The Marble Miracle

This route was an absolute dream. Yes, it's a bit weird, but I think that's largly what makes it absolutely in my top five favorite trad climbs I've done in 23 years of climbing. The route was climbed ground-up onsight... just barely. Every twenty feet, I thought the route would dead-end, only to discover another excellent passageway.

P1. (5.10a R) Zigzag a path of least resistance with spaced pro on excellent 5.7-5.8. Eventually you’ll hand-place a solid knifeblade piton in a vertical slot and traverse rightward before heading up, passing a ball-nut placement and dead-ending at a roof. Place a solid #4, then down climb and do the 8' traverse crux left into a hidden .4-.5" crack. Reverse the  traverse to back clean the #4, then re-do the crux again to return to the splitter. Belay at a good stance below the hand crack. 2” anchor.

P2. (5.11b) Continue up the hand crack then execute several easy, but unprotected mantles. Place two #5s in an alcove to protect a few more awkward moves to a nest of gear before a 5’ roof. Exit the roof on perfect hand jams which die out right when you wish they didn’t. Pulling the lip is unforgettable. Save .3-1” for the anchor.

To reach the base, continue left underneath the shelf that leads to Armageddon Better. Look for a large roof 3/4 the way up.

nuts, ball-nuts, and cams .1-5” (x2), 2” (x3), one knifeblade piton