Did this for the first time last Sat. "PG"--really?! Otherwise, great climb!

I agree. When the only piece keeping you off the deck is a sideways nut rocking around in a very superficial crack I don't feel PG applies. I've never lead it and that is part of the reason. Higher up on the real crux bit you at least have pro that feels like it will stay in if you peel, even if it is a bit under you.

I don't know, I think the PG rating is pretty close. It may be a little spicy for PG, but I don't think it deserves an R. I don't remember feeling like I was going to hit the ground from that first 5.8ish move underneath the crux. i don't remember what I had in, but it seemed like it would have done the job.

RR

definitely not anywhere near R.....completely bomber gear in completely bomber cracks before you pull any 5.9 moves

if i remember correctly its red aliens or orange/red metolius in the first horizontal...reached from really good holds .....easily backed up with more gear farther out right....you can easily have three bomber pieces between you and the ground before any hard move..

fantastic route...with two very different, distinct, and interesting cruxes....actually...i'm sort of glad people think its scary because there is never anyone on it.....even when there is a line several deep on snookys...

you wouldnt call it R if it was rated 5.6....so why call it R? just because its harder?

It doesn't - but that's not the case with F&L. You're not protecting it correctly.

Gray Williams guide said "Trango Ballnutz helpful" for second crux--but damned if I saw where. I DID use the ball nut for the final flakes, though. Can anyone out there ellucidate?

There is all kinds of funky pro available on the second crux, including even overhead pro. I wouldn't use the overhead placement without double ropes however. Yes, there is a ballnut placement too. As in many tricky protection situations, you have to look around to find it.

I'm going to look all the harder for that ball nut placement next time.

There's a lot of "trango ballnutz helpful" in the Maroon Nears guide. Don't think I ever found a placement that gave me any sort of comfort--no disrespect to the guru.

In these circumstances, comfort is a relative term.