Some of the most interesting climbing I have done on the ridge has been wide crack climbing and would like to share some climbs and experiences that stand out.
Nearly every formation has something at least fist sized all the way up to giant expanses that are more like a gulley than a chimney. Some wide cracks don't need any special gear but others require home-made wooden chocks, Valley Giants, tube chocks or even, ironically, micro cams and RP's to comfort the leader when looking down at some potential falls that no one is really sure what happens if you do.
I do own a Valley Giant (it is a 9" size cam) and it opened up a new world that I wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about if I only used tubes, so I really encourage others to try one sometime. We honestly don't need it very often, but it is another specialized tool in the toolbox.
Minerva seems to have the most really good chimneys and OW's on a single formation and they are all unique.
There is Tail Feather, Sleeping Giant and Young Mans Fancy, all big, all within a hundred feet or so of each other, all outstanding.
Tail Feather
Sleeping Giant
Young Mans Fancy
(the climber is actually outside of YMF on "Middle-Aged Mans Fancy Dreams")
More later.........
