Pictured left: Dane near the top of Scary Math, prepping the route.
A favorable forecast lured eight of us up to the North Rim on Saturday. Although gusty winds kept things colder than we had hoped, six climbers, including Tim, Brian, Olin, Pierce and Mill first-timers Phil and Andrea, enjoyed routes on the Tick Farm and Tiger Stripe wall in what are still unseasonably mild conditions for January. Dane and Ken, however, continued work on Scary Math, doing some top-to-bottom cleaning and adding two final bolts. We are pleased to announce the route is ready to climb!
Scary Math looks like it will offer plenty of steep, pumpy challenges. It's 85 feet long and overhangs about 30 feet. After a bouldery 5.11 intro, it climbs continuously through one bulge or roof after another. The route is just right of Big Science (click on the sidebar image and zoom in; you can see fixed draws on Big Science), which needs to have two bolts repositioned and a bit more cleanup before it is also ready to climb. Our personal objective is to begin redpoint attempts in early spring.
We're psyched to have two routes established in what is currently the North Rim's steepest sector. There's definitely critical mass forming here, and we expect these routes will attract a lot of climbers looking for steep terrain in the Missoula area.
Brian bustin' the North Face outdoor model pose.
If you find June, you've found Ken.
