Subject: Pigpen aka: Bachar Cracker of the Desert
Rating: V4
Quality: 4 stars
Location: Joshua Tree
Notes: Crack climbing bonanza

This problem is a Joshua Tree must-do, even if you're not into climbing cracks! The route travels out a 10ft. roof, and then finishes with a mildly overhung splitter thin hands crack. Put up by Mike Paul back in the mid '80s, Pigpen is a slice of American bouldering history.

Crawl into the cave and start sitting near the back, at a fin-like section of the crack. Climb out the roof using all manner of beta possibilities - from doing 360° 's, to climbing straight on, to doing the Van Damm splits on the side walls. A rest near the lip of the roof also offers possibilities - from a standard shake out stance, to cramming both legs in the crevice and hanging no-hands upside down. From the rest, head out the lip of the roof and onto a mild overhang with a sweet thin hands crack. The crux of the climb is just before the big rest under the roof, but the thin hands crack is quite challenging in itself. And the mantel at the end has shut down many a potential sender! The problem provides about 20ft. of climbing and the top out is roughly 9ft. high.

-RtM

Climber: Aron Couzens
Photos: C. Anastasi