Type: Sport, 270 ft (82 m), 4 pitches
FA: Perin Blanchard, John Ross, 01 Nov 08
Page Views: 8,484 total · 45/month
Shared By: Perin Blanchard on Nov 14, 2008
Admins: Andrew Gram, Nathan Fisher, Perin Blanchard, GRK, D C

You & This Route


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Description Suggest change

A moderate jaunt from the base to the top of the dramatic buttress at the mouth of Rock Canyon. The character of the route changes drastically from the first pitch to the subsequent pitches as the rock becomes significantly more solid.

The first pitch starts on steep, gritty, rounded quartzite of the same texture as that found nearby at Super Bowl and the
The Bad Bananas "cave" 3 [[106511199]] 5.11d 4 [[106143623]] 5.11c 5 [[106693341]] 5.12d 6 Bungrip 5.13a 7 Captain Cupcake 5.12c 8 [[106309653]] 5.12a 9 [[106604484]] 5.11d 10 [[106607208]] 5.11d 11 [[106611485]] 5.11d . This changes midway to a section of hard, shattered, glass-like shards (which actually make tinkling sounds like glass shards do), finally giving way to broken, hollow, rounded rock at the top of the first pitch.

The subsequent pitches consist of solid, sometimes rough, mostly smooth rock with a multitude of positive edges for both hands and feet.

If care is taken to manage rope drag, pitches 2 and 3 can be linked, as can pitches 3 and 4.

P1 (5.9, 110') From the top of the approach ramp, step up and out onto a small ledge. The first bolt isn’t visible from the ramp, but is apparent from the ledge. Follow the bolts through a slightly overhanging bulge and then over a small, rounded roof. The hardest move on the route is getting over the first bulge.

After surmounting the small roof and climbing through two more bolts, trend right, climbing to a sloping ledge, using good edges over some glass-like quartzite that forms sharp-edged vertical shards. Clip the bolt above the ledge with a double-length sling, then make an airy step to the left over a small roof onto some rather dubious-looking footholds. Continue up, clipping two more bolts, and then, because of hollow, loose rock ahead, step left onto a ledge rather than continuing straight up.

Clip the penultimate bolt with a double-length sling, climb up a bit on easy ground, clip the last bolt, and then head for the belay on top of the pedestal.

P2 (5.6, 60') From the belay, step right and up from the pedestal into a steep gully with two bolts. Sling these two bolts long and climb up onto the platform at the top left of the gully (to the right of the bush). Clip the next bolt, and then follow five more fairly closely-spaced bolts through a series of short, near-vertical to slightly-overhanging faces between narrow ledges (the fourth bolt from the bush is a bit hard to find since it lies around a right edge from the face). Arrive at the belay on a wide ledge with a low, pronounced overhang.

P3 (5.6, 50') From the “Crowbar Ledge” make a fun, easy move above the overhang and clip the first bolt. Continue up past three more bolts to a ledge with several large, detached rocks. Continue up the face above the ledge past two more bolts to the belay on a narrow ledge.

P4 (5.easy, 50') From the belay walk carefully left on the narrow ledge to the rock face, clip the first bolt with a sling and head up the easy terrain past three more bolts to the belay on the wide ledge just below the top.

Descent Suggest change

From the final belay position follow the ledge south and then east and arrive at the top of the buttress. Walk down a trail northeast until the gully, and then talus-surf to the canyon floor.

Protection Suggest change

Bring enough draws and slings for fourteen bolts (fifteen if linking pitches 2 and 3). At least two double-length slings and at least two single-length slings are needed for managing rope drag on the first pitch.

P1 14 bolts, double-ring anchors. As well as draws, bring the aforementioned slings to help manage rope drag because the pitch zigzags a bit.

P2 8 bolts, double-ring anchors. Slinging the first two bolts long will help with rope drag; if linking pitches 2 and 3 some additional slings will help.

P3 6 bolts, double-ring anchors.

P4 4 bolts, double-ring anchors.

Photos

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