My wife rapping off the summit of Summit Block Roc...
Description
Dr. Rubo's has gained in popularity over the last few years as one of Sedona's best moderate multipitch outings. The climbing is pretty dang good, with the awesome splitter crack of the second pitch being the highlight of the ascent. The route sits on Summit Block Rock, found just left (west) of Coffeepot Rock.
P1) Climb the obvious slot on the left side of the face to a belay seat at bolts atop the limestone band.
P2) Thrutch up through the slot right above the belay to gain the splitter hand crack above. Once that peters out, follow discontinuous cracks to a belay on a sloping block.
P3) Follow the line of fixed pro (retrobolts and fixed pins) out right from the belay across the face. At the end, turn and climb up to gain the top of the ledge above. Belay.
P4) Climb east from the belay up broken ledges to the left side of the summit feature. Out on the left, find a single bolt, clip it, then make a sort of airy bouldery move to gain a small ledge, then scramble up easier stuff to the top.
Descent: Rappel (two ropes) off the east side into the saddle behind the formation. Scramble back to front.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Jan 23, 2006 rating: 5.10a
Great climb at a moderate grade. Minimal loose rock for a 'desert tower' climb. Combine to 2 pitches total to enjoy even more without 'short' pitches, although that adds sustanance to the 'first pitch', and may make the climb feel more like 10a.
There are anchors on the summit, so look around for them. I was goofy enough to belay off of some marginal gear right next to the big bomer bolts! Silly me.
First two pitches are stiff for the grade, but very cool.
The fourth pitch is challenging as well. The pitch wanders a bit, the mantle move is above a ledge, left of the bolt, and my belayer couldn't see me at all. So, it seemed like a good chance of hitting the ledge below if you blew the move.
At the summit, the bolts are on the opposite side of the formation from where you top out.
By EricH From: Flagstaff, AZ Mar 25, 2008 rating: 5.10a
What a climb! The first two pitches were quite stout for the grade but well worth it. My favorite part was by far the third "airy traverse" pitch.. it puts the Mace's traverse to shame!
Fun route with pretty solid rock. The pitches are all short, so the climbing goes really fast. The crux is getting into the crack on P2 -- definitely 5.9+, maybe even 5.10.
IMPORTANT BETA: On June 15, 2008 a rap station was added on a ledge about 98 feet from the summit, so the route can be rapped with one 60m rope.
By susan peplow From: what day is this? Jun 18, 2008
"On June 15, 2008 a rap station was added on a ledge about 98 feet from the summit, so the route can be rapped with one 60m rope"
Interesting, I don't recall the rap being a problem.
"Interesting, I don't recall the rap being a problem. "
Yeah, I agree. I don't recall the rap being an issue? One shot with 2 ropes & you're on the ground (my photo above).
Is it because folks don't like to carry a 2nd rope?
By susan peplow From: what day is this? Jun 18, 2008
I'm curious to see if these do gooders are as conscientious at replacing worn sport area anchors as adding superfluous stations to classic Sedona towers.
Gotta love it.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Jun 19, 2008 rating: 5.10a
I distinctly recall the rap being fun and pretty. Darn shame someone would F with it.
The first time I climbed this route, you still had to take up big gear for the first belay. There were two drilled pins to rap from the top. A few years later, I went back and no less than SEVEN new bolts had been added to the route, most at belays, but one chicken bolt had even been added to the pin traverse on the third pitch, and they'd even added a bolt right next to the one protecting the crux mantle on the last pitch. That second bolt was half out of the hole and a complete piece of sh*t. It was later pulled by someone.
Now I guess it's too much trouble or too annoying to even have to bring a second rope for what was a really cool long sometimes free hanging rappel. Why don't we just bolt the thing from ground to summit and get it over with? If you want to install anchors that bad, why not climb that route (Sporte) at the Pit to the right of Mordor and put some new anchors in there?
p.s. Seems like the Toula topo shows the crux of the route being the mantle move on the last pitch (one move wonder). I've always thought the pinched crack on pitch one was 5.9. The section cited above as 5.9+ or 5.10 is just awkward and that pitch has been rated 5.8 forever.
Summit Block Rock
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