Anyone done Lunar Ecstacy in ZION recently? I would like to know the condition of the upper pitches. Can they still go clean with HB's, TCU's and Lowe-Balls or have they been blown out by "hand placed" pins? I heard they may need some nailing now? Regardless any info would be helpful? Cheers!

-- Mike Tea (mtea@ptc.com), August 26, 1998

Answers

Mike, E-mail my friend Kathy for beta on Lunar Ecstacy. She did the climb a few months ago clean and can give you recent beta. Her address is kathydee@flash.net Have fun, Ronnie

-- Ronnie Miller (dylan-miller@juno.com), August 27, 1998.

hey mike, just did lunar at the end of may. it was way rad, the upper pitches are stellar C2-C2+ Thin nutting on P4 and super thin on P5(old A4) for 30 feet. P6 is a bit scary run-out due to leep frogging yellow TCU and/or blue alien, but there's a few bomber nuts mid way, so no worries. P7 is scary at the amieoba(spelling?) and i threw in a couple cam hooks just before the belay(i left one fixed). my partner pitched a boulder off the free moves on P8, and was cursing the haul for that pitch also. we opted for the C1 direct finish on the last pitch. It was probably no quicker than the original finish, but lots easier to navagate, bring all the cams you've got including a #2(only time it was placed on the route) -this pitch is by far the most exposed on the route, it'll get you pumping and is super-sweet for a top-out pitch, i won't spoil it by saying anything more. let me know if you want a gear list, i'd be happy to answer questions. -andy

-- Andrew Bascue (Bendigo888@aol.com), July 11, 1999.