Birch Tree Wall

The left hand crack is well worth doing, makes for a great route.
Dave - 29/Jun/03

To anyone trying this route...

Don't do the direct start - start up the HVS variation on the left (twin cracks). Once at the ledge, make a beautiful traverse right to the top of the original starting crack and continue upwards from there. Still VS 5a, but one of the best routes I know of, up to E3...
Pythonist - 04/May/04

The polished right-hand jamming crack is pretty hard work, but very satisfying. The long traverse left is hard to protect.
Nick Smith - 10/Jun/04

Agree with Nick Smith, the righ-hand crack is hard work, but well worth it. Gear placements are good. The groove is rather perplexing, and the finishing traverse is fun, but make sure you have some largeish friends.
slack---line - 02/May/05

Yeah the left hand start does mean you do some of the most enjoyable moves ever on the lovely little traverse to join the top of the crack!!! And again the traverse left at the top is just funny though strangely unnerving i found!!!
kermit - 24/Jul/05

I think the original route was the left-hand variation?

I did the direct version and it was quite slippy and hard, but well protected, I think in retrospect the left-hand route would of given a more consistent route.
The traverse at the top is very nice.

If you do it in a single pitch then watch for your rope getting caught in the diagonal crack heading up left, gives you tremendous rope drag.
MeMeMe - 22/Aug/05

nice jams, good route. felt more like 4c but might just be me (no rope drag if you solo it)
nate mcmullan - 17/Jul/06

Gorgeous route. I also thought 5a a bit steep for the first crack, sinkers in the crack and thoughtfully created wee holes on the face. No large pro left and then rain made the traverse the trickiest bit for me and i have an official jamming disability.
DuzWalker - 07/Mar/07

Does the traverse back right from the original left hand start go as a hand traverse or a foot traverse? The foot traverse seemed harder than 4c, not that I committed to it - the hand traverse seemed about right at 4c.
EarlyBird - 09/Apr/07