Cure for the Common Cold
5.11+ trad · 2 pitches · 110 ft · ★★★☆
Route 3 of 7 from left to right on Sheep Skull Crags, with Dust to Dust on its left and Intestinal Flu on its right. Sheep Skull Crags has 7 routes, from 5.8 to 5.12d; 1 is harder.
First ascent: unknown
Description
This route is a linkup of the two harder variations of Intestinal Flu described in Jerry Handren's guidebook... plus a bit of (possibly?) new climbing at the start. Burly, excellent crack climbing! I hope to not be presumptuous in giving this obvious linkup a name, but it creates a nearly independent line from Intestinal Flu at a harder grade and is of such quality that it should not be dismissed as mere “variation”. If anyone knows who climbed this terrain first (or if it has a name) let me know and I'll update the description. In the meantime, this is how it goes:
Protection
1x Small to 0.4 Camalot 2x 0.5 to #2 Camalot 1x #3 and #4 Camalot Hardware to improve the anchor.
Access
The 13-mile Scenic Drive requires a timed-entry reservation October to May and has seasonal gate hours. Calico Basin and Kraft Mountain sit outside the Scenic Drive and need no reservation.
Wet rock: Aztec sandstone loses much of its strength when wet. Do not climb for at least 24 to 48 hours after rain or snowmelt, or holds break off and routes are permanently damaged.
More routes on Sheep Skull Crags
- Rock, Paper, Sugar 5.9
- The Tipping Point 5.12d
- Intestinal Flu 5.8
- Pneumonia 5.9+ R
- Black Glass 5.9+
- Dust to Dust 5.9