5.6 crux is 20 ft from the ground. The rest is 5.2 or less. Others have averaged this and rated it 5.4. HISTORY: this route is a composite of work by several people including myself in 1998 when I replaced and added some bolts. The original 1/4 inch rusty bolts are still at the top. someone recently added a bolt to the crux for some reason. The original line had 80-100 ft runouts. Now the longest is about 40 feet but the climbing is 5.0 on that bit. I took the liberty of naming it Goldline in honor of the cheap nylon climbing ropes we uses in the 1970s.

Goldline

Hyperion

Honeymoon in Huntsville

Amarillo By Morning

Pretty Good at Drinkin' Beer

Poke Salad Annie

Aenea

Lonestar

Urban Cowboy

Endymion

Yellow Rose of Texas

Skyline

She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy

Don't Mess With Muleshoe

Crux is 25 feet from the ground on the first pitch. It's mostly much easier than 5.7. I call it "sustained 5.2." First pitch is a full rope length. This route is not a sport climb. It's an adventure route, which means the bolts are widely spaced. Designed to be a direct line to the summit. Expect 20 to 30 ft run outs up high. All the other routes have 80 ft belay stations for sport. Lots of ways to get down if you know the area.

Walk up low angle slab to the first bolt, where the climb turns vertical and more difficult for 30 ft. Moves get progressively harder, with a 2-3 move crux at the middle/top of the vert section. Go right or left of the bolt at the top of the vert section to pull onto the slab, which is easy climbing to anchors. Would be rated better if the belay station were less cramped (and spiky).

"Amarillo by Morning" ascends the steep wall 30 ft. left of "Endymion." To reach the base, traverse the low angle slab or scramble up between the low angle slab and the brush on the southwest side of the Elephant's Head to a sandy belay nook. Climb the low angle apron on knobs and inclusions. As the wall steepens a line of stellar, but spaced pockets appear along with cobbles and inclusions. Match hands in the pocket and throw for the deep pocket or pull the move statically. Pull through the bulge on awesome pockets and knobs. Continue up the lower angle slab and pockets to the anchor.

Begin climbing the overhang below two large inclusions, left of the tree. From a pocket, pull or lieback up and onto the inclusions. Continue working up the face on shallow pockets and edges to a hole (3rd bolt) below a large fractured inclusion. Work up and right on shallow pockets and edges to the ridge line. Climb the right edge of the slab past a 5th bolt and a run out to the anchor. It is difficult to clean this route from the anchor due to the leaning nature of the line. Careful of the swing/pendulum. Best to have a 2nd clean.

Climb the slab, on small pockets and cobbles, to a steep section with larger pockets. Continue up the knobby face to a stance on a large round block. Pull over the lip on pockets to the upper slab and the anchor.

The route follows an arete (although more a bend in the curve of the rock) as you leave the ground.  Route trends to the left of the bolt line onto a small ledge where undercling holds set you up to reach the 4th bolt. This short challenging part is the crux. Once you are up there it can be hard to see sinker pocket holds. Easier for tall people but not really too hard for 5'8" and up.

Ends at belay about 75 ft up. You can continue to the top by traversing left to Endymion.

Lonestar is tucked away behind some bushes and off trail on the west face of the Elephant's Head. The route is steep and the features sharp, but the moves are all there. Boulder up on a shallow pockets and a cluster of large inclusions to a high first bolt. Continue up on good pockets and after clipping the second bolt, traverse right and up on shallow pockets and a greenish inclusion/rail to the bulge. Surmount the bulge on small, but positive pockets and inclusions. A throw to a deep, but sharp pocket leads to the top. Continue pulling pockets and inclusions to the slab and the anchor.

Climb the slab and the steep pocketed face. Numerous deep pockets and edges lead to the lower angled upper slab.

Holds are thin getting up the first 30 feet. Once you pass the 3rd bolt the rating drops from 5.9 to 5.2 the rest of the way. Belay at about 80ft for the harder sport climb. 2nd pitch is a 5.2 romp up the ridge to the summit for a full rope length.

Located between "Hyperion" and "Aenea." Yellow Rose of Texas climbs the featured slab below the left side of the overhang/roof of Hyperion Slab to a high 1st bolt. An undercling and small cobbles lead to a large hole above the roof. Pull the overhang on pockets and move slightly right and up the slab to a shared anchor with "Aenea."

When at the 1st belay on Goldline climb right to and follow the bolt line to the sky line. The first bolt is about 20 feet up and right. After another bolt and about 60 feet you come to a solid double bolt belay.  You can climb to this point from the ground via Goldline or other routes that start to the right and share the same 1st belay anchor.

The second half also has about 2 bolts, 20 ft apart.  Easy, and slightly spicy 5.2 on a very aesthetic line.

Named Skyline for the old blue climbing ropes in the old days.

Begin 15 feet right of "Goldline" where the Hyperion Slab becomes undercut. Evidenced by the bathtub ring, the base continues to erode, thus making the start harder. Scramble up the featured slab to a high 1st bolt. Move up and right of a large red inclusion to a set of deep pockets and pull the steep headwall. Continue up the slab on knobs and friction to a shared anchor with "Goldline."

Climb the overhung face on cobbles, side pulls, and pockets up and left to a bulge. Pull the bulge on edges and small 2-finger pockets to the upper slab. Continue up the slab via a broad, but shallow watercourse, and a shared anchor with "Goldline."

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Elephant Head (& Hyperion Slab)