Upper South Corner Cliffs Rock Climbing
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GPS: |
43.5378, -73.9677 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 22,927 total · 149/month |
Shared By: | Jay Harrison on Apr 18, 2012 |
Admins: | Morgan Patterson, Kevin MudRat MacKenzie, Jim Lawyer |
South Corner Cliff
The Upper South Corner Cliffs sit high on the South East flank of Crane, and have become quite developed since 2013. The various outcrops on the cliff now have different designations to help people find and figure out where they are. Where previously only adventurous, "alpine-style" routes wandered, there are now clusters of well-defined, lovingly scrubbed routes. A herd path branches off the East Path near the Height-of-Land Wall to reach the most popular crags up here.
Of particular note, the Jammer Wall has the highest concentration of established and well-cleaned routes, currently 13 and counting. These range from 30' to 70' tall; from 5.2 to 5.11a. It is quick to dry, receives a lot of sunshine well into the afternoon, and boasts some of the finest collection of cracks on the mountain.
Above the Jammer Wall lies another 80' cliff, which is steeper and less developed. Animal Charm, 5.10c, is the route of note on it, though the Gray-Harrison, and one of its variation pitches, also runs up it.
Below the Jammer Wall (actually, below the short cliff just below the Jammer Wall), the Provando Wall holds 3 lines: Provando, Riprovando, and Fireworks. Provando is the only "official" multi-pitch route in this area, since it has the only official pitch that runs through the short wall separating this cliff from the Jammer Wall. Its bottom and middle pitches are often wet; its uppermost pitch lies on the Jammer Wall and sees a lot of traffic, in part because of its moderate grade and good trad gear. Riprovando, at 5.10b, is a difficult single pitch option. Fireworks is hard 5.7, and makes a decent "companion" pitch to Firecracker up on the Jammer Wall.
Of particular note, the Jammer Wall has the highest concentration of established and well-cleaned routes, currently 13 and counting. These range from 30' to 70' tall; from 5.2 to 5.11a. It is quick to dry, receives a lot of sunshine well into the afternoon, and boasts some of the finest collection of cracks on the mountain.
Above the Jammer Wall lies another 80' cliff, which is steeper and less developed. Animal Charm, 5.10c, is the route of note on it, though the Gray-Harrison, and one of its variation pitches, also runs up it.
Below the Jammer Wall (actually, below the short cliff just below the Jammer Wall), the Provando Wall holds 3 lines: Provando, Riprovando, and Fireworks. Provando is the only "official" multi-pitch route in this area, since it has the only official pitch that runs through the short wall separating this cliff from the Jammer Wall. Its bottom and middle pitches are often wet; its uppermost pitch lies on the Jammer Wall and sees a lot of traffic, in part because of its moderate grade and good trad gear. Riprovando, at 5.10b, is a difficult single pitch option. Fireworks is hard 5.7, and makes a decent "companion" pitch to Firecracker up on the Jammer Wall.
South Corner
The Upper South Corner extends from above the Land of the Overhangs to above the Long Play Wall.
Early Season Hazards
Above these walls lies an extensive series of small, very dirty cliffs interspersed with sloping, thickly vegetated ledges. Ice builds up in corners, under overhangs, and among the trees over the winter and creates very real danger to anyone climbing on the cliffs below as the ice itself loses cohesion and falls down, or lifts and destabilizes rocks in the shallow soils on the slabs so that they slide off.
Twice, friends and I have seen icefalls, with chunks the size of refrigerators, crash down from 200'+ above and rip up the terrace at the base of First Amendment. Anyone standing there, anyone on the route, would have been killed. I have witnessed large blocks of rock come silently hurtling into the trees of the Jammer Wall ledge as we climbed there; once a twenty pound block came silently out of nowhere to crash into the branches of an unlucky oak tree I was leaning against. It missed me by about 3 meters; it flew through the air about 2 meters from my buddy, who was on lead on Stand Your Ground at the time. Again, certain death had it whacked a head, helmet or no.
While the odds are slim that you will get the axe this way, it's certainly a gamble, not a sure bet for your safety. I strongly suggest staying off the Amendment Wall routes until it is certain the ice is gone (the first time we saw an icefall there was in early May!). I feel the Jammer Wall is safe enough, but never forget that much of Crane Mountain is really alpine-like in character.
Twice, friends and I have seen icefalls, with chunks the size of refrigerators, crash down from 200'+ above and rip up the terrace at the base of First Amendment. Anyone standing there, anyone on the route, would have been killed. I have witnessed large blocks of rock come silently hurtling into the trees of the Jammer Wall ledge as we climbed there; once a twenty pound block came silently out of nowhere to crash into the branches of an unlucky oak tree I was leaning against. It missed me by about 3 meters; it flew through the air about 2 meters from my buddy, who was on lead on Stand Your Ground at the time. Again, certain death had it whacked a head, helmet or no.
While the odds are slim that you will get the axe this way, it's certainly a gamble, not a sure bet for your safety. I strongly suggest staying off the Amendment Wall routes until it is certain the ice is gone (the first time we saw an icefall there was in early May!). I feel the Jammer Wall is safe enough, but never forget that much of Crane Mountain is really alpine-like in character.
Classic Climbing Routes at Upper South Corner Cliffs
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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