Weekend before last, Taylor's Falls with Shawn. We climbed several things and ended up at the Wisconsin strip. Set two ropes, one between Batman and Walking on Air, the other on Deutschler's Corner. A couple from Chicago was just leading up Lloyd's Lament. They asked if there were any good 5.7s to lead, and we discussed the lamentable absence of 5.7s at Taylor's Falls. Recommended the 5.6 slab route as a good option. Shawn said they should feel free to climb on our ropes, too.
Shawn and I cruised Batman and Walking on Air, exploring the pitiful gear placements on Batman in preparation for some mythical future lead attempt. It's not that we're not perfectly capable of climbing it; it's just that the two gear placement options come right after the two cruxes of the route, so if you fell at the top crux you'd fall at least twenty feet.
Nope. Not me.
Then, Deutschler's Corner. It starts with this horrendous position, in which you're standing at the top of a steep slope with the vertical wall on your left, and you have to put a toe on a non-existent foothold, your left hand on a nothing of a crimp, and just jump up to a sharp-edged ledge for your right hand, while your right foot slides desperately across the rock to keep you from twisting off. I had tried it before and utterly failed to make that opening move. The first time on this occasion I flailed on it but gradually came close to getting it; I actually latched the sharp hold with my fingertips but couldn't hold on.
Second time on the rope, I just visualized, toed up, and did it. Latched it, stopped the swing. Then proceeded to climb the whole thing clean! 5.10d is mine.
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