3-Star Nightmare

Bloody Toes

Yellow Wall

Right Wall

Barbarian Days

Ridge Route

This is a variation to the top of the Yellow Wall.  

  Climb the first pitch of Yellow Wall to belay.  

  Continue up second pitch past the first bolt or two, then work right towards the notch and move onto the face on the right. Climb on unprotected low angle rock to a loose and dirty crack system on hollow rock. A fall on a cam placed here would likely rip off the whole flake. Continue up towards cave at the top, climbing out of the right side. 

  The only anchor options up top are palo verdes about 50' back from the top of the route.

This is a one and a half pitch scramble on the eastern wall of Boulder Canyon. Start up ~4th class terrain to a bulge (5.4 crux) with two old bolts. Keep climbing to a ledge with a good two bolt anchor and rap tat. Climb up and left from the anchor into then up and over a small pod--coolest part of the route. Keep scrambling to the top. There's lots of very fractured rock at the top, which seemed more solid than it looked, but still felt like anything might break or pull out. 

  Descent options:  

  1. There is no fixed anchor for the last pitch, but there might be options for slinging a tree or boulder in order to descend the route directly in two rappels.    2. If you have a rope, walk down class 2-4 terrain to the top pitch of the Ridge Route, with a rap station on two new bolts. A 20 m rap gets you to another bolted station and either a second rap or a scramble to the west.    3. A ropeless option is to scramble over into August Canyon and down climb the George Route.

A 2 pitch scramble to the top of the center part of the head. 

  Pitch 1- 4th class- Scramble up notch/chimney at the back of Boulder Canyon. Ends at two bolt belay. (Note- there are two pairs of bolts; questionable old bolts covered in glue on the left, and a pair of bomber glue ins on the right. I didn't notice the glue ins until after I had belayed off the crappy bolts.) 

  Pitch 2- 5.0- Continue up left face on several bolts and loose rock. Ends at two bolt belay. They appear to be old drop in anchors that were later covered over with some sort of glue/epoxy. 

  Descent- Most direct descent is to rap the route. Neither anchor is set up with rap hardware, but the glue ins could be threaded through directly. Bring some tat for the top.  

  Alternative descent would be to walk down to the Ridge Route rappel. Lots of loose 3rd/4th to get there.

Barbarian Days is a modern variation to one of the oldest routes on the mountain.

 First free climbed in 1948, several years before other routes were being attempted without aid techniques, the Ridge Route ascent was a remarkable achievement at the time. (Opland, Phoenix Rock II)

 Barbarian Days brings aid climbing back to the scene by branching off the Ridge Route and traversing left and under the Big Wave! 

 Pitch 1: Climb the Ridge Route to an awesome alcove with a modern 2 Bolt anchor (no chains).

 Pitch 2: Climb out of the alcove and up an easy but unprotected 10m section to another 2 bolt anchor. Either move the belay to this ledge or take a left and follow the rotten ledge until it peters out, placing small-medium sized cams on your way to the first aid moves and then a bolt. (***Please be aware of any hikers below*** Major Rockfall potential in this section) Get out your ladders and traverse left to the prow. *Hook needed*. Build an anchor using the 3 bolts at the prow. 

 Pitch 3: Get Ready to Ride the Big Wave! Continue traversing left placing cams underneath the roof. Clip a bolt and commit to the exposure. Expect a gear placement or two between each bolt. Micro-Medium sizes. (***Recommended - Early repeats bring a wrench to tighten any loose bolt hangers, potential for crystals behind to break and cause the hanger to loosen.) 

 Descent - Hike over to the top of the chimney on the Ridge Route to find a two bolt anchor. Rappel back down to the ledge (20m) or alcove (30m). From there either rappel off from the alcove or scramble off to the SW. 

 ***80m or 2 Ropes needed to rappel/bail at the end of Pitch 2. (dont get a parking ticket)

Pitch 1, ~30 m, 4th class: This route starts up a pitch of fourth class on the eastern side of Boulder Canyon to a ledge with a 3 bolt anchor.  

  Pitch 2, ~10 m, 5.5: Another 10 m of low fifth class brings you to a second ledge with a two bolt anchor.  

  Pitch 3, ~10 m, 5.7: Work up and right into the chimney and clip a couple manky bolts before climbing out onto the face below the crack moving up and left. This pitch ends at a new two bolt anchor.  

  Best to combine 2 &3. From the last anchor it is a 20 m rap to the top of the first pitch. Down climb 4th class or rap to the east.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Boulder Canyon