This route begins with easy climbing on blocky features and ends on 15' of an interesting finger and smaller seam. The crux of the route is getting into the finger crack, but the holds are all there and the gear is generally good. A fun, short addition to Wall 1.

Le Petit Oiseau Mort

That Bastard Gérard!

The Bar is Open

Le Grande (L'Extension)

Dancing Like a Nutter

Cinque Briquettes (variation)

A Slight Problem Along the Way

Cinquante Briques

You Old Fool

Lovely Snowball

More Romantic than Casablanca

Another Quick Shower

Come On, Animals!

Start on the lower left side of the bulge ramp that diagonals Wall 1. Climb up and through an interesting crack feature, then take the direct line straight up and pass the right side of the oak tree 2/3rds of the way up and move over to the crack just right and head straight to the top. Two variations have you moving over either before the tree or after. Both fun. (See route topo.)

Start at That Bastard Girard, but move right traversing the dishes to gain the next crack. Follow the diagonal crack up, crossing Dancing and finish the crack to the right of the rap station.

The path that is "The Bar Is Open"

From the top of "Le Petit Oiseau Mort," walk the thin plank straight right passing a deep, pod/hole (that will almost take gear) to the first crack, then head straight up, encountering diagonal seams and a short, two-move lieback, finishing on face moves for the last 15' or so. Sling the big boulder in combo with a #2 in the crack for a comfy anchor. Walk off down the gully or cross over to the rap rings.

From the top of "Le Petit" cross right and then head up the first crack and then the face above that.

Another good shorter intro to the canyon. After the bulgy start, the fun stuff really gets going at the halfway point. Good edges and finger cracks. Finish straight up or move right and head for the rap station

The two paths to finish "Dancing Like a Nutter"

Start left of Briques and follow the diagonal crack that leads up to the 5.10 hand to fist to OW crux. Stay on the crack straight to the arete, then cut back to the tree. Watch your follower...

Are you the fifth wheel? The odd person out on a trip up to Panic Town? A boulderer who thinks trad is dumb? This will keep you busy while the geeks sort their gear and talk about how much a single lobe of a Totem Cam will "actually" hold if you fell on it, blah, blah, blah.

At the far right of Wall 1, start on the obvious 20' overhanging boulder behind the dead trunk. Pimp your way up to the big rail for your left hand, then foot. Mince your way up the slab with the wiggly seam and over the oak branch. Now you're on the arete of the wall. Take it to the top. Wave to brainiacs who are still sorting gear. Downclimb the route or scramble down the right side or left side of the wall. Rinse, repeat, go for a swim.

The dog is not amused. (On the arete up high on "A Slight Problem...")

On the far right side of Wall 1, there is a diamond shaped face ~1/3 of the way up the wall.  Navigating this diamond is the crux of the climb.

Either (1) climb the offwidth on the right, (2) pull over the bulge on the face, or (3) bypass to the left.  (1) and (2) offer a few moves ~5.10.  Really a 5.5 with a V0 boulder problem in the center.

The original line started very far left and traversed just above the poison oak (now removed) to the base of the bulge.  We were hunting for the steepest/thinnest part of the wall, so the route shot way right, then back left to the tree.  Now, I recommend starting directly underneath the diamond and climbing up the pocketed face.  Once over the diamond, take the cracks back left to the oak tree.

Get a good piece in and negotiate the bulge. Good moves to easier climbing above and then a final shelf to get over before ending at the oak tree.

The obvious and excellent straight-up crack line on the left of the wall. Definitely the standout here. Pro is a little iffy until about 30' up, but not an issue if you're solid at the grade.

Start Dancing but follow the smaller crack directly up and left of the middle bushes once you're off the ground and over the bulge.

The thin-looking, ragged crack between Lovely Snowball and That Bastard Gérard that hits a mini roof about 1/3 of the way up. An excellent companion piece to Lovely Snowball that takes great gear all the way up---if you know where to look.

Bill making the step-across move just past the oak on "Another Quick Shower."

Start with a high-step rock over on the left foot to gain a hidden slot for a great first piece. (This might be the crux if you're shorter.) Follow this up to the roof, grab the undercling and make the slab step to the right and stay in this crack to the small oak. Move right again just past the oak and then go straight to the top. (Build an anchor using the big fat, flat-top chicken head and a double sling for your left side, and whatever you can sling or cam on the other side---hey, you're here to practice trad, right?) Have your 2nd come up and then traverse to the rap rings and start feeding the rope while you break down your anchor. Efficiency is a good thing...

Ryoko finding feet before the mini-roof undercling/slab step on "Another Quick Shower."

[The original FA took the line left of the center oak and ended at the top of the loose chimney. That way is okay, but staying in the first cracks right of the oak, effectively finishing next to "That Bastard Gerard," makes this a more memorable route.]

Christian Maurer milking the chimney topout on the FA of "Another Quick Shower"

Fun face climbing straight up over the hardest part of the bulge on thinnish crimps directly below the oak tree.

Christian Maurer looking for the 5.9 out of so many 5.7 options...

Once over the bulge, choose crack holds (easier) or stay on crimps (harder).

Ming on her first go of the bulge crux.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Wall 1