Type: Trad, 12 pitches, Grade IV
FA: Josh Borof, Paul Emrick
Page Views: 8,422 total · 44/month
Shared By: Josh Borof on Jun 5, 2008 · Updates
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

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Description Suggest change

This is an excellent grave IV+ route in the SOFB gully off the south rim.

Approach:
Descend the SOFB rappels (see Kalous' descent description in the comments below for details. It is best to find the first rap the night before your adventure so that you don't waste time in the morning of your ascent. Once down from the raps, continue down the couloir to the top of a large boulder with a massive splitter up its face. The splitter faces the river. Start up a chimney system from the top of the boulder.

Pitch 1. This is basic Black Canyon climbing of a 5.9 chimney. Belay at the base of a V-slot corner, 60m.

Pitch 2. Climb V-slot to a roof, and exit right onto a slab. Continue up past a bolt to a ledge, 60m.

Pitch 3. Meander up and left to a boulder with crack system behind it, 50m or so, 3rd Class.

Pitch 4. This is where is gets good. Go up excellent 5.10+/11a climbing up the crack system of various sizes, 60m.

Pitch 5. Ascend 5.10 chimneying with small gear on the right wall, entertaining, 60m.

Pitch 6. Climb fingers to a fist roof. A #4 Camalot is helpful here. Beyond the roof it gets rampy, and the quality of climbing slacks off a bit.

Pitch 7 is best forgotten, Black Canyon shite climbing up and right to the base of a tower formation on your left.

Pitch 8. Climb the tower heading for a chockstone, then move left and ultimately top out on the tower. It is at this point you get your first view up canyon. You get a great belay, 30m.

Pitch 9.  The Spicy pitch. This was for many years protected only by crappy RPs. I always thought it needed a bolt and finally got my FA partner to agree. So, in 2014, a bolt was added to this pitch for security. It helps. Leave the tower climbing up and right, clip a bolt, and lieback through the remaining moves. It is best to set the belay for the next pitch up and left a bit. Supposedly a hold was broken above the bolt shortly after its installation. The fall here is now protected, 15m.

Pitch 10. The Crystal Slab pitch. Climb up and right clipping 3 bolts (11a). After the 3rd bolt, traverse DOWN AND RIGHT, gaining a 5.7 flake system. Climb the flake till you feel like stopping. Remember to run it out after gaining the flake, so your follower is protected, 40m.

Pitch 11. The original route moves up and left here gaining a ledge below an OW on a face. There are other possibilities from here as well, although I still prefer the original line. Pick one.

Pitch 12. Climb the nice 5.9 OW. A large piece here would be nice but isn't essential.

Pitch 13. Ramble up to the next ledge, head right, then pick a line to the top, 5.easy.

Location Suggest change

This is on the South Rim in the SOFB gully. Finding the raps to this area is tricky. The descent takes a couple hours, but there is no poison ivy. Please see Chris Kalous' descent info in the comments below. They are as good as any description I could give you. Again, I think it's best to locate them the evening before your ascent so that you don't wander around the rim looking. They are hard to find. There are 6 rappels total, 60m ropes are required. Rap 3 pitches down, then go climber's left across a gully to find the 4th anchor. Rap straight down for 2 more, then the last anchor is slightly right.  All raps are between 50 & 60 meters. They are all bolted except the last one, it has stoppers. Once in the gully, head down. This route is on your right.

There is a way to walk to and from this gully, but getting lost is the most likely outcome from the effort. However, if you need to walk out from this area, it's possible by walking to the top of the gully (base of the rappels), crossing the col to the other side and descending about 50 feet. Then begin looking for a ledge system that leads up a bit and way right (5.6 ish). If you pass this ledge system and keep heading downhill, the climbing to gain the proper exit gully gets longer and harder, so find it.  At the end (right side) of this system, you gain another gully that allows you to go up. Eventually you will head hiker's right through another col and gain the gully that is home to the Alimony Wall. Hike up past the Alimony to your car. You will probably curse this description at this point and probably also curse my name, but you'll be drinking a beer by then, so I guess the description isn't that bad. :) Good luck.

Protection Suggest change

Stoppers and RPs, a double set of cams through #3 Camalot, and a #4 Camalot for the fist roof (2 if you're scared). The only place you'd need bigger is the pitch 12 OW. A #6 would protect you there  Some find that not necessary.

Photos

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