BETA PHOTO: Photo topo of Bush Shark Spire. Blue Line is Feedi...
Description
The formations name is a little misleading, as only the summit of Bush Shark Spire is detached from the main wall. However this makes it easy to spot when approaching from Echo Canyon.
Getting There
Find the Sandia Crest Spur trail at the south end of the Sandia Crest parking area. Follow it down and past its junction with the La Luz trail (.5 miles). At this junction for Bush Shark Spire, you will drop down into echo canyon by heading southeast. Hug the east wall of the canyon past the Techweeny Buttress. The trail eventually flattens out at the base of Bush Shark Spire.
Alternate approach #1) Continue south on the La Luz trail towards the tram, look for a climbers trail that forks off right about 5 minutes from the Crest Spur Trail junction. This trail leads to the top of the massive wall behind Bush Shark Spire. From here a north facing gulley can be used to access the Bush Shark area. The gulley is short but steep with a short 4th class section at its end. After the 4th class section heading south (left) will land you at the base of Bush Shark Spire.
Alternate approach #2) Rapping in from Big T....I have rapped in using double ropes...however cant remmeber which anchors we skipped...to be continued [Alam notes: Note on these raps - the top bolts are very hard to locate. They are out on the point that has a tree, but are about 20 feet down the ledge, and are blocked from view above by a block... the gulley to the north can be done in about 15 mintues, bushy but is much faster than setting 2 raps]
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Bush Shark Area:
Bush Shark Spire 5.9 Trad, Alpine, 2 pitches, 200 feet, Grade II
Many consider the (5.9) variation of P3 to be one of the Sandia's best at its grade. P1) Start up a thin-shallow crack passing two bolts (5.9). After the second bolt the terrain mellows allowing frequent pro. Belay just below a small roof. P2) surmount a small roof (5.8) working your way to a straight-in corner (5.11 R), most parties step left gaining a serious of small cracks to a ledge and a small fir tree. (5.10 R). Most climbers avoid b...[more]Browse More Classics in NM
By George Perkins Administrator From: Los Alamos, NM Jul 12, 2007
As of summer 2007, at least 5 new routes are present in the immediate vicinity of Bush Shark Spire. There are many shiny bolts around this area. Rather than copy or make up things about routes I've never climbed, I'll refer those interested to the descriptions present on rockclimbing.com on its Bush Shark Spire page and in the shop copy at Stone Age Climbing Gym and beg for the locals to share it here.
By Monomaniac Administrator From: Morrison, CO Jul 13, 2007
Thanks for adding this link. There's at least one more route not described on RC.com. I don;t know the name, buts its a 5.13a or b that starts at ground level left of "Hammerhead" and surmounts the big roof on the SW prow of bush shark spire. The first half of the pitch ascends a gear-protected, dirty open book at around 5.10. The second half heads left over the big roof with gymnastic moves. FA Lee Brinkerhoff, summer 2005. One could probably discern the route name by viewing Lee's 8a.nu scorecard.
My understanding is that most of the routes were put in by Lee and Lance Hadfield, all drilled by hand. Both of these lads work at Stoneage and happy to give out beta. The three pitch 10+ (Big T?) is a really good route (the only one I've done). It would be really helpful if someone could figure out and post the beta for rapping in to these routes, which makes the approach bushwhack-free. I've done before but I was tagging alon gand can't remember how we did it. I know we rapped into "the notch" at one point.
A little history and answering some questions: Actually, Lance put in Big with Ian, then I added a few extras. One of which is the rappel. You'll have to walk out to an exposed rib just North of Bush Shark Spire and South of Bush Shark Gully. A 4th class (10' down, traverse towards Echo Canyon, then up again) gains the two bolt rap station. Leave a cordalette for rapping off from here. Trend slightly to climber's left as you rap to gain the 2BA for the top of Blood In The Water and Big T (for Toby, Lance's dog). BITW was bolted by me (17 hand placed bolts in a day). John Kear suggested adding another bolt to the first crux, so I did. Lee did the route, and some holds broke off. John and I broke off some more through the bottom crux, so the grade is a tad harder than the original .12b rating it got on the FFA, although it's not Rifle, so who knows? Great White goes out the roof. I led it on aid at A3+ and placed bolts so that it could go free, which Lee promptly dispatched. The rap station off Bush Shark at the notch was put in at the time of Hammerhead. Ghost Rider is a route I put up at night, solo. Feeding Frenzy was put up by Kear, Pletta, and someone else (?).
Lance is a great route setter. I hope he puts up more routes like Big T in the Sandias.
I think Kevin Jaramillo has completed something else on the vicinity, but I have not read the beta on it yet. I'm sure it's quality as well, knowing Kevin.
The Jaramillo routes are Cabron 5.10 A2+ and Pantomime 5.10+. They are both right of Westeron Wynde and share climbing in the middle. Topos are available at Stone Age Climbing Gym in the big blue binder with local area updates and info.
The rappels down the Big T can be done with a single 70m rope, a 60m leaves you a little short on the second rappel.
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