The Road Not Taken. III 5.10. AS one reaches the Butte in frount of the parking area the route takes a system of ramps on the east face.The 1st pitch takes a break in the lower wall ,directly below the large Spikey blocks midway on the upper ramp. P1.Traverse right across a flake to a short hand crack to the rocky ledge and block belay 60'.Move belay about 300'left along the ledge to the start of the massive right- diagonalling ramp.Double bolt belay.p2. Follow ramp,at 20' 5.7 up wide crack,then easy to 5.6 step down to good ledge and 2 bolt anchor/rap 190'. p3 Up through 5.8 squeeze chimney to belay behind large blocks 85'.P5. The great crack,a superb and unusual pitch.Most of this 180' pitch is about 5.7 .the final 20' is a 5.10 lieback into a short off-width.Descent.From the ledge just above the final belay,walk 300' left to rap anchors. it is essential that the first person down carries prussics or ascenders and knots the rope ends,as one does not touch rock until 40' below rap anchors. swing and get onto double bolts top of P3. OR Best walk to descent of Pearly Gates. (See new desert Rock IV by Bjornstad) First Ascent:_ Jeff Pheasant, Paul Ross, Layne Potter.. Oct 2001.To date there are about 9 multi pitch new routes on this Butte ,and about 9 in the Tombstone area half mile or so from the Lost World. Many are recorded in the new Guide book.Nice quiet area.
Protection
Set of friends, best with extra #5#6. Two 60m ropes for rappel
I think Paul's comment was in regards to one that I posted that is gone now. I had commented that the 3rd Pitch (2nd if you don't count the walk across the large ledge as a pitch) was one of the nastiest pitches I have ever climbed, tons of loose dirt and rocks, I had to empty out my shoes they were so full of dirt after that pitch. Still a fun route just be ready for loose dirt climbing.
Hi Bryson . Sorry about the dust in your socks . We are still puzzled as we had no such problems !! Maybe we think its just normal desert climbing... actually we are scruffy bugga's at the best of times ....Anyway glad you had fun... Cheers .
Hi Bryson.. Well when you have been used to finding new unclimbed rock in the UK ,a line like TRNT stands out like a sore thumb. . If you want a few route finding problems try some of the very fun new climbs on the San Rafael Swell , Eastern Reef slabs, plus there is no nasty squeeze chimnies..Cheers Paul .
By Ben Folsom From: Sandy, Utah Jan 28, 2005 rating: 5.10c
The weather can be great in the winter, or it can be bad. I spent the last couple winters climbing and establishing routes in the lost world butte area. I loved road not taken. We did that in fall of 2002 and it was a fantastic week out there. I loved the Gouli Basher Crack. Now I know what you mean.
Good Adventure route for sure. Frosty and I were having a good laugh over Paul's reply to Bryson's comments about the 3rd pitch. We had the pleasure of camping with Paul after we did this route and the bugga had no recollection of loose rock on the 3rd pitch. He is so use to loose rock that he probably never even thought of it. The 5.8 offwidth that Paul refers to is actually on the next pitch. Bryson is correct though as there is plenty of loose rock on the first ramp pitch, and although it really isn't bad getting across any of it, the final moves, climbing down and right to the anchors, are thought provoking to say the least. Your last 'decent' pro is about 40' back and left of you at that point and with the rope drag (it's almost a 60 m, rubble covered, ramp traverse pitch) it is a bit of a hairy, although easy, move. I missed the piece in Bryson's photo but I'm sure it is a mental piece at best. The Gouli Basher crack is unique and worthy, as is the summit. Good fun in a perverse way...
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