This shares the start of Classic Overhang, but instead of throwing for the lip, bust some far easier moves out to the left up jugs, topping out to the left of where Classic Overhang tops out, and to the right of where the Gill Problem tops out. This route is characterized by highly enjoyable holds to an exciting top out.

Run a couple laps on this fantastic variation to get the blood flowing before you try that sweet dyno!

Classic Overhang Warmup

Gill Route

Classic Overhang

Red Cross Traverse

Left Side?

Left Side SDS

Gill Problem

John Gill's original line up the overhang of Red Cross Rock, and not to be confused with the

Gill Route

, which is essentially an easier version of this problem.

From John Gill:

"I did it in 1959, not 1958. Here's the scoop as I remember it. By 1959 climbers had tried to get up that part of Red Cross for some time, and had failed. There was no right fingertip hold at that time, merely a kind of smooth irregularity in the rock with a horizontal hairline crack on top. Nothing anyone of any generation could possibly use. After some tries, I stood at the base facing the rock, placed my left toe on a small hold, grasped the large hold in the middle with my left hand, then toed off the ground with my right foot, pulling hard and rotating while reaching up over the lip to the dime sized hold there. No jump, but it was a smooth dynamic move. What I called a "swinging lieback". At the time others could not do it that way, so one day I took my hammer and chipped off a tiny bit of rock on the hairline crack, so that there was now a fingertip hold for the right hand. Then, as the years passed, the route saw several ascents. But usually the route, but not my problem. Some time after that, apparently someone chipped the fingertip hold a little bit more, which is what you find now - but I haven't been there in ten years or so. It's true the ground level has dropped over the years, but that should not make a substantial difference, since it's not a jump. I was a gymnast and worked the still rings at the time, so had plenty of strength. Someone might be able to do what I did by pulling onto the rock, then going for the top, if they were just the right size and could crimp themselves into that hollow, pulling on the large hold, then reaching over the top. Even then I suspect it would be dynamic.If this happens I would love to see it, please post a photo or video!

John Gill"

The "Gill Route" (not to be confused with the

Gill Problem

) is probably the classic Jenny Lake testpiece, and an historic boulder for any number of reasons.  I'll leave it to the man himself to clarify the two:

"I did it in 1959, not 1958. Here's the scoop as I remember it. By 1959 climbers had tried to get up that part of Red Cross for some time, and had failed. There was no right fingertip hold at that time, merely a kind of smooth irregularity in the rock with a horizontal hairline crack on top. Nothing anyone of any generation could possibly use. After some tries, I stood at the base facing the rock, placed my left toe on a small hold, grasped the large hold in the middle with my left hand, then toed off the ground with my right foot, pulling hard and rotating while reaching up over the lip to the dime sized hold there. No jump, but it was a smooth dynamic move. What I called a "swinging lieback". At the time others could not do it that way, so one day I took my hammer and chipped off a tiny bit of rock on the hairline crack, so that there was now a fingertip hold for the right hand. Then, as the years passed, the route saw several ascents. But usually the route, but not my problem. Some time after that, apparently someone chipped the fingertip hold a little bit more, which is what you find now - but I haven't been there in ten years or so. It's true the ground level has dropped over the years, but that should not make a substantial difference, since it's not a jump. I was a gymnast and worked the still rings at the time, so had plenty of strength. Someone might be able to do what I did by pulling onto the rock, then going for the top, if they were just the right size and could crimp themselves into that hollow, pulling on the large hold, then reaching over the top. Even then I suspect it would be dynamic.If this happens I would love to see it, please post a photo or video!

John Gill"

Another "aerial" style problem.  When you're struggling to get the momentum to the lip, remember that John Gill did it with one arm back in the 50s...

Start on the ledge under the north overhang and dyno to the lip.

Sit start on the lowest holds on the left side of the boulder, and traverse right until you can top out where Classic Overhang tops out. Looks like pretty fun climbing if you can use the holds!

I did not attempt to climb this route, as the crux looked significantly harder than V4, which is what it is graded on the hand drawn topo. V6 is a stab in the dark.

Shorter problem on the left. More fun than it looks. No idea if this has a "real" name. Let me know...

The sit down start to the Left Side V3 problem. Start in the dirt and get your hands on the start to the Red Cross Traverse. It seemed to me like the boulder was V5/6. I saw similar opinions on the tick list of the V3. So I graded it as such here. If anyone differs in opinion then feel free to fix the grade.

This problem is so good, get on it!

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Red Cross Rock