Routes : North America : United States : North Carolina : Central : Stone Mountain State Park : South Face - Access Routes to Tree Ledge : Crystal Lizard
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Crystal Lizard - 5.8 popular
Average Rating : 3.71 out of 5
Route sequence (left to right): 3
Route Summary | Ascent Notes (18)
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unknown
Rock (Trad)
R
1
Two bolts; small to medium cam placements in the flake.
140
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Description:
A nice friction route with more adrenaline potential than the nearby Block Route or U Slot.Starts about 20' right of U Slot, where a couple of trees grow out of holes in the face. Climb past the trees (keeping them on your left) up and right to a bolt. Move back left to dikes above the trees, then up and right to a large left-facing flake. Continue up the flake, then up onto it and climb up and right to a second bolt. Run it out to ring anchors shared with Rice Krispies at the Tree Ledge. When you've done the well-protected approach routes like Block Route and Dirty Crack, Crystal Lizard is a great climb to up the ante. As you approach the anchors, try not to think about the fact that you're runout maybe 60' above your last bolt. Climb past the tree pods (on your left) up and right to a bolt about 30' up. Carefully traverse back left to small dikes above the last tree, or for extra spice, go straight up over the bolt. Continue up to a large left-facing flake; climb the flake a short distance, then surmount it and move up and right to another bolt. Runout the finish to the Rice Krispies anchors at the Tree Ledge
Descent Options:
Two-rope rap from ring anchors.
Submitted by: saxfiend on 2007-03-15
Last Modified: 2011-03-23
Views: 2711
Route ID: 61605
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18 Ascents Recorded
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Read all 18 ascent notes
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.8 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure |  |
| Rock Quality |  |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Red Point ascent by:
Perfect Climbing Weather
I can't stand to climb a route incorrectly so I decided I needed to give this one another go as I have definitely botched it many times with all the different ways I have climbed it. There is no doubt the first bolt is where it needs to be as that is where the first ascentionist intended it to be. After looking at it closely, the most logical line is slightly right of the bolt and straight up to the small ramp/ledge located under the bolt. It is a little stiff for Stone standards but not unreasonable for a 5.8. It was also better to climb up above the right side of the bolt to the dikes rather than moving over to the left. The entire left side was heavily caked in fine lichens and made all of the holds very slick. I followed the dikes right up through the overlap and headed straight to the second bolt. Then, I just followed what was basically a water groove up to the anchors. Again, it really wasn't that runout above the second bolt. It looks that way in the Select Climbs topo, but it is inaccurate. It is that same topo that caused me to climb the left side of the bolts in the first place. I felt fine only using the two draws as pro.
Added: 2014-10-05
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.8 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure | |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Practice Day
I have climbed this route from the right of the first bolt, directly beneath the bolt and from the left near the trees. The first two choices being quite stiff. This time, I climbed the face near the trees to the left and traversed over to the bolt and back. Most of the time I just avoid the bolt and sling the tree and run it out to the second bolt, which is much further away than the topo in Selected Climbs shows. In fact, it would be a serious groundfall if a mistake was made near the second bolt. The rest of the climb is not that big of a deal and I didn't feel that it was very runout to the belay rings at all.
Added: 2013-08-26
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.8 |
| Safety Rating | R |
| Exposure |  |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor |  |
Second ascent by:
Not fun
Followed someone up this one for the second time. Not really fun and I definitely would not want to lead it.
Added: 2013-01-01
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.8 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure | |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Flash ascent by:
Heady
Felt quite heady and definitely deserved a 5.8+. Feel like the first bolt is off-route too far and slinging the tree is a better idea to stay in the line of crystals. Traversing over to that bolt and back feels harder than 5.8. Run out goodness but solid feet the whole climb.
Added: 2011-11-25
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.8 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure | |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Onsight ascent by:
pretty exciting
bit of mind control, but reasonable
Added: 2011-11-11
