Batman Pinnacle is a nice crag with a nice variety of climbing on it. The main face gets mid-day sun all year and sun from at least mid-morning to late day for the warmer months, as it primarily faces South. While the crag is somewhat secluded and guarded by a less-than-discrete trail with many false branches and turns, it still gets heavy traffic for one route: Batman and Robin (5.6). This climb is pretty good, but it has somehow reached the mythical 'classic status' despite having little remarkable about it. Good rock, good pro, good moves... more "accessible" than classic. Other routes there are infrequently traveled but good, if you like small holds on vertical walls. Robin's Secret and Bat Flake are good butt-kickers. Wear your edging shoes or suffer on these. Up top and just to the East Side, of the Pinnacle's summit, the short and obscure route "Within Reach" can provide a last minute diversion before hiking down from the rock's summit-notch between this and Batman Rock.
To descend from the summit, rap 50' N (N to the base of "Within Reach" (10a)) and scramble down and East from there to a gully, that if continued SE and then SW will take you back to the base without much effort or danger. Still, hiking shoes are best on this gravel and terrain. From the Bat Flake, rap down once ~27 meters (50m rope doubtable) to the south, staying slightly left, to a set of slings on a horn, then 20 perhaps meters to the ground. Keep and eye on the rope, as there is frequently water at the base here, when a rock-spring runs or weeps down to fill it just left of the rap line.
Note, Bat Flake is separated out for clarity in the database.
Getting There
From the new parking lot take the west trail towards the old Twin Owls parking lot ~0.6 miles. Hike in on the higher trail (right) directly from the west end of the old Twin Owls parking lot. Follow well placed signs to Batman and Checkerboard Rock. At a final signed junction go left for Batman Pinnacle and Checkerboard Rock or right for Batman Rock. The chunky square-ish top just below the Southern base of Batman Rock is the beacon, about 550' above the base.... Cairns mark the last bit through a talus field after crossing below the base of Checkerboard Rock. Alternatively, start and do the approach as for Batman Rock, but when below its Eastwardly base and about level in elevation (and perhaps 100 meters away) cut down and left above Checkerboard Rock and then down to the South to reach the base. Again, let the square spire atop the pinnacle be your guide and TRY to stay on trail....
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Batman Pinnacle:
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Jul 23, 2007
Warning!!! Big Loose Rock near Batman Pinnacle. There is a loose rock half the size of a refrigerator immediately below the first large tree (it was actually touching the tree before it came loose) at the top of the gully to the east of Batman Pinnacle. This is one of the suggested rappel routes down from the pinnacle and it just came loose. Until it is knocked loose, everybody should avoid rappeling over it or into the gully below it.
This was submitted as a feedback for the website anonymously but with an email address.
Addendum: apparently an accident occurred where a climber sustained an open leg fracture and required a rescue. There may be loose rock in the vicinity. BEWARE!
The rangers would prefer that you DO NOT rap the first gully that Leo mentioned which is immediately below the initial summit rap. There are other loose rocks, so don't add slings to the tree.
During The Lumpy Trail Day on Oct 08, a series of cairns were built to make the other descents easier to find. Follow them east up a short crack and continue to follow the cairns along the base of Batman Rock. Either turn off right, down another gully or continue on the main Batman Rock approach trail. Most of the extraneous trails have been blocked off.
Does anyone have any information about the crack system just to the right of Batman and Robin? It starts just after the first pitch and heads to the right towards a large roof. At the roof you go up a runout face with one bolt and then finish as with Batman and Robin. Just wondering about the rating or a little history.
I lead this route last Saturday, it was fun if a little chossy in places
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