hey mudworm,
(like my poetic side?)
in retrospect, my experience on wise crack was amusing. I first went up there last spring with a newer climber (actually she's a PG/svle regular). I scrambled up to the start, unroped, thinking she's moving behind me and all is good. I didn't think much of the approach, knowing that it was supposed to be 4th class, maybe a pitch or two. However, she wasn't coming up. So I anchor in and throw her down the rope which was on my back.
Long story short (too late for that?), she couldn't get to the rope which was a bit short of reaching her, I downclimb some and find a rap on the other side, hit the dirt and go do some cragging elsewhere with her. I come back a week or so later with Greg to do it. Same story, I scramble up think he's coming, he's not. This time I know what to expect, anchor lower, toss him the rope and he comes up. So I guess the consensus of my partners was that a rope might be helpful in making the approach. Greg thought there was a 5th class move or two.
The climb was sweet, although a bit dirty and old school. In leading the crux second pitch (of roped climbing, not including the approach) I bootied a complete anchor, just short of a belay. Green alien, nuts, draw, biners and sling. Someone bailed just shy of the rap. Greg replaced the rap anchor. the last pitch crack was filled with dirt, we decided we had the best of the climb and went elsewhere. The next rappel is to the climbers right in a tangle of tree branches.
I don't know if you could approach it from Y crack. It's an interesting idea though and a good excuse to repeat a classic and fun line.
don't know if that helps at all.
as a side note. for my original partner, the experience helped clarify for her that she is only interested in close to the road, no approach, single pitch climbs, of the j-tree variety.
