Gamesmanship

Gamesmanship is one of Poke-O's oldest and finest routes.

Begin the route in the right hand of two handcracks behind a nice, large birch tree.

Pitch 1: Technically, the route's crux is the first 15 feet of climbing and consists of insecure (read: slippery) jams in a fist-size crack. Once past this section, expect endless jamming in an impeccable crack to a bolted anchor. (5.8+ / 140 feet)

Pitch 2: Continue up the left-facing corner above and belay at the dike on a comfortable ledge. (5.7 / 120 feet)

Pitch 3: Easy does it up the broken rock above until it is possible to trend right up less-than-vertical rock to clump of trees on a spacious ledge below a left-facing corner. (5.4R / 100 feet)

Pitch 4: A great pitch. Move out right and climb a pure handcrack that slices through the airy face above. The crack will end, but continue up much easier terrain to a lone white birch tree on a small, but comfortable belay ledge. (5.7+ / 140 feet)

Pitch 5: A pitch of much less difficulty leads up the clean, open slab above to the top. Belay at the trees. (5.1R / 150 feet)

Getting Down: From the top of the route look down and to the right. There is an island of trees at the cliff's edge with a slung tree to rap the route. Walk across and down the open slab to the trees. 3 rappels with two 60 meter ropes will deposit you on the ground.

Roughly 120 feet to the right of the large, grassy Positive Thinking area.

A standard rack with several #2 Camalots and a couple #3 Camalots for the first pitch. Two Cordolettes, and two 60 meter ropes to rappel the route.