difficulty range but mostlyu 4th class. A large number 4 cam was nice to have near the top and this was the only time I placed any gear on the entire route. The second pitch included the crux; a one move wonder 5.8+ slab where both the feet and hands were virtually non-existent above a flat stance, however a bolt was placed right at the move so the consequences were small. Being very tall helped me pull through this without having to yank on the quickdraw. Pitches 3-9 more or less just meshed together and all felt about the same, with the route trending slightly to climbers left as we progressed up. A couple spots involve a short horizontal leftward traverse but it's obvious. Looking up at the route it's hard to imagine it being 10 pitches long but since each pitch is no longer than 35 meters, indeed there was 10 bolted anchors we passed. The whole route was very well bolted, and routefinding was minimal...just follow the bolts. The last pitch at the top apparently originally traversed back right to a grungy 5.7 finish, however I continued straight up above from the top of pitch 9 and followed a variation finish pitch that apparently is 5.10 in difficulty which explained why I needed to yank of one of the draws when the holds became nothing. Again, this variation crux was another one move wonder.
We emerged atop the slabby cliff and was greeted with panoramic views of the Zion wilderness. It being december, we were shaded the whole climb on this north facing route, but the winds were calm and the temeratures warm...this is my second trip to Zion in the month of December and it was again a beautiful visit. We made all 10 rappells without incident and was able to make it back to Springdale for beers well before dark despite the short days this time of year. The following day we climbed a 4 pitch route called Leopard Skin in Snow Canyon just outside St. George for a shorter day before I spent the rest of that afternoon driving back to Grand Junction.
I led up the first pitch, a nice flaring easy crack in the 5.4 difficulty range but mostlyu 4th class. A large number 4 cam was nice to have near the top and this was the only time I placed any gear on the entire route. The second pitch included the crux; a one move wonder 5.8+ slab where both the feet and hands were virtually non-existent above a flat stance, however a bolt was placed right at the move so the consequences were small. Being very tall helped me pull through this without having to yank on the quickdraw. Pitches 3-9 more or less just meshed together and all felt about the same, with the route trending slightly to climbers left as we progressed up. A couple spots involve a short horizontal leftward traverse but it's obvious. Looking up at the route it's hard to imagine it being 10 pitches long but since each pitch is no longer than 35 meters, indeed there was 10 bolted anchors we passed. The whole route was very well bolted, and routefinding was minimal...just follow the bolts. The last pitch at the top apparently originally traversed back right to a grungy 5.7 finish, however I continued straight up above from the top of pitch 9 and followed a variation finish pitch that apparently is 5.10 in difficulty which explained why I needed to yank of one of the draws when the holds became nothing. Again, this variation crux was another one move wonder.
We emerged atop the slabby cliff and was greeted with panoramic views of the Zion wilderness. It being december, we were shaded the whole climb on this north facing route, but the winds were calm and the temeratures warm...this is my second trip to Zion in the month of December and it was again a beautiful visit. We made all 10 rappells without incident and was able to make it back to Springdale for beers well before dark despite the short days this time of year. The following day we climbed a 4 pitch route called Leopard Skin in Snow Canyon just outside St. George for a shorter day before I spent the rest of that afternoon driving back to Grand Junction.
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