Batman Pinnacle  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  8,500,600' Page Views:  27,567. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Tony B on Aug 20, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 79° | 43° 77° | 43° 77° | 45° 75° | 43° 75° | 45°

Season raptor closures MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed from March 1-July 31 or until further notice: Twin Owls, Rock One, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sheep Mountain, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Lightning Rock and Checkerboard Rock are currently closed. The closures include the named rock formations and the areas extending 100 yards surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes and climber's access trails to the formation. Alligator Rock is also closed. www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/area_closures.htm 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

BETA PHOTO: Batman Pinnacle fron the SW.

Description 

Batman Pinnacle is a nice crag with a nice variety of climbing on it. The main face gets mid-day sun all year and sun from at least mid-morning to late day for the warmer months, as it primarily faces South. While the crag is somewhat secluded and guarded by a less-than-discrete trail with many false branches and turns, it still gets heavy traffic for one route: Batman and Robin (5.6).

This climb is pretty good, but it has somehow reached the mythical 'classic status' despite having little remarkable about it. Good rock, good pro, good moves... more "accessible" than classic.
Other routes there are infrequently traveled but good, if you like small holds on vertical walls. Robin's Secret and Bat Flake are good butt-kickers. Wear your edging shoes or suffer on these.

Up top and just to the East Side, of the Pinnacle's summit, the short and obscure route "Within Reach" can provide a last minute diversion before hiking down from the rock's summit-notch between this and Batman Rock.

To descend from the summit, rap 50' N (N to the base of "Within Reach" (10a)) and scramble down and East from there to a gully, that if continued SE and then SW will take you back to the base without much effort or danger. Still, hiking shoes are best on this gravel and terrain. From the Bat Flake, rap down once ~27 meters (50m rope doubtable) to the south, staying slightly left, to a set of slings on a horn, then 20 perhaps meters to the ground. Keep and eye on the rope, as there is frequently water at the base here, when a rock-spring runs or weeps down to fill it just left of the rap line.

Note, Bat Flake is separated out for clarity in the database.

Getting There 

From the new parking lot, take the west trail towards the old Twin Owls parking lot ~0.6 miles. Hike in on the higher trail (right) directly from the west end of the old Twin Owls parking lot. Follow well placed signs to Batman and Checkerboard Rock. At a final signed junction, go left for Batman Pinnacle and Checkerboard Rock or right for Batman Rock. The chunky square-ish top just below the Southern base of Batman Rock is the beacon, about 550' above the base.... Cairns mark the last bit through a talus field after crossing below the base of Checkerboard Rock. Alternatively, start and do the approach as for Batman Rock, but when below its Eastwardly base and about level in elevation (and perhaps 100 meters away) cut down and left above Checkerboard Rock and then down to the South to reach the base. Again, let the square spire atop the pinnacle be your guide and TRY to stay on trail.... ~45-60 minutes to approach, ~40-45 minutes to return.

The Classics

Featured Route For Batman Pinnacle

Batman and Robin 5.6  CO : Lumpy Ridge : Batman Pinnacle

This is a great moderate climb to an exciting summit. It is the first lead for many Lumpy climbers. Hike up past Checkerboard Rock, and find the Batman Pinnacle (visible from the parking lot), which caps a long slab leading up to the SW side of Batman Rock; steeper rocks lie adjacent on the left. Hike up talus to the base of the slab.P1-climb easy, well-featured rock, aiming for a platform right of a gully but left of a left-leaning, right-facing ramp. 120'.P2-step right, into the 5...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

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Trail up to Batman Rock and Pinnacle.	An Andy Goldsworthy style cairn at Batman Pinnacle...	BETA PHOTO: Climb up the short crack (right of center) to desc...
The view from the top is nice, too.	BETA PHOTO: Looking up at Batman Pinnacle, from just below the...