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Bruja's Brew 

5.9

   
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Type: Trad, 4 pitches, 400 feet, Grade II
Consensus: 5.9 [details]
FA: Todd Swain & Debbie Benchley 1991
Submitted By: Larry DeAngelo on Jan 1, 2005

You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (18)
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BETA PHOTO: Bruja's Brew pitch 1

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Description 

This is an excellent route. Some of the easier climbing is a bit runout, but the hard stuff is reasonably protected. Apparently, "bruja" is Spanish for witch (for those of you without your foreign language dictionaries...)

The climb starts immediately right of Lotta Balls, where a small left-facing corner leads up to a roof.

Pitch 1: Climb up to the roof, traverse right, pass a protection bolt, then climb up and right on easier face-climbing to a bolted belay position. The stance is right on top of a tiny, white, left-facing corner.

Pitch 2: Continue straight up via moderate face-climbing. Set up a belay on gear 30 or 40 feet below the giant overhang. Protection on this pitch is limited.

Pitch 3: Climb up to the overhang near its right end. Follow an improbable ramp a long way to the left (5.6) over soft and fragile rock. When the climbing becomes easy, go straight up to a belay at a small bush.

Pitch 4: Easy climbing goes up a low-angle crack to the top.

Descend left with a couple of short rappels.


Protection 

standard rack



Photos of Bruja's Brew Slideshow Add Photo
Buttshot courtesy of Russ Walling

Buttshot courtesy of Russ Walling

Kate Rutherford moving through the roof.

Kate Rutherford moving through the roof.

P-2 of Brujas Brew <br /> <br />A bit spicy- climbing up a thin seam on little balls with intermittent finger locks to get through crux. It's all there, and a lot of fun but damn, 5.6 my ass. Lowe-Balls, and small nuts came in handy. <br /> <br />(Taken 9/4/12)

P-2 of Brujas Brew

A bit spicy- climbing up a thi...


Bruja's Brew with first 3 belays marked.

BETA PHOTO: Bruja's Brew with first 3 belays marked.

Pulling the roof move on Bruja's Brew. Photo by Gigi.

Pulling the roof move on Bruja's Brew. Photo by Gi...

Jonny on the long ramp traverse of P-3. Fun!

Jonny on the long ramp traverse of P-3. Fun!

P-3  <br />Jonny heading on up on a bit of sugary rock after the long ramp traverse.

P-3
Jonny heading on up on a bit of sugary rock a...


Pitch 3 Traverse

Pitch 3 Traverse

Nice views from Bruja's

Nice views from Bruja's


Comments on Bruja's Brew Add Comment
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By Guy H.
From: Fort Collins CO
Oct 29, 2006

The first pitch on this route is beautiful. After the face climbing near the first bolt, angle up and right to the varnished wall around the corner. There will be a bolt below a great thin crack in a black varnished wall.

Be careful not to place gear under the roof or you will have bad rope drag. I would suggest back cleaning the gear after placing a blue alien at the end of the roof traverse.

By john durr
From: Joshua Tree, CA
Oct 23, 2007

A doubly corrupted Swainish (spanglish) name with the english possessive apostrophy-s form on a spanish word followed by an english word, hehe. "Caldo de la Bruja"

The route description above has the first pitch ending at Lota Balls first belay which is a great way to do Lota Balls as well, better to find the second bolt out right and do the second very nice crux as mentioned in Guy's comment post.

The first pitch is muy excelente with bomber pro and great climbing. The rest of the route is good too if significantly easier. Additional long slings handy.

By susan peplow
From: Joshua Tree
Nov 1, 2008

Nice route, first pitch can easily be TR'd using the Lotta Balls anchor.

Although it takes excellent pro, the placement of low pro below the roof move (to avoid drag) would provide for a pretty scary fall should you peel out and clang into the corner.

By Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi?
From: Vegas
Sep 5, 2012

Felt the crux of P-2 was a bit spicy- stepping on small balls, thoughtful pro, and delicate climbing up a thin seam- 5.6??? Really??? Rock was solid at least, and it was pretty fun, and eased up nicely after the crux.

Edit to add: Pitch 4 is mostly 4th class to easy low 5th class, but fun! I only placed a couple of pieces just to keep the rope out of the crack. Only took about 5-7 minutes to top out on this pitch- a very stress free pitch.

By Mostafa
From: Las Vegas, NV
Oct 19, 2012

Great route first and third pitches were my favorite.

Pitch 1 - rope drag isn't bad if you place pro below and at the roof (extend the roof placement). After the roof you can place a 1 and .5 then make your way to the pretty crappy bolt that is cracked after you can find some nice horizontals above the bolt. Go up and right to two bolt anchor passing the lotta balls anchor to your left on the way up.

Pitch 2 - I followed the Handred topo, essentially going straight up approx 140ft and belaying 30ft below the roof at a nice finger crack. I believe the topo John Hegyes posted would make for less rope drag for pitch 3. Which looks like you would climb up and right to the Black Magic anchor.

Pitch 3 - Go up the bulge and traverse left pass a bolt.

Pitch 4 - As Per Gigi's post above.

By Tom Fralich
From: Fresno, CA
Mar 26, 2013

I also found P2 to be somewhat spicy. I traversed to the Black Magic anchor at the end of the pitch...seemed like a better stance and let the rope run more smoothly on the traverse of P3. P1 is excellent and worth doing on its own (double-rope rap from bolts).