Logtown Climbing Guide, The Left Main Wall

39. Boulder Problem V0** Start at the left side of the main left facing outside corner or on the pedestal under TENDINITUS. Boulder up to the 1st. line of holds traverse from the corner to the left or if you start from the pedestal traverse to the right along the line of holds which are angled slightly up to the right, 30 ft. Caution: Use a bouldering pad.

40. THE QUEST 5.10a* Start the same as FRODO LIVES. Climb FRODO through the first mantel, step right around the corner climb to the next good stance on more level up, traverse left across the foot ledge under the mailbox slot high on FRODO and climb to The Terrace, 45 ft.

41. FRODO LIVES 5.11b*** Start just to the left of the main left facing outside corner, between the 1st. and 2nd. drillmarks from the left of the corner. Climb the face between the 1st. and 2nd. drillmarks to the slot and The Terrace above, 45 ft. 4 bolts, 2 Fixe Rings, 1993. View a photo of Frodo Lives route area.

"Frodo had one bolt at two-thirds height and took a friend in a drill hole lower down as the only gear. ........The original bolt on Frodo sucked. I drilled it on top rope using a brace and bit. It was a star drive in, which consisted of a soft lead sleeve into which a PK nail was driven. I swear to God I plucked it out with my fingers after the lead. I was quite lucky I did not fall. As far as I know, no one else lead it until it was retrobolted simply because it no longer had the bolt." --Sean Cobourn's comments on his first ascent of Frodo in June of 1987.

The Left Main Wall Area

42. Anxiety 5.12c*** Start between the two drill marks directly to the left of FRODO LIVES. Climb the face along the first two bolts using the drillmarks, then pull the mantel under the third bolt. Finish on the ledge, 40 ft. 3 bolts, 2 cold shuts, 1999. View a photo of Anxiety route area.

43. Boulder Problem V1* Start between the 4th. and 5th. drillmarks from the left of the main corner. Boulder up using the drillmarks and the flake to get to the diagonal line of holds, 10 ft. Caution: Use a bouldering pad.

44. TENDINITUS 5.12d**** Start at the 5th. drillmark from the left on The Left Main Wall. Climb along the drillmark using tenuous lay-backs to get to a ledge. Finish up on the top wall to get to the Terrace, 45 ft. 4 bolts, 2 cold shuts, 1992. View a photo of Tendinitus route area. View a photo the crux of the crux of Tendinitus. View a photo or Ralph Mitchell on TENDINITUS Ralph #1, Ralph #2, Ralph #3. View a photo of The Left Main Wall Right Side.

45. THE OPEN BOOK or STATE OF THE ARTLESS 5.10dR*** Start in the obvious right facing inside corner that is located in the center of The Left Main Wall. Climb to the open book, then stem out the open book, continue to anchors, 35 ft. View a b&w photo of The Open Book route area. View a photo of Open Book route area.

"Todd McCormick and I were working State of the Artless, so named due to our creative pin scarring a la Jim Bridwell, Todd tried to lead it first, fell from the top of the book, ripped pro and landed in the pond. He suffered compression fractures in his back and as far as I know pretty much quit climbing soon thereafter. I went up later and lead it. The funny part is that the pin scars were not needed after all. A lesson best learned while young." --Sean Cobourn's comments on his first ascent of the Book in June of 1987.

Rich Rice is to be credited for inspiring many others to lead The Open Book in recent years. His 1994 free ascent of the Book was an inspiration to all of the Logtown locals. Rich used small stoppers and sliders to protect the book then a larger cam in the horizontal above, this was the first time that adequate protection had ever been used on the route. To date only a few other climbers have lead the Book on gear.

46. OPEN BOOK VARIATION 5.11c**
Start under the1st. drillmark to the left of OPEN BOOK.
Climb the lower wall and drillmark, continue along to shuts above OPEN BOOK, 35 ft. 4 bolts, 2 cold shuts shared with OPEN BOOK, 1994. View a photo of the Open Book Variation route area.

Ralph Mitchell on the crux of Open Book Variation.

47. Boulder Traverse 5.7**
Start on the left end on the ledge which is on ground level or on the pedestal on the middle right side of The Left Main Wall. Traverse along the low line of holds 6 feet above the ledge, 30 ft.

48. NICHOLS IS A WEENIE 5.12bR*** Start between the 2nd. and 3rd. drillmarks to the left of OPEN BOOK. Climb along the 3rd. drillmark past the 1st. bolt then climb along the drillmark above past the 2nd. and 3rd. bolts, 35 ft. 3 bolts, 2 Fixe Rings, 2000. View a photo of Nichols route area.

Ralph Mitchell pioneered Nichols working on it in secret in 1990 until his landmark first ascent in 1991. Nichols was Logtown's first modern sport lead, bolted with "modern" 3/8" x 2.5" stainless steel Metolius bolts and camo-hangers way back in 1991 when junk hardware bolts were still bring put in at places like the New River Gorge. Nichols name sake is Ken Nichols, infamous bolt puller from New England, he was destroying bolted routes all in across the state of Connecticut and beyond, subsequently there was heavy publicity in the climbing Magazines and hence the name NICHOLS IS A WEENIE was born. So with this addition, which was quite suppressing to all the locals, the development of the quarry was now on the fast track. In the following three years 1992, 1993 and 1994 Logtown's primmer sport routes would come into existence.

49. SLIPPERY AS AN EELLS 5.8
Start between the 4th. and 5th. drillmarks to the left of OPEN BOOK. Climb to the ledge and then follow the left facing shallow flakes to top, 40ft. View a photo of Slippery As An Eells route area.

50. BEAM ME UP SCOTTY 5.9*** Start at ground level just to the right of the large V-shaped chimney on the left side of The Left Main Wall. Climb to a spacious ledge under the V-shaped chimney then climb the wall or corner to the right of the chimney, 40 ft. The first part of this climb was originally known as CAPTAIN KIRK. 4 bolts, 2 cold shuts, 1993.

51. CAPTAIN KIRK 5.9 Start above the spring on the left side of The Left Main Wall under the V-shaped chimney. Climb the lower wall then do a layback of the flake to get to the ledge, 15 ft.

52. RADICAL MASTECTOMY 5.5 Start under the V-shaped chimney on the left side of The Left Main Wall. Climb to the V-shaped chimney then stem up the chimney and surmount the roof above, 30 ft. This route was originally known as THE JUGS ROUTE until a rockfall took off a large outcrop.

53. TRAVERSE OF THE GODS' V0** Start at ground level on the far left end of The Left Main Wall. Traverse all the way to, and around The Pit, 350 ft.

54. FRACTURES 5.4R Start 10 feet left of RADICAL MASTECTOMY under a broken under a broken up wall. Climb the cracks between the broken blocks to the top, 35 ft. CAUTION: The R rating is to warn of large loose rocks near the top.

55. TRAVERSE IN THE SKY 5.9+ Start at ground level on the far left side of The Left Main Wall, 15 feet left of the V-shaped chimney. #1. Traverse along the ledge which angles up to the right, ending up at The Terrace above the main left facing outside corner, 80 ft. #2. Belay from the top anchors of FRODO LIVES, traverse at that level to Broadway Ledge, 60 ft.

Unknown climber on Beam Me Up Scotty.

Dave leading with a Sololist on the Captain Kirk mantel move.

For additional information on this area visit the Logtown Alpine Club Press 1986 publication of A Climbers Guide To the Cliffs Of Logtown, Ohio 1986.

Caution: Climbing in the back sections of the quarry to the left of the Left Main Wall (left of climb #55) is very dangerous! These sections of the quarry to the left of the Left Main Wall are dangerously loose! For your own safety and for the safety of others do not climb on these walls! Rocks continually fall from the upper broken rock strata making a dangerous situation for anyone at the base of the cliff! Climbing in these back sections of the quarry can put yourself and others in danger of injury from falling rock!

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Logtown Climbing Guide Route Descriptions