Baby Face  5.11a

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Type:  Sport, 4 pitches, 400 feet Consensus:  5.11a [details] FA:  Kevin Worrell, et all. Submitted By:  SCherry on Feb 21, 2012 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (3) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Current San Diego County Advisories MORE INFO >>> Thanks to ACSD for providing the following updates! ACSD Access and Nesting Advisories Poway Crag's Ramona Wall and Miller Time Wall have a closure in effect from Dec 15th through August 31st annually dur to nesting raptors Glen Cliff has a closure in effect from Dec 15th through August, or if/when it is determined that nesting is not occurring Mt Gower also has a closure in effect from Dec 15th through August, or if/when it is determined that nesting is not occurring In recent years, Gower has been home to seasonally nesting raptors. To avoid human disturbance of nesting activities, advisories may be in effect from around December through August. Check the ACSD and CNF websites for details. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

If you like crimping this is the climb for you. Ascends a beautiful, creamy white, steep face with crimps for days!

Pitch 1 (5.9): Start off of lunch rock with the first pitch of Cruise Line, but climb past the chain anchors another 10 feet to a 3 bolt anchor in the center of the alcove formed by Tail Tuckers dihedral on the left and the clean rounded prow at the beginning of the huge clean face on your right.

From here you have 3 options: Straight up off the belay is the route "Offspring". Just right from the belay is "Baby Face", and hard right is the start of "Blood Line". It can be a little confusing but the ACSD Guide is helpful here.

Pitch 2 (11a): Mega classic crimping up the face, following a seemingly endless line of bolts on immaculate white rock. No real identifiable crux, just lots of moves at the grade and its 17 bolts long!

Climb up and slightly right off the belay on moderate terrain, following a shallow left facing dihedral. Then up onto the steepening face as the bolt line leaves the corner. Get established on the slab and don't stop crimping until the top! (150 feet).

At the top of the face you have 3 options for your belay. As the climbing eases, move right at the end of the hard face climbing on cool scoop holds. You'll see an anchor above a small ledge before the larger ledge system at the base of a large corner feature. The actual anchor for the 3rd pitch of Baby Face is up in the corner at the back of this large ledge. There are also tan painted anchors at the base of an arete on the right side of the ledge, but this is for the final pitch of Blood Line.

Pitch 3 (11a/b): Climb up out of the dihedral on cool water sculpted hueco features, using the crack in the corner, for 3 bolts. Pull up onto the clean face and climb past the crux, staying left of the bolt line on the arete, into cool left facing flake holds that lead to a nice ledge at the top of the formation (80 feet). This pitch has a harder move than the one below it but isn't nearly as sustained.

Pitch 4 (10c): You can skip this pitch and just walk up and right to the top. Or climb out left onto a cool orange face with a cool looking overhanging dihedral at its top. Delicately face climb for 20 feet until you can get established in this dihedral. Solve the overhanging corner crux and enjoy the 400 feet of exposure below you as you top out. Belay from a block below a choke cherry bush and then scramble through the bush and up to the top to get off (40 feet).

Location 

Starts with the first pitch of Cruise Line right off of Lunch Rock. Best to climb all 4 pitches, top out and walk off from the summit.

Protection 

20 quickdraws. A few long/extendable ones are helpful.