Chrysler Crack, 5.9
FA: Randal Grandstaff, Jon Martinet, 1970's

Getting to the route and gear beta:
Info submitted by Russ:
Park at the Sandstone Quarry. Follow the giant trail from the back of the parking area towards Sand Canyon, which will be the first main draw on your right after walking about 6 minutes. Hike way up Sand Canyon. You will see the good dark rock that is Chrysler Cracks home up on the top of the canyon on your right. You will think there is no way to get there. You are almost right. At the top of the canyon on your right you will see a slot that leads through all the way to the front side of the formation. Go into this slot and then wander up and right onto a set of tiered ledges, doing a few actual climbing moves to get up to the large ramp system that you can walk right on to the base of the climb.
The descent is to climbers left after you top out. Walk and scramble down the slabs working back left to the base of the climb. Retrace your path down the tiers to get back into the Sand Canyon gully.

Gear:

Wild Country #6, a giant tube (like 8" or larger) and then a couple of small to med nuts and maybe a .5" TCU or similar. If you have any dreams of protecting the middle to upper portion of this crack, have something in the 9" to 13" range or forget about it... Anchor takes med nuts to a 2" cam about 20 feet back from the top out. To TR you will need a long extendo runner in the 20ft range.


Sooze checking it for size


Gear selection and action


Footstacking at the crux and Sooze at the top

 

Additional notes and strategy:

The rock is really clean and smooth, especially compared to the surrounding features. With the crack starting wide from the get go, don\'t be shy about burning your #6 Wild Country early. It will only fit down at the start of the route.
Inside the crack at about mid height there are some wispy thin cracks that sorta take pro. I was not really counting on these pieces to hold much, and they were awkward to place since they are on the wall that your back is on, behind you. They might be good, or they might be bad, but they are all you are going to get unless you have a something in the 10" range or larger at that point.
After passing the middle steep section, there is an obvious transition to some lower angle rock and the crack is wide enough to get completely inside if you need a secure few minutes to rest up for the summit push.

 

Mountain Project info on the route: YES

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