>Anyone else notice that the cracks had been pre-cleaned and pre-chalked
>- as had other key features outside the cracks?
>
>I don't have any problem with the cleaning, considering how horrendously
>sandy and unpleasant they'd be without it. But the chalking somewhat irks
>me.
It's the Utah desert. Those splitters aren't sandy and are generally already clean. That's one of the attractions. I know it's not Indian Creek but both those cracks would see a few ascents each year. There are heaps of desert crack climbers in the States. I imagine that they wouldn't see too many onsights, so most ascents would involve a fair bit of hanging and working and chalking. The rock is bright red and chalk is white and it's the desert - it doesn't rain a lot and the chalk doesn't wash off.
I don't know Alex Hannold but from what I have heard about him, I don't think he would rap the route, preinspect it, and chalk the key jams and then claim the onsight.