Why Beta?

Well, this stuff gets disseminated by word-of-mouth routinely among climbers who frequent The Leap. This page just makes it easier to get info on routes you are thinking of trying. Some climbers feel that beta ruins the experience of discovering a route as it unfolds as you lead each pitch. I see their point completely, and if you feel the same way, I encourage you to leave this page unread and go do the climbs on-sight.

Either way, The Leap is a great place to climb, and I know you will enjoy the routes however you approach them.

Standard Disclaimer

The information given below is based on either my experience or the experiences of other climbers whose memories are not perfect and whose interpretations may not match your own. Ultimately, it is you who decides what is safe and reasonable. Never risk your safety based on anything you read here, or in any book or manual. Use your own judgement.

Varmints

The most important beta I have to offer is on the squirrels. These little buggers will eat all your gear if you don't watch out. Please read my squirrel page before you visit the Leap.

Routes

Of course, not all routes are here because I haven't done all routes. There is a definite bias toward moderate routes because those are the ones I am able to climb. If climbers who climb at a higher standard would like to contribute beta, I'd be more than happy to incorporate it.

The star ratings are completely based on my subjective assessments and other climbers may feel strongly differently. I rate each climb with between zero and five stars (asterisks). A question mark means I haven't done the climb yet. Missing beta on climbs I have done just means I haven't had the time to write it up yet.

  • Pop Bottle (5.7) **

    This was my first lead years ago. The old guidebook had the first pitch listed as 5.4, but this is certainly not true today because of two hard sections which have shown up (one because of a chockstone which pulled out, and another because of rockfall). The first crux comes after about 30 or 40 feet of very easy climbing: it is a small "roof" with a 3" crack in a corner. I jam the crack (which requires you jam lower than you'd like because the jams get too wide higher up). Step over the roof and reach high to a very positive hold; 5.7. You can belay at the golden rockfall scar 20' higher; I recommend this if you are taking a beginner up, because if you go to the top, you won't be able to see or hear your partner, especially on a windy day. Save a #4 friend for this belay to make it solid.

    The gold scar is the next crux; the crack is too wide to easily jam. I've seen people climb out left without too much difficultly, but I find that climbing the face to the right is easiest: make two face moves on small holds (5.6) and then stem back left to the crack and pull over. The rest of the pitch is trivial.

    You are now on the giant ledge above the 1st pitch of Pop Bottle. The belay anchors are not that great so be very careful on what you select here. You can walk off to the left or continue the climb. The 2nd pitch is interesting for about 40 feet and then gets very easy to the top, so it's not really worth doing more than once in your career, probably.

    Start the 2nd pitch just right of the steep arete at the right extreme of the ledge. You can see the bolt you're going for. A couple of steep face moves (rated 5.6, and pretty hard for 5.6!) and you reach the bolt. Head left and slightly down to good dikes, 15' off the ledge. The move down and left is a little dicey, but leads to very easy climbing on positive dikes. Easy climbing leads to broken rock; a rope-stretcher can be done to two bolts near the right edge of the slab you're on, or you can belay lower if you choose. Again, you won't be able to see or hear your partner.

    The third pitch is 4th class, but if you've come this far, you might as well go to the top.

  • East Corner (5.10d) *

    The first pitch is rated 5.9, but I'm not sure where the 5.9 is. Climb fun and well-protected 5.7 for 60'. Then a grassy corner forces you out on to the low-angle face for a bit (5.8?) and the uppermost corner looks completely unclimbed. So I ran out the easy face climbing (5.6?) to the right, nearly reaching the 1st belay of Haystack.

    The 2nd pitch is the crux; climb an easy thin crack in a corner to a difficult buldge (5.9) 20' below the massive roof. I don't know how to turn this roof (10d). There was a fixed nut at the lip which I could not remove and which perhaps was taking a key hold. I eventually pulled on this nut to get past the roof (don't miss the flake out left here!). More 5.9 slab/crack climbing leads to the belay.

    If you know how to pull this roof, send me the beta!

  • Haystack (5.8) *** I've been told that a lot of people accidentally get on East Corner (the previous route). There are two large roofs on the left end of the East Wall, at nearly the same height. The left one (a bit lower) is East Corner and the right one (harder to see from the base, but a bit higher) is Haystack.

    This very popular route turns a 4' roof on its 2nd pitch. This feature is what makes the climb such a blast. The first pitch is 5.6 and pretty straightforward. Pretty much follow the corner straight up except for one section where you follow some 4th class moves out right to a good ledge and then back left into the corner. The hardest moves are from this ledge to the large belay ledge at the same level as Pop Bottle's first belay. The pitch is almost 50m long, so if you have a lot of rope left, keep going. Beware when building your belay: there is a tempting 1" crack behind a huge flake, but that flake moves.

    Pitch 2 is the crux: 3 easy moves off the belay lead to a stem and good pro in the corner 15' off the belay, but then you must turn the bulge above (5.8) or wander out right on easy face moves with a swinging fall potential back into the corner. I usually just stick to the corner where the pro is good and do the moves. Stemming is the key; don't miss the good dikes for the right foot, and then when it's almost over reach high into the crack and your fingers will sink for the final pull. Then follow the crack 20' as it steepens and creeps up under the Haystack Roof. A few friction moves are required as your left hand uses pin scars in the corner crack. Work up under the roof and step right onto a good rest. There is a fixed pin here which looks pretty reliable, but I always back it up. You can place pro right under the roof if you like!

    Now the crux: turning the roof. If you do it just right, it's probably not even 5.8, but that's a fair rating for on-sighting (maybe even a sandbag if you don't find the right holds!). Get a solid right hand jam and work your feet up. Lean back off the jam and reach around the roof with your left; do not waste time feeling above the roof directly overhead! There's nothing up there. Instead feel just over the roof and just left of the roof crack; there's a huge bucket out there! Once you latch this puppy, kick your left foot out left around the corner on a small dike and push yourself left with your right hand and foot. You'll find yourself standing there saying "that was it??" The stance is still a little dicey, but you can sink a good right jam if you're tall enough and make one more move to completely relax. Before moving on, I highly recommend placing a piece right at the lip of the roof crack to deter the rope from getting sucked into it; I have seen 20 parties get their rope stuck there and it's just a pain. The piece is completely unnecessary for pro since you're past the roof, but is well worth placing to avoid the rope hassles.

    Now either belay 20' higher for a short pitch, or take the rope to its end. The first option is good when you have a partner who will likely have trouble on the roof; letting you see/hear him enables you to shout beta, encouragement, hear pleas for tension, and so forth. It's great fun. However if you have one of those boring partners who never falls off or needs help, choose option two and go as far as you can. This enables you to get off in one more pitch.

    If you did a short 2nd pitch, you can do a long 5.6 pitch and then walk off left (in an obvious spot) or do a 4th pitch with a short 5.7 crux.

  • Fantasia (5.9 R) This superb line has a nasty reputation for being very scary. I've heard things like "the most scared I've ever been" and "never again." Other people have said, "not too bad," or even "that route's not run out at all!" My opinion: there are some 5.7 and 5.8 moves far enough out that you do not consider falling. Get solid on 5.9's and 5.10's at The Leap, and make sure your leader head is strong.

    The first pitch ascends an easy dike-hike for 40' reaching a steep headwall in a right-facing corner. One 5.7 move (no pro) gets you in to this corner to get your first bomber piece just as it gets steep. Next two moves straight up land you in a horizontal rail; your 2nd piece goes here. Now traverse left for 15'. This hand-traverse is either 5.9 if you're under 5'10" or easier if you're taller; I'm 6' and was able to walk my feet on a good dike as I traversed out. Don't place pro on the traverse or the drag will be your undoing. When you see some small gray knobs, climb up to them and make a balancy lieback move (5.7) to stand on a big dike. Next go up and right toward an obvious undercling flake (easily seen from the ground) to your third piece of good pro. Work up and slightly right to a left-facing corner which will accept a small piece (or two), then turn the roof on big holds. The belay is hard to see: it's up and slightly left about 25 feet further. There is no more pro, but the climbing is fairly easy until just before the belay. You'll find a pair of grey knobs which forces some kind of mantle/high-step to pass by. The first belay is on a hollow semi-detached flake. Formerly you had to place pieces here for the anchor, but now there are a pair of bolts (with "F.A. Approved" stamped on the hanger!). This 160' pitch is superb and exciting.

    The next pitch starts just left of the belay; climb up to a right-slanting seam and follow it (marginal or no pro) up and right to a knob and the base of a dike-filled scoop. You can try and sling this knob, but the sling will fall off. Climb up 10' on large dikes and then follow a pair of good dikes up and left around the arete. Another 15' of 5.7 lands you at the first good pro on the pitch at the base of a lieback flake. The old guide called this "5.8 R" but you can get good pro here. Put two pieces in and crank the lieback (easy), then follow the corner 10 tricky feet to another good piece, easier climbing, and the anchor. This 100' pitch has the worst pro of the three, but is also the easiest.

    Pitch 3: the crux pitch according to the book, but about as hard as the first pitch, in my opinion. This pitch is not as steep as sections of the first two, and so sticky rubber has probably made it easier. There is probably not any 5.9 on this pitch. Also, if you need to bail, there is a good dike leading to Haystack, 60' to the left.

    Climb up and left to a shiny fixed pin; moves are frictiony and a little insecure, but you're only 10' out from the belay. Climbing left instead of up is easier. Another 10' of climbing nets another fixed pin. Both of these things are only half-in and I don't know if they would hold a fall. Now lieback this flaring fingertips corner (supposedly the crux) on smears and small dikes for 3 moves, then reach high for the big dikes up and left. Move left and over the right-facing book, then climb up to the ceiling for your first good piece. Turn this ceiling and dike-hike to a blank section just before the summit roofs. Get a piece at your feet and friction up (5.8) to a block under a roof for some more pro. Take care as there is some loose rock here! Belay here if you have a 50m rope, or continue with a 60m. Five feet right of this block there are some large holds over the roof (reachy!) which you have to mantle. Easy climbing leads to the final mantles (well-protected) and a pair of shiny bolts on top.

    Congratulations, you lived.

  • East Crack (5.8) ***

    The first pitch is the easier: a 5.7 start up a left-facing flake leads to 5.5 climbing up the corner for quite a ways. The crux, a roof, is easily turned with liebacking moves.

    The second pitch is the crux, but still not bad. Easy climbing leads to a steep section of jamming near the end of the pitch. This lands you on "bushy ledge" which, oddly enough, has no bushes.

    The final pitch from bushy ledge is shared by Bear's Reach and East Wall (as well as some more obscure lines). Climb 4th class to a small roof; pro the pin scars below the roof, and smear up high; proper stemming make this thing much easier. A hidden incut hold is key to making the roof go at 5.6; left hand high over the roof in the 3" crack, then insert your fingers for the bucket! Finish either by walking right on a ramp just under the summit roofs, or turn the roofs. The latter option is 5.8 liebacking and requires a big cam (maybe a #4 camalot?) to protect overhead, or a #4 friend to protect at chest height as you start. One extra point for not using your knees or belly to flop on to the ledge; two points for scamming a no-hands rest with a calf-lock mid-crux.

  • Bear's Reach (5.7) **** This is a sweet climb. I just saw a video of Dan Osman soloing this climb in 4:25, but I'm plenty happy doing it in 40 minutes with a rope and a partner.

    Climb up to an obvious corner where you can get pro. Some people don't bother with pro here since you quickly climb into groundfall territory anyway. There is quite a runout to the next piece, but the climbing is pretty easy on well-defined (but not huge) dikes. Soon you reach the crux of the pitch: a right-facing corner with a big lip about 10' above. Pro this thing, then do one lieback move on a rounded edge to reach the bomber lip; mantel the lip and the crux is done. Easy climbing leads to a left-facing flake system which shoots to the belay ledge. The only section people seem to have any trouble with beyond this, is a left-jutting flake which can be underclinged (and it takes pro nicely).

    Everything at this belay is hollow. A climber died a few years back when the anchor blew. I personally would like to see two shiny bolts placed at this belay, but they'd be chopped inside of a week. Place the best pieces you can, and sit on the ledge so you don't weight the anchor if your partner falls. And don't bail from here unless you have to.

    After some thin 5.6 moves just off the belay, you reach the fragile flakey face climbing that gives the route its name. If you are tall enough (say over 5'10") this climbing is trivial; if you are shorter, it gets quite exciting. Climb 15' to a down-pointing flake where you can slam in a big friend and relax. Then a steep but easy dike-filled flake shoots up to bushy ledge; this pitch is incredibly fun. The pro on this pitch is not as good as you'd like, often because you're placing it behind features which may break off (i.e. thin flakes). I personally believe stoppers are better than friends here.

    To exit bushy ledge, see the "East Crack" beta.

  • East Wall (5.6) ***

    This route is the scene of many epics, mostly because beginners get on the route due to its rating, but then find the routefinding challenges to be quite stiff. It is a very nice route, however, well worth doing.

    There are two starts. The first pitch ascends the huge corner obvious in the middle of the East Face. If you start from the ground, you'll encounter a 5.7 move about 12' up (it's well-protected by a bomber stopper placement, so why not try it?); after this it again becomes easy. Alternatively, you can bypass this section by bushwhacking up the ledges to the right and starting in the corner 25' off the ground.

    The climbing is easy, but quite steep for the grade. Pro is everywhere. If you don't like to stem, the climbing will seem harder than 5.6. This 150' pitch ends on a huge ledge.

    The 2nd pitch is the famous one: it traverses a long way left to join bushy ledge. The climb's description invariably contains the phrase "exposed unprotected 5.6 traverse", but really it's not that bad. Either climb straight up the corner above the huge ledge (I've never done this, but I've heard it's harder than 5.6), or instead step out left off the ledge and climb the face. There is pro after a move or two, and the climbing is easy enough. After about 25', you'll see dikes leading out left. There are several places to go. If you choose the right set of dikes, you get a handrail and footrail for the whole traverse. Also, the unprotected section is only about 20', but the climbing is so easy even beginner followers probably won't mind.

    To exit bushy ledge, see the "East Crack" beta.

  • End of the Line (5.10c) ***

    A fun 70' crack/face route just left of The Line. Climb off left to get to the same height as the first bolt, then a delicate clip and hard (10a) face moves gain the main corner. Good but tricky gear in the corner protects easy 5.10 climbing for the next 20' and then the climb eases off to 5.8 or so up to a no-hands rest. From here it's a face climb; there are 3 hard moves, and in between each there is a no-hands rest. The first is a mantle to reach a good rail; the second is the hardest (10c) which requires an insane high-step with the left foot and pulls on sloping nothingness; the last is a mantle (above the bolt now!) to get to the anchors.

    A fun and fairly safe route.

  • The Line (5.9)

    This climb and Fantasia are the best climbs I've done at The Leap. Wow.

    The climb ascends the plumb line dropping directly from the summit. The first pitch starts out with a 5.9 move 20' off the ground. Basically you crank up and get your left foot on a dike just below your hands, then reach to a huge dike and stand up.

    Although a crack climb, there are many face holds and rests throughout the pitch. Pro is plentiful, and stances from which to place pro are similarly in good supply. I once saw a guy place 22 pieces on this 150' pitch.

    Toward the top there are a couple of pure crack moves, some of which are 5.8 or 5.9. The key to this lead is remaining relaxed and using the rests. Be sure and reach DEEP with your fingers to the right since many times there are buckets in the back of the crack (especially near the top). Also, there is one section near the top which is a strenuous jamming session or a trivial lieback.

    The belay is gear (as are most belays at The Leap) but you can traverse 10' right to the semi-hanging 2-bolt belay of Labor of Love if you're short on gear.

    The second pitch has a few little runouts, but the climbing is not too hard in these spots. RPs or offsets could be useful perhaps, but most parties tend to just run it out since the climbing is straightforward. Also, the pro is sometimes not as easy to place as it was on the first pitch. I've heard that the small (black and blue) aliens work here.

    Toward the end of the pitch there is a 5.8 section. This pitch ends under the large roof at the top of the route. The 3rd pitch turns this roof at a modest 5.7 (perhaps a slight sandbag, but not too bad). The 2nd and 3rd pitches can be combined (barely) with a 60m rope, which is a nice way to go fast.

    You can get a no-hands rest under the finishing roof, and you definitely SHOULD if only for the practice: climb up under the roof and lean back until your right shoulder touches the rock. Your feet are on good holds! Relax, shake out, and chalk up. Then you can lean out and grab the top of the flake which forms the roof; it's bomber! Crank up and smear until the roof is just a memory. It's a perfect finish to a perfect climb.

    Personal Story: in July 2001, when I lived in Reno, I took off work and went to the Leap for a two-day mid-week solo trip. Tuesday I fixed a 60m rope from the top of The Line to the top of the first pitch, then a 50m from there to the ground. I then spent most of the day rope-soloing the first pitch (14 times), always yielding to any parties who came by. Then I rope-soloed the 2nd/3rd pitch twice. I finished the day with 3 rope-soloed laps on The Groove and slept at the campground. The next morning I free-soloed The Line, the hardest free-solo of my career (though it was super dialed of course).

    That was the last time I was at The Leap. The next summer we moved to Boulder.

  • Labor of Love (5.10a) **

    Some people love this climb; I don't. Though I haven't led it, I don't think I'd want to: the bolts are in weird places. This is probably the most popular bolted face climb at The Leap, but it's no sportroute, and often you get a bolt just AFTER a crux section.

    There is only one pitch to this thing, ending 10' right of The Line's first pitch. Most of the moves are the same thing over and over: high-step, pull on very positive hold, search in vain for higher hold, then give up and balance on to your high-step. Lots of balancy moves, and if you're under 5'10" (I'm 6') you'll probably find this climb significantly harder. If you are over 6'5", it's probably 5.8 because you'll get a very positive hold on every move.

  • Psychedelic Tree (5.9) **

    Beta provided by Matt "58" Stanley .

    Start climbing the obvious crack/right -facing-open-book that leads directly up to the "psychedelic tree". This pitch would be quite straitforward if there weren't several large, loose blocks just to the right of the crack. I don't recommend putting much weight on them and I would definitely advise against protecting in them. Fortuneately, there are several good cracks on the left side of the book which protect quite easily. Setup a belay about 65-70 feet off the deck.

    The second pitch is much longer and funner. Lots of interesting 5.8 moves lead you up to a multi-tiered, shrubby ledge. Both my partner and I felt this pitch was harder than the supposed crux 3rd pitch.

    From shrubby ledge, head straight up the crack (avoid the ear-shaped crack to the left), past a small roof and continue straigh up until you've reached the psychedelic tree. Belay here.

    The fourth pitch is where the climb really shines! Directly above psychedelic tree is a series of intimidating roofs. Climb to the right a bit and then up, until you are under the first roof. Here, reach up high into the thin crack and belly flop up onto the sloping ledge to your left. The next roof prevents you from standing up right away. Explore the cracks above until you find suitable jams and then pull the next roof. A few more easy moves yields the top. These are the kind of moves that really make the Leap great: steep, intimidating climbing that goes at a surprisingly easy grade.

  • Fandago (5.9) ?

    DANGER!!! In late August 1997, a large feature pulled on the first pitch, nearly killing the leader who was liebacking it. Until you hear otherwise, it would probably be wise to STAY OFF THIS CLIMB. There is likely much loose crap up there...

    I recently heard from someone that the guy who pulled this flake (which is still lying at the base, incidentally) was way off route, and that this climb is quite doable in its current state. I have no personal experience to back this up, however.

  • Bookmark (5.7) ***

    This climb is easy to find due to the big clean open book which forms the exit pitch.

    The climb starts at the base of a wide foreboding-looking chimney. Climb a few feet to the left of this thing on 4th class rock. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ 25' up the wall steepens. Move right to the left edge of the chimney, but don't get inside it; there are good holds on the arete and on the left face. Pro can be found in the hand crack which is just starting to appear to the right of the chimney. Once this hand crack gets cleaner (15' above where it first appears), step across the chimney and climb the hand crack. Near the belay another chimney appears, but this one is easy and has holds inside it.

    The second pitch goes up and diagonally right. Probably 5.4 and 50' long. This puts you on Main Ledge.

    The exit pitch is 20' to your left in a big dihedral. Start the pitch 10' to the right of the corner on some lieback flakes, but WATCH OUT for loose rock. There was a triangular-shaped flake for the right hand that was ready to go when I did this route (5/00). Move left into the main corner and climb easy rock for 30 or 40 feet until you hit a smooth offwidth. Too wide for pro, get thin gear on the left wall and then go for it, either offwidthing the crack or stemming the fairly-smooth corner. Fifteen feet higher it's over.

  • Eeyore's Ecstasy (5.7) ?

    Beta provided by Nathan Sweet (N42461@aol.com).

    Eeyore's Ecstasy follows the huge chimney system between Hourglass Wall and Traveler's Buttress. This is a pretty serious old-school 5.7. If you like stemming and bridging, you will love this climb. A helmet for the belayer (at least) is a good idea. Make sure it is a clear day, as this formation acts like an enormous funnel for any rain falling at the top.

    The approach is the same as for Corrugation Corner. Continue East on Main Ledge around Traveler's Buttress. Descend east over some blocks and slabs until you reach the base of the Chimney. There are 2 new Metolius Rap Hangers on a block at the start of the first pitch on Main Ledge. I assume they are for the ice route Eeyore's Fantasy that forms some winters. They are too high (10-12 feet up) to be of much use as belay anchors.

    The first pitch goes up the gully for about 40 feet to where it steepens. Climb the crack to the right. There is an old ring piton here, and a good Lost Arrow a few feet up. This is the crux of the first pitch. Save a #3 Camalot for this spot. Lieback the crack/flakes for about 10 feet and the hard part is over.

    Continue up to an overhang with a fixed angle underneath it. You could belay here, but if you have been careful with rope drag, continue up the next section (stemming) and then to a crack system on the left hand side. Follow this up to a large ramp, then to a headwall on the Hourglass side. There are at least 3 fixed angles here, and plenty of gear possibilities. Belay here.

    The second pitch goes into the obvious cave to the right. I found the easiest way up was to go just under arch, then start up facing west. Easy, fun and protectable. You emerge on top of the arch/chockstone and face a fairly wild bridge to get back into the cave. You can get gear in some features on the Hourglass side. Cross this area and you are underneath a big chockstone that had some slings on it when I did this route (2001). DO NOT CLIP THEM! There are some large sharp rocks on the top of that chockstone just waiting to fall off. Continue into the cave, stem up a short ways and then up a LOOSE ramp to some more fixed pins on the Traveler's side.

    This would be a good place to belay. It is relatively flat, and lots of good pro. You can make it to the top from the beginning of the second pitch with a 60m rope, but the drag would be horrible, and you would not be able to communicate with your partner. I rope-soloed the route, so these were not issues for me.

    The third pitch goes straight up the chimney past 3 chockstone ceilings, then out. The moves are mostly stemming on holds. The features get smaller as you go up, and it is very strenuous. Protect off the belay on the Traveler's side, then after the second chockstone, turn to the Hourglass side and there is a SMALL crack with pin scars in it. Pink tricams and Aliens go well here. The hardest part of the entire climb for me was the last chockstone. Stem up facing the cave, and when you can reach it, there is a great hand jam on the Hourglass side. This will also take a #1 Camalot. One nasty lunging mantle and it's over. I had to aid this section.

    Continue up the 3rd class ramps and blocks, find something solid and belay. Un-rope, walk up about 100 feet to the top of the gully and kiss the flat ground. You made it!

  • Surrealistic Pillar (5.7) ****

    Yet another wonderful climb. This route has the typical exposure common to routes on the west end, and for this reason offers special appeal to those who enjoy the exhiliration available on steep routes where only modest abilities are required.

    The climb goes about 20' without protection to a small ledge; here you face the crux of the route. There are various ways to gain the crack 8' to your left, but probably the easiest is to climb up about 6' higher, then curl up on a good dike, traverse left to the crack, jam, step, and you're there. Immediately, you can feel the exposure: the rock drops away beneath your feet, not because you did some very steep rock, but because you traversed out above some very steep rock. Easy moves lead to the top of a flake, then you must move unprotected 10' left to the base of another crack. You should place a piece at the top of the flake to protect your second.

    Chains are found out left; an easy traverse reaches them and allows you to TR the direct starts to Surrealistic. Bailing off is a often-employed use for them as well. If you decide to continue, follow the crack up and right another 60' to a good ledge and belay. The climbing is probably still 5.7ish, and the pro is good.

    The second pitch follows the corner above the belay to a fixed pin, then traverses out left on scant pro. You can follow the corner higher than the fixed pin, but it's wide 5.8. The climbing out left is not too bad, and as soon as you reach the edge of the arete (20' from the crack), you are home-free as the low-angle rock around the corner has big dikes (4th class). Dike hike to a crack near the arete and belay. A short 4th class pitch finishes the climb. I am told that you cannot combine pitches 2 and 3 with a 60m rope; you come up 15 feet short.

  • Surrealistic Direct Start (10a)

    Beta provided by Joaquin Feliciano (jbfeliciano@ucdavis.edu).

    In a recent article featuring the climbs of Lover's Leap, Surrealistic Pillar Direct (5.10a) was named by Climbing magazine as "the Leap's ultimate pitch." After climbing it as my first 10a lead on pro, I'm a believer.

    The Direct Start is the most obvious line as you follow the recently-improved (Thanks, Gunther!) path along the face of the Lower Buttress. It's a right-facing dihedral (inside corner) with a deep and wide crack where the two faces come together. Although it's only about 80 feet long, I think it contains a textbook example of almost every climbing move imaginable.

    You start out with some hand and foot stemming on just-big-enough dikes. A small vertical seam on the right face helps out with a few gastons for your hands and pro-setting stances for your feet. Once the dikes run out, the crack, though really wide, is featured enough for some slopey hand holds. I suggest resisting the temptation to jam a leg or two into the crack in the thin sections: Ankles check in, but they don't check out. Trust your feet and keep stemming. You can get some hip-socket-popping high steps to help in the thinnest sections.

    In the middle third, some smaller dikes for your feet appear, but the crack begins to get thinner and shallower until it's just a hand-sized flake. The crux move is a long layback with smearing feet from the top of this flake to a bomber dike way up high. If you're really tall, you can reach a fixed pin above the crux before you make the move. If you're not, well, may the Force be with you.

    Once you've cleared the crux, you can traverse right on the lip of a small roof to a 15' crack or do a full arm span mantle up to a bigger dike and traverse from there. The last bit can be done as an awkward series of hand jams or a set of beefy laybacks. From the top of the crack a short dike hike leads to the chains.

    Pro is really good the whole way up. The crack takes plenty of big stuff (1-3 Camalots, larger hex sizes). I used tri-cams (3 & 3.5) through the lie back section, and smaller stuff (0.5 & 0.75 Camalots) for the upper crack.

    It's possible to reach the chains via the Surrealistic Pillar regular start (5.7), allowing you to toprope the entire thing. I toproped the route 3 or 4 times over 2 years before leading it. There's also a 5.10c variation that starts 15' to the right of the Direct Start and goes straight up the face over two small roofs before meeting up with the Direct Start at the hand crack.

  • Sinbad Herbert (10c) *** This steep crack lies 20m uphill from the start of Surrealistic Pillar. The pro is bomber, and there are chains on top for an easy rap when done. If you stem to the face out right, the climb is probably 10a or so. It really doesn't help that much until you're up high where the foot-dikes run out and you need to rest. Staying only on the main crack wall (contrived) is about 10c. Calling the foot-dikes off and climbing only the crack (very contrived) is probably about 11a.
  • The Groove (5.8) *** Some people love this climb (myself included) and some say "never again". I've even heard it called "scary," but I think this is due more to the off-balance mantels than the lack of pro: there is a crack the whole way up which eats nuts like the Haystack roof eats ropes.

    This climb was rated 5.8 in the old guidebook, but Carville has it downrated to 5.7. I personally think the rating is height-dependent. I think 5.8 is a fair rating in any case. There are some tricky moves on the climb.

    A hard move off the ground leads to cake-walking for a bit to a large stance. A diagonal right-leaning crack requires some funky jamming, but good feet make it quite a reasonable venture. The crux of the climb is allegedly in this section, but I find it to be higher.

    After a bit, the climb turns into less of a crack climb and more of a mantel-fest. Invariably, the holds are very good, but the moves are balancy and technical. There is one point where you are trying to mantel good holds way up, and there is a big black knob at waist height. I find the easy way to do this move is to high-step onto the black knob, invert my knee completely downward, THEN mantel while opposing my left foot on the left sidewall. This move is solid 5.8 for me without this trick, and only about 5.6 with it.

    Just below the belay there is a fixed pin which I was almost able to remove with my fingers. Put something else in.

    The belay is two shiny bolts. The 2nd pitch is 3 5.6 moves and then walking to the top. A nice climb.

  • The Farce (5.4 or 5.8) ***

    Another nice climb. If you start on the ground, there is a 5.8 (or harder) move about 15' up, but the pro is over your head. Alternatively, you can start out right and traverse into the crack 40' off the ground (not well protected, but easy). After this, the climbing is quite steep, especially for the grade. The pro is adequate. Head up and right toward the right edge of some large roofs, then traverse under these roofs to the left (crux) remembering to protect your second. Head up another 15' and belay on a small ledge.

    The 2nd pitch is low 5th to 4th class.

  • Tombstone Terror (5.10c) ****

    This climb starts in a left-facing corner just to the left of Traveller Buttress.

    Lieback up the first off-balance 15' to a good stance (5.9). From here on the pro is good. This thing is stemming and liebacking and fairly strenuous. The next 25' is the crux: steep liebacking on very good holds, conveniently marked with chalk. After the steep section the climb leans back for the next 40' for a Groove-like 5.8 romp over widely-spaced dikes. When you reach the huge roof, make some awful thuggish squirms through the horizontal off-width to the manky belay (two fixed nuts and a wad of slings tied to something-or-other). This is 95' off the deck and can be rapped with a 60m rope. Or continue to the top (looks easy).

  • Traveller Buttress (5.9)

    This spectacular climb is included in Roper and Steck's "50 Classic Climbs of North America." The first pitch is very steep and 5.7 up to a hard 5.8 flare. Allegedly this can be bypassed by climbing out and left, but I've never done this. The flare can be liebacked (which I think is easier), but leading it this way can be less secure and placing pro much harder.

    The 2nd pitch contains the 5.9 crux in the form of a short offwidth, 20' off the huge ledge which forms the left end of Main Ledge. Number 4 camalots will protect the ow if you reach back deep. There are hand jams in the back which are key to getting by this thing; also, properly wedging your lower body into the thing helps tremendously. Once you reach the flake on the right-hand side-wall, you've done the hardest part. Standing on this isn't so bad, then getting to a nice small ledge is easy. Here you begin reaching out left to the other parallel crack for pro and thin-hands jamming. The next 20' are the last steep climbing on the pitch.

    Pitch 3 requires airy 5.8 face climbing to the arete up and left; it starts out easy, but gets thin once you hit the arete. The pro is not ideal, but adequate (there is a fixed pin just before you go around the corner, and this can be backed up). Once you turn the arete, head straight left to a pair of fixed angles and belay (short pitch). Two more 4th class dike-hikes yield the summit.

  • Corrugation Corner (5.7)

    This wonderful climb starts on "Main Ledge", just right of the 2nd pitch of Traveller Buttress. Beta provided by Karl Kromer (karlk@ozma.ssl.berkeley.edu) (with my additions).

    Climb the 5.5 right-facing corner for ~80-90 feet until you reach a sloping roof. The climbing is easy to protect and lots of fun. Climb up the left side of the corner on dikes, around the roof to a ledge, then up 10 ft to another sloping roof. Climb up & right along the horizontal crack at the base of the roof for ~20 ft to the first belay ledge. The crux on this pitch is a move about 70' up where the footholds run out. 5.5 felt like a sandbag to me.

    The 2nd pitch starts up a left facing corner which starts at the first belay. After 20-25 feet the corner crack begins to flare. At this point traverse up and left about 15 feet to another crack, which runs up the right side of an arete. Climb 50-60 ft up the outer corner of the arete; it's like riding a dragon 200' off the deck. The drop is straight down to the talus at the Leap's base; if you look between your heels you can see your packs on main ledge!... simply awesome. The pro is two lousy fixed pins, but you can (and should) get some decent pro using small cams and wires. Towards the top of the arete, a climbable chimney forms on the left side, though there are some dikes on the arete to climb as well. At the top of the chimney you reach a headwall with a rightward sloping ledge on the left side. Getting on the ledge is tricky, since there aren't any good handholds on the ledge, so everyone I've climbed it with ended up doing a "belly flop" to get on it (this can be avoided by climbing out left and mantling the ledge facing South instead of East). This pitch is very cool and aesthetically pleasing.

    The third pitch starts up the narrow chimney that begins at the left end of the belay ledge. Climb ~15 ft up the chimney to where it widens into a bowl-shaped roof. There is no pro in the chimney, but it is easy and it has a bottom. At the top is a small ledge to stand on, and some good cracks in the roof structure. Next move around the right corner of the chimney along a small dike, then about 12 ft right along downward sloping dikes to the left facing corner again (I think a 5.9 variation is to climb the corner the whole way). There is a rusty bent knifeblade for pro here, but just below it you can (and should) place a small stopper that is 100% bomber. If you're leading someone who is not super-solid on 5.7, you should back-clean from here to the small roof 40' higher to avoid leaving pro in the corner after the traverse: the 2nd is going to have to unclip the fixed pin and do the crux moves looking at a nasty swing and the higher you go without leaving pro the less the swing becomes. If you have a 60m rope as I did, you can make the summit here. A 50m rope falls 10' shy.

  • Hospital Corner (10a)

    The first pitch starts in a steep corner under a freshly-bolted arete (which I think is 10d). Head up this corner, then right past some bushes until you reach a steep dike-filled wall. Move 15' up this wall (marginal pro) then step right to 3rd class scrambling which leads to the belay. 120 feet.

    This climb is all about the 2nd pitch, and what a pitch it is. A clean inside corner. The climb starts out with some moderate liebacking and jamming to good rests. The pro is mostly small on this climb: aliens and nuts work well. There are no dikes to speak of, so it feels more like a Yosemite crack climb than a typical Leap crack. Creative use of your body can net you no-hands rests in a few spots. For the first 80' you pretty much stick to the thin finger-crack in the corner, but then this crack pinches down and it looks like the climbing will be 5.11 when suddenly there is another hand-sized crack on the left wall which you can jam and use for stems. This section of the climb is overhanging, but the stems take a lot of the bite out of it. The moves here are really really cool, and you can feel the breeze up your shorts as you look down 200' to the talus.

    After 3 or 4 stemming moves, the main corner crack opens up again, and a jug (flake) appears on the right, just when you thought it was going to get hard again. There are rests everywhere on this climb, but they can be very technical. The experienced leader will have a stimulating experience finding them, and the inexperienced leader will likely thrutch and grunt and tunnel-in too much on the one corner crack, missing the creative rests.

    The climbing is fairly sustained, but the crux is probably just after the stemming section, beneath a small roof. There is a crack out right that I have used to get through this.

    The top 25' are hand jams in a groove (a little awkward). You can continue to the top from here, or (as I did) rappel. There is supposedly a way to rap Anasthesia (to the West) with a 60m rope, but we just brought a 9mm line and left it on the top of pitch 1. Then one person can rap the fixed lead line and tie on the small rope for the 2nd person to pull up for a two-line rap.

  • Lady Bug (5.7) ?
  • Peanut Brittle (5.7) *

    This climb is on the Hogsback; many climbers dismiss the Hogsback as uninteresting, low-angle, and not worth climbing on. This is pretty accurate. But on the other hand, when the crowds are overwhelming (pretty much any summer weekend) or when you feel like climbing in the sun (Peanut Brittle faces south), or when you have a beginner climber who is not up for the big air found on most climbs at the Leap, this is not a bad place to climb.

    Start up an easy crack, then traverse out left; the 1-move 5.7 crux awaits you here. I attempted this as my first lead 7 years ago, but a bat flew out of this crack and smacked me in the forehead, unnerving me to the extent that I wanted to go down. After this move, head up and left following easy diagonalling cracks. One more pitch lands you on top where you can make an easy walk-off to the East. I have also rappelled the small tree on the west side. I've been told you can make a 3rd class descent on the west side, but I've never tried this.

  • Raspberry Bypass (5.10b) **

    This climb is about 20' left of Peanut Brittle on a steep face; a depression in the bushes and a pointy buried rock mark the start. I've met someone who claims to have led this, but I don't think I would, even though I've climbed it without falls: the first bolt is pretty high (15') and the landing is bad. The only way I've succeeded in climbing this thing is to eschew the "obvious" dish at head level and instead work up and left on a faint dike for about 5 feet. I can then get a small left crimp and palm a bulge with my right to smear up and step on a knob just OVER the dish referenced above. It's 5.9 the rest of the way. A TR can easily be set by climbing partially up Peanut Brittle.

  • Accessory Dogs (5.9) *

    This is a 3-bolt climb on a ramp just up and right from Peanut Brittle. It's not in the guidebooks. Faces south, so do it when the main cliff is too cold.

    Easy climbing gets you to the start of the ramp, and the 3 bolts are visible from here. The first one is kind of high up! The intent I guess is that you should climb up to it without pro, but I'd have none of that and so I skirted around to the left and clipped first from easier ground. Then climb back to the start to start the climb. You climb this slab (it's tricky getting started) while semi-liebacking the edge of the arete. The climb is low-angle but snot-smooth. After 25' of climbing, it's all very easy again.

  • Harvey Wallbanger's Right (5.8) *

    This climb starts at the right side of a shallow pillar just above a prominent pine tree, 50 meters right of Deception. Climb up from the pine on 3rd class rock until you reach the right-facing book. With a 60m rope you can do the route in one pitch from here. Climb the low-angle book using easy lieback moves and friction for 170' (5.4). Then turn the bulge with a palmy lieback (crux) and hike to the top. I didn't find any 5.8 on this route, and although it's quite clean, is not as varied and interesting a route as Deception.

  • Deception (5.6) **

    Start in a right-facing open book on the highway side of the Hogsback. The first pitch is 4th class and very low-angle. Belay on an ample ledge. Next, instead of continuing up the corner (which is the so-called "Deception Direct") move left to a left-facing book and ascend a wide crack (easy) to a point where a thin left-leaning crack emerges. Follow this thin crack to an easy gully, and belay up higher. The next pitch continues up the gully, then traverses right on friction to a nice ledge just below the summit roofs. An easy escape left can be made, or you can finish through the obvious crack in the summit roofs (5.7).

    This is a great climb for first-timers if you don't want to scare the pants off them, but still do a multi-pitch route.

  • Knapsack Crack (5.3) **

    Knapsack Crack (5.3, 3 pitches) This excellent beginner's route offers good practice leading (nuts work fine). It follows the prominent left-leaning crack system on the left end of the Hogsback. Beta by Dan Rosen (DanMRosen@aol.com).

    APPROACH: Don't bring a beginner over the west end of the Hogsback. After scrambling unroped over the top and downclimbing third-class slabs, Knapsack will be anti-climactic! Instead, take the main trail to a well-worn trail which leads to the notch at the east end of the Hogsback. Head down and left to the base of the climb.

    1st pitch, 75 ft, 4th class: Follow a low angle, right-facing corner to large blocks and an old tree. Beginning leaders can practice placing protection on this easy pitch.

    2nd pitch, 150 ft, 5.3: Above the tree, a few face moves lead to a left-facing corner/crack. (This can be climbed with your right foot in the crack and your left foot on the face, as I proved this summer when I led the route just before knee surgery when I couldn't bend my right knee more than 90 degrees!) Two fixed pitons protect the crux, where the crack thins and steepens. The key is to use small holds on the left face. (Remind beginning seconds to retrieve your carabiners and not try to pull the pitons!) Above the crux, the angle eases a bit. Face moves lead to a sitting belay at the bottom of a low-angle gully. Avoid the temptation to keep leading up the gully, as belay anchors are harder to find and the change of angle makes it difficult to see your second through the crux.

    3rd pitch, 50 feet, 4th class: Ascend the gully to some nice friction moves over slabs to the top.

    DESCENT: Head left (east) down the ridge to the notch at the east end of the Hogsback.