Real Mountain Climbing

Now this is what we call "real climbing" - Tim chilling in the Bugs.

Now That's Entertainment

WOW!!!

Climbing at Bon Echo on a warm summer day is awesome most of the time, but climbing "The Entertainer", a 5-pitch, 5.9 beauty, is simply amazing!!!

The Entertainer lives up to its name and is truly fun climbing on every pitch!  Not too physical.  Not too technical.  Mostly great climbing on good rock with interesting features, nice movement and great protection!!!  (My kind of route!)

The route starts with a 10m vertical scramble straight out of the boat off the water to a comfortable ledge.  No gear.  No rope.  Not hard climbing, but not trivial either.  It gets your climbing head "in the game" right away!

The second pitch starts with a pumpy traverse and then up to a shattered (?) block belay stance with great exposure.

Pitches 3 and 4 have harder technical climbing, the "money pitches" starting with thin finger cracks ...

... and ending with overhanging hand cracks.  A bit physical in places, but the cruxes are brief and well protected with ample gear placements.  (I would give these pitches a 5.10a or 5.10b rating elsewhere).

The view of the cliff and lake from the ledge above pitch 4 is spectacular!

Of course, it wouldn't be Bon Echo unless there was a "sting in the tail".  Pitch 5 has some delicate slabby sections with lichen and then a final exit to the top of the cliff through an overhanging crack.  Burly!  Fun!

What's next? Time to coil the rope, walk down to the water's edge and wait for an ACC boat ride to our next adventure.

Sweet!