Subject: Smackdown
Rating: V10
Quality: 3 star
Location: Black Mountain
Notes: Thin edges!

Smackdown is a testy piece of rock. One that climbs in classic granite style over a large egg of a boulder, starting with campus'y sloper moves over a bulge, to micro-edges and balancy moves up the rounded top of the stone. The problem sits in the heart of Boulder Basin campground. First ascented by Chris Sharma.

Jump, stack pads, or just be really tall to reach the first sloping sidepull. Power up to an opposing sloper sidepull, then start clawing and peddling up on micro-edges on the rounding upper face. It is said that the true line stays as far to the right as possible for the upper part, and that the sidepull crimps to the left are a variation (V9, shown in sequence). However the two lines are so close together that its difficult to differentiate between the two. The top can be somewhat spicy, with small hands and feet up the 14ft. tall boulder. An added bonus is the slight possibility of striking a boulder behind the problem with a fall from the top.

-RtM

Climber: Joe Morgan
Photos: R. Miramontes