Seasonal raptor closure at Monument Area MORE INFO >>>
Rock climbing is not allowed 1/4 mile either side of the Monument due to a nesting pair of Golden Eagles. The birds are using Staender Ridge as a perch therefore it is also within the closure area. The trail which is on the backside of the Monument is open to through traffic, but hiking is not allowed around the cliff faces.
A good sustained climb at the 5.8/5.9 level that makes for an enjoyable few hours.
Start by climbing Adventurous 9904 which is on a large pillar. From near Asterisk pass the pillar looks partially detached.
Pitch 1: 5.8 Romp up on knobs past several bolts to the top of the Pillar and belay.
Pitch 2: 5.9 Start by leaning over the chimney that separates the main wall and the pillar to clip a bolt then step across. Climb up and left to a belay anchor. There is another bolted line that goes straight up a few bolts after stepping across, do not follow it.
Pitch 3: 5.9 Move up and left to a small ledge just above the belay and make an airy move onto the face. Climb up and left on knobs and pockets, airy and exciting! Belay at the base of an arete after about 60 feet.
Pitch 4: 5.9 Make a few exciting moves up the arete before veering right and following an edge dropping away below your feet. The climbing eases a bit before reaching a belay on a low angled slab.
Pitch 5: 5.8 Race up the slab and then finish on jugs on one final steep section of the headwall and belay.
Descent: 60m rope
Rappel 1- Rap off to a ledge from the top. Rap to the East. Walk down hill about 50 feet and look for another rappel anchor on the West side.
Rappel 2- Rap back down to the anchor on the arete at the start of pitch 4
Rappel 3- Rap down and look for another anchor on a ledge to the right a bit.
Rappel 4- Rap to the ground.
Location
Adventurous 9904 starts about 100 yards West of Asterisk Pass on a partially separated pillar.
Great route to practice rope maintenance and multi-pitches at Smith, and to get away from the crowds of the main wall. There's quite a few routes in the same area now, so watch your bolt line (the first time I climbed it I ended up at a rap station for another route and had to down climb around the corner--atop pitch 3 I think?).
Don
By Peter Franzen Administrator From: Portland, OR Aug 18, 2007 rating: 5.9
I did this route this morning. Some thoughts:
We took 2 60m ropes with us and while it made the rappels a bit easier you can definitely get by with just one. Don't rap back down the route-- we heard that some people have been doing this for some reason. Rap off the opposite side that you came up, then find the chains 10m or so to the climber's left of the route and rap down there. There are anchors everywhere on this wall so it's pretty easy to get down.
I was suckered in to going straight up the line of bolts towards the end of the 3rd pitch, and I wouldn't recommend it. I didn't have any problem downclimbing 20ft. or so to get back on route, but remember that it keeps traversing left.
The belay at the 5th pitch is really cool, and makes for a great picture if the leader has a camera.
Overall this was a lot of fun. Do it in the morning if you want it in the shade. It's a great route to teach someone the ins and outs of multi-pitch climbing.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this route, I did it with two new climbers and it turned out to be an enjoyable few hours in the afternoon sun. TONS of bolts (the way sport climbing ought to be). I think I took about 16 draws and slings and used them all (including for anchors). A few long slings is nice.
Great climb. I would recommend linking pitches 2-3 and linking 4-5. The pitches are short otherwise and you definitely get more continuous climbing out of each pitch; there is little to no rope drag when linking. By linking you may also help speed up the line of people behind you that wants to climb (on busy weekends).
P2-3 is 55-60 meters (or shorter) and takes 19 draws if you clip every bolt, though many bolts are so close that you can easily reach back clean many bolts from the next one.
P4-5 is even shorter (40-50 meters?) and takes much less bolts, particularly since you can skip or back clean many of the bolts (yes, they are really close to each other).
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