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Unknown by many people the land starting at LDS Church vaults up to and including the Gate Buttress is owned by the LDS Church. This includes, the Fin, Thumb, Green A, Schoolroom, and Gate Buttress. Over the past 40 years there have been several closures of this property to climbing.
Currently, climbers are welcome visitors because in part of Utah's Land Owner Liability Law and the work of local climbers to preserve access.
In 1998 through 2000 this area was quaried and is presently under revegetation. The trail goes through part of this area. Please stay on the climber's trail so this area can recover.
Tim Edgar finishing the traverse on pitch 4 of Sch...
Description
This is a classic trad route with lots of variety. All natural belay stations so be prepared with cordelette or slings for setting up your belay anchors.
Pitch 1. Start on the left side of the wall and climb over a large flake up cracks that angle up to the left. About 40 feet up, traverse across to the right, downclimbing at one point. Pro is abundent, but be sure to think about protecting your partner. Put a set of opposing pieces at the bottom of the downclimb. Belay at the end of the traverse.
Pitch 2. Climb the handcrack, moving onto the face to the right before you get up under the roof. Some large pieces are useful here. Traverse right 10 feet to the belay.
Pitch 3. Follow the pretty finger crack up and left to the belay on a prow sticking out in front of a tree. Small cams or nuts work well. If you need to bail at this point, traverse right 20 feet to a set of bolted anchors at the start of the Hook.
Pitch 4. Follows a tight chimmney up under the huge Schoolroom roof. Hard to protect with standard pieces and a pretty awkward squeeze. Good pro at the top of the chimney before the easy traverse to the left, passing under the roof. I found the pro on the traverse to be pretty marginal but the climbing is easy. Belay from the tree.
Pitch 5. Climb straight up from the belay tree through a gully with sweet hand cracks. Walk for part of the gully and belay from a big dead tree.
Scramble or rappel down to the belay tree with lots of webbing. From here it's a 60' rap to the "Schoolroom rappel" chains, and then another 90' rap to the ground.
Protection
You'll use a range of pro on this route, but a standard rack will work. The second pitch hand crack will take some large cams or hexes, and a big bro would be ideal on the hard to protect fourth pitch chimney, but not strictly necessary. A 60m rope is recommended for the second rappel.
By John J. Glime From: Salt Lake City, UT Nov 3, 2003
In my mind, a three star route is something that screams to visiting climbers, "Come climb me!" I wouldn't recommend this route as a highlight of Wasatch climbing. In my humble opinion this route's pitches are too short in the sense that you never really feel like you get into a flow, and in the end, while it is worthwhile and has some cool moves, it felt more like a pain in the ass (climbing 40 feet setting up an anchor, another 40 feet set up an anchor, etc.)
John, thanks for your comments. Since I'm still a trad-climbing beginner, I appreciated the variety of the pitches, even that nasty fourth-pitch chimney. The short pitches were nice because my partner and I could actually communicate with each other (except for the final pitch). So for those reasons I'd still give it 3 stars and do it again. It did seem like it took forever to go not very far because of all the belay swapping. I've heard Schoolroom West is very fun and am anxious to try that one.
Did this one last spring break with my then girlfriend. One of my first multipitch trad climbs. Did the whole thing with a set of stoppers, thats it. Sketchy in some spots with that limited pro, especially on the slabby 4th pitch, but not too bad none the less. I think we did a variation called Schoolroom Direct (as I've seen it listed in some guide books). This variation goes directly up the crack on the lower right of the picture above, putting you right in line for the second. This avoids the long needless traverse. A much better start to a great climb in my opinion.
That's right. The Schoolroom Direct Variation is rated 5.7R in Ruckman's book. (The traverse from the top of the crack over to the first Schoolroom belay is runout) I haven't done it, but I've seen people combine this pitch with the 2nd pitch of Schoolroom and it seems to work quite well.
By Andrew Gram Administrator From: Denver, CO Mar 20, 2004 rating: 5.6
This route is ok, but not nearly as good as Schoolroom West. Definitely do the direct start(which really isn't R in my opinion), and finish it via the Movei Variation for more fun. Running some pitches together keeps things moving - you could probably link the first three if you do the direct start and can easily do the first two that way.
If u are a solid 5.6 or 5.7 leader this climb is great! Plenty of pro (except for p.4 where there is next to none). Good belays. A nice intro to multipitch climbing. Do the 5.7 direct to make it 3 stars. The "runout" is basically a two move traverse that should get you ready for the forty foot runout traverse on pitch 4.
Descent can also be made (60 m rope) by rappeling from "big dead belay tree" (@ the end of the 5th pitch) directly to the schoolroom rappel (the top chains of Chicken Rodeo route).
By Nathan Fisher Administrator Oct 10, 2004 rating: 5.6
Not a classic, but a great route. I agree with the Gramm's, in that Schoolroom West is better. Lots of varied climbing on this route. Definitely a must-do.
By Andrew Gram Administrator From: Denver, CO Oct 12, 2004 rating: 5.6
I don't remember any 40 foot runout traverse.The traverse is a bit runout, but nothing longer than maybe 10-15 feet. I doubt the whole traverse is even 40 feet and I got a couple of pieces in it.
I'm pretty sure that the traverse from the top of the squeeze chimney to the bottom of p.5 is about forty feet! My memory could be fooling me however. And yeh, there is a place or two to put in some pro but... it's so easy that, for me at least, it wasn't worth the effort.
By Nathan Fisher Administrator Oct 14, 2004 rating: 5.6
I believe Vince is trying to say, "There is a 40 foot runout traverse." What I gather from this is there is a 40 foot traverse that has runout, gear can be placed but it is runout. I agree that there is a bit of runout. You place a micro-cam at the end of the squeeze, and then traverse over. Until you get a larger (#2) Camalot in the vertical crack there is nothing else and that is about 20 feet of traversing. So yes, the chance of hurting one's self on a 20 foot pendulum into that west-facing wall is possible, therefore runout is the word. Not hard, not too scary, just kind of runout.
By Nathan Fisher Administrator Oct 14, 2004 rating: 5.6
A nice way to mix it up: Pitch 1: Schoolroom Direct into the 2nd pitch of Schoolroom. Pitch 2: Schoolroom's 3rd pitch. Pitch 3: Recess Variation into the traverse. Pitch 4: Movie Variation.
Pitch #4 disqualifies this route from being a 3-star. It's an ugly squeeze chimney, with limited pro, followed by a runout (albeit easy) traverse. We did the route via Schoolroom Direct, resuming the route above belay station 1.
I would classify the pitch 4 chimney more as a low angle off width than a chimney. I found that if stayed out of the crack and just arm barred the slot and the west facing wall it was actually enjoyable.
We did the direct start and the movie variation. The direct start was great. Enjoyable crack with one balance move. The movie variation required a lay back under a roof which was too much for my tall frame and off I pinged.
If you climb the schoolroom direct variation (best option in my opinion, maybe scary for a fedgling 5.7 leader though) and runner well, you can go all teh way to the Hook ledge with a 60M rope. Great long pitch!! Then blast the hook! YEEHAW!
As far as beginner routes go this is a must do. The rock is ultra-sound, there are great ledges, bombmer protection abounds and each pitch has something special. The entire route can be protected safely with a moderate standard rack (including the chimeny and the traverse on the 4th pitch). Please just use care with the belay trees on the route for they add a sence of security and character to a great route.
By Adam Fisher From: sandy, utah Jun 13, 2007 rating: 5.7
This thing is so overrated it seems like I was belaying more than I was climbing.But pitch 2 and 3 were both really good. Pitch 4 I ended up slabing the 2nd half up it was so unappealing. But the mixed climbing techniques were a good reason to climb it slab, crack, chimney traversing, and some good old fashion face climbing, not on my todo list but ok.
Sweet route! Do the direct start, which doesn't feel R at all, and don't get inside the offwidth on p4. I made the mistake of using a foot way down in there and got dragged in the crack. Ended up whaling my way up with much scraping and grunting. It would have been OK had I racked everything on my left side. Just arm bar and go at it frog style with feet on the face. There is a bomber blue alien halfway up the offwidth, a #2 and a green alien to protect the traverse.
The roof is quite fun with good gear. I was thinking it's rated 5.8. Once in the gully you are right about the brush and dirt. The little chockstone move in the gully is kinda fun also, but not really the best line.
definitly a great climb with a lot of varied climbing. the second and third pitches can be strung together on a 60m offering the meat of the route in one long pitch that definitly gets into a good flow. the traverses are time consuming to protect but they are easy and i think most people run it out a little.
Schoolroom Area
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