Max Factor is one of the best 5.11 finger cracks in Vedauwoo. Locate this beauty at the far end of the crag from the parking lot, just around the corner right from the Tubes. The climbing is positive with excellent finger locks until you reach a distinct crux just before the crack bulges. There are good smears for the feet on the right, and if you utilize your left toe well in the crack then relying on the shallow, technical jams at the crux won't seem so desperate. Still, it seems that one short section is a show-stopper for a lot of climbers. Above, the positive locks resume. Lower off of the (new) bolts on the underside of the big bulge (this is the top of P1 of Grand Traverse) or continue up the 5.10+ crux bulge of that route (possible in one pitch). This climb was tried many times by many climbers before Australian Kim Carrigan onsighted it, and compared it in difficulty to Fish Crack in the Valley (5.12b). It has cleaned up considerably since then; in 1980 the crack was filled with gravel, loose bits of rock, and vegetation, and felt like 5.12 to me. Today most climbers will agree it is 5.11 something-or-other, and an area classic.
Protection
Medium wired nuts work well on this climb. I would bring a good selection from wireds, TCUs to 1" cams, and singles up to 3", or something like that.
I found this rout is very very hard in my humble opinion. For people with big fingers it will be difficult. Not that I have a good reference base for grads in the hard eleven but seemed to be twelve to.
Vedauwoo Mega Classic. Once you're through the crux, the technical difficulty drops big time - if you've got the gas to stay with it after that, you've got it.
By WeBeJammon From: Laramie, WY May 20, 2007 rating: 5.11c
Another Vedauwoo classic on the back side of the Nautilus.
Nautilus
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