Elevation: 6,900 ft
GPS: 38.631, -105.218 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 28,890 total · 142/month
Shared By: Jeff Lockyer on Apr 12, 2002
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac

Description

A great cliff between the 'new' Gym and Cactus Cliff. Offering some very good routes, mostly sport routes with some gear routes mixed in between. Mostly always in the sun during the day, which makes for enjoyable pocket pulling. Classics on the cliff include, The Hurricane, Cornerstone and (IMHO) Tractatus.

Getting There

From the new parking area by The Bank Camground, follow the road NW towards The Bank for ~100yds. Pickup the trail on the right side of the road that descends into the canyon. Follow this trail for ~5 minutes, crossing the canyon bottom, and passing below the 2150 Wall, to a terminus at the road that heads up above Cactus Cliff (this road was the former approach to Cactus). Turn left and follow the road uphill towards Cactus. Continue along the road as it banks hard right, passing the new toilet. Where the trail banks left, continue west, passing signage, along a well maintained trail that traverses Cactus Cliff. Follow the trail around the SE buttress of Cactus. Once you cross a prominent drainage you will arrive at Spiney Ridge.

32 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Spiney Ridge

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 142
● Cheers
Sport
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 192
● Damn Right I've Got the Moves
Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 108
● Stone of Ignorance
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 152
● Travis is Sole King
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 184
● Toxxxic Entertainment
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 42
● Tree Trimmer
Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 179
● 20th Century Man
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 111
● Access All Areas
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 154
● Tractatus
Sport
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 89
● Cornerstone
Sport
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 74
● The New Philanthropists
Sport, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 114
● Purple Toe Nails
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 35
● Straight Rocket
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 87
● The Hurricane
Sport
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 22
● Weapons Of Mass Arousal
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Cheers
 142
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Damn Right I've Got the Moves
 192
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Stone of Ignorance
 108
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
● Travis is Sole King
 152
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Toxxxic Entertainment
 184
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Tree Trimmer
 42
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● 20th Century Man
 179
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
● Access All Areas
 111
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
● Tractatus
 154
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
● Cornerstone
 89
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
● The New Philanthropists
 74
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport, TR
● Purple Toe Nails
 114
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
● Straight Rocket
 35
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
● The Hurricane
 87
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
● Weapons Of Mass Arousal
 22
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
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Photos

Spiney Ridge from the Banks Campground.
Spiney Ridge from the Banks Campground.
 6
Spiney Ridge - left.<br> <br> Sunday Pockets is renamed 20th Century Man in the new Knapp/Thompson/Aschert guidebook.
Spiney Ridge - left. Sunday Pockets is renam…
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untitled
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Comfy belay seat!
Comfy belay seat!
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Spiney Ridge at moonrise, April, 2011.
Spiney Ridge at moonrise, April, 2011.
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Looking down from the anchor on 20th Century Man.
Looking down from the anchor on 20th Century Man.
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4 Comments

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Surlyman
Surlyman  
Was climbing at Shelf Road on the weekend. A climber led Pully Mammoth and set it up on top rope for his girlfriend. She couldn't pull the roof so he top-roped it to clean it. He grabbed the jug to pull himself over the roof and a rock the size of a loaf of bread broke off in his hand and landed on the ground a few feet from his girlfriend.

Given the now missing jug I suspect this climb is now a tad harder than it used to be. Jun 22, 2005

 
I was wondering if anyone knows if that project ever got got. I got up it but fell a few times 3 years ago or so and never went back. It was a super cool climb! May 3, 2011
Kenny P
Woodland Park
Kenny P   Woodland Park
Perhaps someone out there can help me identify a route I climbed yesterday at Spiney Ridge. I recently moved to the area, and after three trips to Shelf, we decided to steer clear of the weekend crowds along Cactus - we selected Spiney (no one around!). It appears there are discrepancies between MP and the New Shelf Road guidebook.
I led a route to the right of #15 on MP's topo (Nalalator); it begins just to the LEFT of the small tree in the photo, in a small steep corner. The route ascends this corner (the first of two cruxes) escapes onto the ledge system, trends just slightly to the right, and continues all the way to the cliff top with another technical section mid-way. (The climbing near the anchors is also a bit difficult). This was a good route I'd give it "one-less star" than all the stars in whichever rating system you use! I estimate the overall difficulty around 11a/b????? Definitely not included in either guide. Oct 28, 2012
TheHut
TheHut  
I left a guidebook and a pair of belay gloves at the base of Tractates. When I returned for them (around dark), they were gone. If you kindly hauled them out for me, I'd love to get them back. Thank you! Dec 7, 2015