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Upper Gorge
Patagonia Baby Reversible Puff-Ball Jacket

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Arc'teryx R280 Rock Climbing Harness - Women's

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Adventure Medical Ultralight Pro First Aid Kit

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All You Can Eat 
Basement, The 
Cracked Towers 
Dihedrals 
Failsafe Wall 
Flavin Haven 
Franklin's Tower 
Gorgeous Towers 
Gotham City 
Holy Trinity 
ICBM Tower 
Joe's Garage 
Junior Area 
Lower Elbow Room 
Mini Buttress 
Sanitarium 
Trestle Wall 
Triple Play Cliff 
Underground Cliff 
Upper Elbow Room 
Warm Out Wall 

Upper Gorge 


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Administrators: Aron Quiter, Euan Cameron, Adam Winters, M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Tom Helvie on Jul 21, 2006

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The Owens River lazily flows through the Upper Gor...

Description 

The Upper Gorge is a little narrower and more winding than the other sections of the Gorge. The cliffs face a variety of directions allowing the ability to chase shade or sun. There are several popular cliffs including the Gorgeous Towers, Gotham City, the Dihedrals and the Flavin' Haven. There is a good amount of quality moderates in the Upper Gorge. The hard climber should check out the Trestle wall, Holy Trinity, Joe's Garage and Franklin's Tower.


Getting There 

Use the Upper Gorge parking lot, hike down the upper power plant road for a couple minutes looking for a steep trail down to the right. This trail leads into a 3rd class gully and then down a steep rocky trail.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Upper Gorge:
Silence of the Poodles   5.8     Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Cracked Towers
Slip 'n Slide   5.9     Sport, 115 feet   Lower Elbow Room
Giveaway   5.9     Sport   Gorgeous Towers
Lava Haul   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   Flavin Haven
Machine Gun Jumblies   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 115 feet   Gotham City
Dr. Evil   5.10a     Sport, 130 feet   Gotham City
Gorgeous   5.10b     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   Gorgeous Towers
Wacked Scenario   5.10b     Sport   Gorgeous Towers
Superfly   5.10c     Sport, 180 feet   Gotham City
Chossman of the Desert   5.10d     Sport, 100 feet   Dihedrals
O.R.G.asam   5.11a     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   Dihedrals
Pick Pocket   5.11a     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Holy Trinity
C'mon Knucko   5.11b     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   Gorgeous Towers
Grindrite   5.11b     Sport, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Gotham City
The-Aretical   5.11b     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Gorgeous Towers
Knucko's Pride of the North   5.11b     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   Gorgeous Towers
Flex Your Head   5.11c     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Gotham City
Caldera   5.11c     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Flavin Haven
Sex   5.11d     Sport, 1 pitch, 85 feet   Holy Trinity
Bazooka Country   5.12a     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Trestle Wall
Browse More Classics in Upper Gorge

Featured Route For Upper Gorge
Jon Howland on the well-traveled Quail Trail; Kevin Friedrich belaying below; Dave Goldstein with the camera. Feb. '07.

Quail Trail 5.10b  CA : Sierra Eastside : ... : Lower Elbow Room
P1: Nine bolts, 90 feet. Climb an arete past 4 bolts. Step onto a face and climb an awkward, slippery, left-leaning seam (5.10a). Belay from bolts on a small, awkward stance. P2: Five bolts, ~50 feet. Stem a slippery dihedral (5.10b).The route can be climbed as one long pitch. The stance at the top anchor is much more comfortable than the one at the intermediate belay. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of Upper Gorge Slideshow Add Photo
The Upper Gorge, from the approach trail

The Upper Gorge, from the approach trail

Looking south down the Upper Gorge from the parking area

Looking south down the Upper Gorge from the parkin...

Stream crossing action below Flavin Haven.

Stream crossing action below Flavin Haven.

Looking out over the Gorge from the upper parking area

BETA PHOTO: Looking out over the Gorge from the upper parking ...

Beavers also have plans to dam the Gorge. Photo by Tony Tennessee.

Beavers also have plans to dam the Gorge. Photo by...

Swallowtail photographed at the Flavin Haven.

Swallowtail photographed at the Flavin Haven.

Looking down at the Upper Gorge. April 2010

Looking down at the Upper Gorge. April 2010

The narrow section of the upper gorge looking north from Trestle Wall

BETA PHOTO: The narrow section of the upper gorge looking nort...

Aerili on "Pumping the Slots". <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Aerili on "Pumping the Slots".
Photo by Blitzo.


Comments on Upper Gorge Add Comment
Show which comments —
By Chris Owen
Administrator
From: La Crescenta and Big Bear Lake
Apr 15, 2008

So much more natural than the Lower Gorge - quite a pleasant spot.

A cairn marks the start of the descent - look for it on the right as you walk down the road.

By John W. Knoernschild
From: Wisconsin
Jul 3, 2008

Why is every perfectly protectable crack in this area bolted??

By Russ Walling
From: www.FishProducts.com
Jul 3, 2008

The LADWP enforces a strict "no tradding" rule in the Gorge as part of the use agreement. Bolts only! First offense is a confiscation of any hardware deemed "Trad" and a $50.00 fine payable to the ASCA.

By John W. Knoernschild
From: Wisconsin
Jul 4, 2008

Are you serious. WOW! That is pretty odd. Thx for letting me know.

By JMo
From: Flagstaff, AZ
Apr 5, 2010

i heard fines double if they catch you with hexes

By JeffL
Sep 29, 2012

There is a rappel approach described in the book, here is the beta from personal experience. The hardest part is the first 3rd class scramble. There is a cairn marking the chimney or 4th class part just before the rappel bolts. We fixed a line and rapped the chimney with our packs, but down climbing and lowering packs would be ideal. Make sure you have a 60m rope to hit the ground, 70m is better for comfort as you can rappel past some scrambling. Watch for nettles as you pick up a trail and head upstream. One bridge you cross is nice, the other is broken