Zion, Various New Route Activity. In early May, 2000, I soloed a six-pitch variation between Wind, Sand, and Stars and The Futura. The variation shares the first pitch of Wind, Sand, and Stars and links up with The Futura at the top of that route’s seventh pitch. The variation, Super Senior, sports a dangerous crux that involves beaking over a slab.

Both The Futura and Super Senior had previously been attempted by others. On both routes, we removed some unnecessary bolts and hangers and left some in place. It is possible to escape both aid cruxes by replacing the sixth and seventh pitches of The Futura with the sixth pitch of the variation.

Over the Thanksgiving break, a certain Zion local (who prefers to remain anonymous) and I climbed a new grade V between Sheer Lunacy and Lunar Ecstasy. The new route, Looney Tunes, was put up in six 200-foot pitches.

Nate Brown, unaffiliated