5. Elias V9 *
Start: Slightly left of Scratching Post with
hands matched on a diagonal, thin flake. (Or, from a later, harder sequence, match hands on the undercling found
at the bottom edge of the boulder.)
Go: Straight up. The only hold used from
Scratching Post is the small sloper initially used for the left hand on that problem. Here it becomes a right
hand hold. Avoid the good hold higher up on Scratching Post.
When first climbed, the crux involved sticking an almost non-existant
sloped hold. This move was extremely height-related: too tall or too short made the move much harder. Later,
a key hold for the left hand broke after the third ascent. It was later climbed with an entirely new (and harder)
sequence.
6. Private Angel V7 ***
Start: In the middle of steep main face.
Right hand high on an obvious undercling hold, the left on a shallow, thin horizontal crimper.
Go: Straight up with a difficult move to get
established into the undercling. Continue up past tiny crimper to a shallow, thin crack/slot. Fire for
the top and mantle.
This long-anticpated route proved to be not quite as hard as some thought
it would be. A difficult sequence to unravel none-the-less. Sought after for years, the first known ascent went
to a visiting climber on his first day at Cat Rock. Until the development of Worthless Boulder, it was widely
considered the best boulder problem in the city.
7. The Dawg V5 **
Start: On the left side of the main face
where there is a small depression at knee-level. An obvious pinch/sidepull for the right hand and a tiny, dished
out crimper for the left.
Go: Either move halfway up Fancy Feast
and then right one step, or (a much nicer beginning) angle up and diagonal slightly right from the opening move of Fancy
Feast past two hard-to-hold irregular crimps. Continue to the same shallow crack/slot hold found on Private
Angel (for the right hand on this problem) and make a big move for the top. Mantle.
Though not quite as aesthetic and extreme as Private Angel,
it is a classic face climb requiring significant finger strength and excellent fotwork. Originally created as a
variation to Fancy Feast, the version of this problem as worked out by Komba and Yuki (diagonally up right
from the start) is truly a route that stands on its own.
Variation: Kitty Litter V6
After getting established on the upper crimps, traverse right across Private Angel and Elias. Exit via the notch.
