DL: Easiest approach to Cleo's?

Attempted a trip to Cleo's Amphitheater on Friday despite the heat, wasn't able to find my way in (only second time at DL and never West Bluff). I followed the directions on MP/the guidebook, taking the West Bluff trail up to a lookout (there was a bench with a plaque on the trail nearby). I could see the needle slightly to the right and another big outcropping to the left, but none of the trails to the left led anywhere close. There was a gap in the trail a few feet from the left of the short walk from trail to outlook that looked like it could have been downclimbed, but I didn't really feel like dragging a beginner down that on their first climb. We ended up going right and went down a trail that eventually led us to the Frigate and Misery, gave up and just did Misery.

Any tips? I'm planning on heading back, if anything just to make up for the frustration of over an hour of bushwacking in 90+ weather.

I got super lost but ended up finding it anyway. West bluff is weird. Maybe it helped that it was April and pre foliage. It's sooner than you think is the only thing I remember. I went wayyyy too far.

I came in a weird way but I remember scrambling a super easy chimney to exit the area so maybe that's the most direct way down?

As far as I know there are two ways down to it, both involve down climbing and neither great for a sketched out beginner. Follow the trail to the lookout rock. From the lookout rock go left, following the edge of the cliff about 30-40 feet The first option is a short slab down climb thing, pretty obvious. The second option is continuing left a little farther, maybe 20 feet. There you can see a very thin “trail”. Going forward on the left you have a steep wall and on the right you have the drop off. This leads past a steep, easy chimney down climb described above. You can see it from the “trail”. Might be an easier way, but those two are the only routes Im aware of.

I would say there are four ways in to Cleo's.  The two most direct ways are the worst for beginners, and are doing the most to contribute to runaway erosion.  These are the two options Spencer describes, and are probably the most common/traditional ways in.  From the first overlook, drop down the obvious inside corner to the North (can be slippery when wet or humid), or follow the bench north and drop down the south-facing chimney (the erosion starting at the bottom of the chimney is horrible).

A third approach is to go to Misery, and traverse under the Frigate and on North to the bottom of Cleo's Needle.  While this is probably the physically easiest way in, you have to be able to find your way around the Frigate, and it can be overgrown with weeds in summer.  It is also not very convenient for setting TRs.

A fourth approach is to go South from the Cleo's overlook, and around the rocky shoulder to the Mitten.  Some scrambling brings you to the base of Barndoor.   However, this is hard to find (even if you are familiar with it) - we should probably mark it with some surveyors' tape.

Doug Hemken wrote: A fourth approach is to go South from the Cleo's overlook, and around the rocky shoulder to the Mitten.  Some scrambling brings you to the base of Barndoor.   However, this is hard to find (even if you are familiar with it) - we should probably mark it with some surveyors' tape.

I think this is the way I went last time. We had a dog with us, so we didn't want to downclimb the easier approaches. It was a bad idea. Cleo's took a lot longer find than we would have liked. We ended up scrambling back up just north of Wiessner Wall. It was a lot easier but still trickier than the standard approach.

Andy, that's a good fifth option.  Perhaps easier to find than the Misery approach, and not entirely unreasonable for TR set ups.

Doug Hemken wrote: Andy, that's a good fifth option.  Perhaps easier to find than the Misery approach, and not entirely unreasonable for TR set ups.

It was a fun scramble (both up and down) and none of it is really exposed. Plus you're on rock for most of it, rather than dirt, so it might limit some erosion.

I'd rather work harder while knowing where I am and where I am going than take an easier route I'm not sure about. As someone who is still becoming familiar with DL's different areas, I find the worst part of my visits is just finding the routes.

Climber's Guide to DL by Sven has GPS coordinates. Super handy for finding crags, especially West Bluff, especially in the summer.

Thanks for all the info y'all- I don't feel as bad about getting lost now, and definitely have a better chance of getting there next time. 

I personally feel that Lost Face is the most difficult place to access, physically, followed by Cleos and then the West Rampart.  Then there are lots of places that are difficult to **find** but not necessarily difficult to access, if you see the distinction I'm trying to make.  There are lots of crags that are difficult to find ... kind of surprising given how small the Park actually is.

Option 6: Gully immediately north of Queen's Throne/Queen's face. We take the "standard" approach from the lookout rock, but then scramble down to the large ledge above Queen's Throne (next to the King's Throne formation). Immediately north of this ledge is a gully. It's fairly steep, but blocky. Kind of like dropping down several large stair steps. We've also done the chimney downclimb, but as Doug mentions, the erosion is horrendous. We find the gully to be less sketchy overall.

Andrew Krajnik wrote: Option 6: Gully immediately north of Queen's Throne/Queen's face. We take the "standard" approach from the lookout rock, but then scramble down to the large ledge above Queen's Throne (next to the King's Throne formation). Immediately north of this ledge is a gully. It's fairly steep, but blocky. Kind of like dropping down several large stair steps. We've also done the chimney downclimb, but as Doug mentions, the erosion is horrendous. We find the gully to be less sketchy overall.

In my opinion, the "Queen's Stairs" as my friends and I call them are the way to go. The hardest part for a beginner is the 7ft down to the ledge above Queens Throne.

Brandon White wrote:
In my opinion, the "Queen's Stairs" as my friends and I call them are the way to go. The hardest part for a beginner is the 7ft down to the ledge above Queens Throne.

Agreed. The stairs themselves are pretty chill, but that 7-ft drop feels sketchy the first time(s) you do it. That said, we've found it to be the best approach, even with our kids.

We've never attempted the slab approach or coming over from Misery, but we've done the standard chimney, as well as the scramble around the south side of the lookout.

Andrew Krajnik wrote:

Agreed. The stairs themselves are pretty chill, but that 7-ft drop feels sketchy the first time(s) you do it. That said, we've found it to be the best approach, even with our kids.

Yeah, once you find the couple key hands and feet though, its super secure and easy, even with a pack.

Option 8: Park on Cottage Rd, walk up Tumbled Rocks trail for a couple minutes and shwack up the left side Turk's Head Ridge (or climb the ridge), then veer off near Weissner's. Not recommended for newer visitors.

OR - you set an easy anchor on Queen’s Throne (another excellent 5.4 and great first lead) by slinging the horn and/or placing cams in the crack, rap in, and pull the rope.  You might even be able to rap directly off the block, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t know what you’re doing.