Mountain Project Logo
To save paper & ink, use the [Hide] controls next to photos and comments so you only print what you need.

Boortemus

5.10+, Trad, 30 ft (9 m),  Avg: 3 from 42 votes
FA: Brian Hudson, Rob Stahl and Dave Stahl, 1980
California > Joshua Tree NP > Indian Cove > Rattlesnake Canyon > Iceberg Boulder… > Boortemus Boulder
Warning Access Issue: Temporary Closure in effect from April 3 to June 15, 2024 DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: Climbing Regulations/Seasonal Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

A beautiful line located on a large boulder 100 yards west of the Iceberg Boulder. Slightly offset so you can't see it until you're on top of it or just past it. Right off the ground a couple of moves of very tight hands lead to 30 feet or so of awesome gently overhanging hands. This would be a three star route if it were only longer. As it is, it is excellent and one of the best cracks in Indian Cove for sure. On excellent rock and with excellent protection and sinker jams and a low crux, this is an excellent route for someone wanting to push their crack leading level.

Protection

.5" to 3", take several hand sized pieces. 2 bolt anchor, but if missing requires 3-5" gear or sling something massive a long ways back from the edge.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Richard Shore leading Boortemus 5.10d in less-than-ideal conditions. Photo: A. Kentner
[Hide Photo] Richard Shore leading Boortemus 5.10d in less-than-ideal conditions. Photo: A. Kentner
Josh Higgins leads Boortemus (5.10d), Indian Cove.
[Hide Photo] Josh Higgins leads Boortemus (5.10d), Indian Cove.
The Blortemus party flier (circa 1981)
[Hide Photo] The Blortemus party flier (circa 1981)
Boortemus
[Hide Photo] Boortemus
Boortemus
[Hide Photo] Boortemus
Boortemus
[Hide Photo] Boortemus
A.K. on Boortemus.
[Hide Photo] A.K. on Boortemus.
Boortemus
[Hide Photo] Boortemus
An attempt to help you appreciate the angle.
[Hide Photo] An attempt to help you appreciate the angle.
Black & White Boortemus!!!
[Hide Photo] Black & White Boortemus!!!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

C Miller
CA
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] About 10b if you have less than large hands...nice but short. Mar 5, 2003
Josh Beck
  5.10+
[Hide Comment] A female friend of ours who also led it commented that it felt harder than Heart of Darkness... so much for ratings ;) I thought 10+ was reasonably fair, though it was short. Mar 5, 2003
[Hide Comment] Boortemus is a corruption of Blortemus. The Blortemus was the name of a band from the Pomona/Diamond Bar area in the '70s. One of the members had a brother who climbed with the FA party and was apparently fond of blurting it out...it's a fun word to say! Mar 28, 2006
Will S
Joshua Tree
  5.10d
[Hide Comment] Hand size will determine the crux; average people will find it in the tight hands down low, while small folks might find it being the wide cups higher up. Great route; if it were only 3-4x as long it would be a five-star mega-classic. Dec 25, 2006
Andy Laakmann
Bend, OR
  5.10+
[Hide Comment] Like Will said... your handsize will determine which section is the crux - this short little baby has a bit of sting for all hand sizes. Good physical fun. Bring BIG gear (#4-#5 camalots) for the belay anchor. Or do like I did and send down the rope afterwards for the big stuff. Apr 12, 2007
susan peplow
Joshua Tree
 
[Hide Comment] As Will described, people with smaller hands might find the start to be easier than the off-sized hands above. Muliple hangs as my hands slid out of the crack finally got me to the summit.

Harder than Illusion Dweller, Fisticuffs, Rubicon. IMO

~Sooze Sep 19, 2009
nathanael
San Diego
 
[Hide Comment] 2 bolts on top now days. no rings, walk off
youtube.com/watch?v=57uHp2s… Dec 4, 2016
Daniel Evans
Phoenix, AZ
  5.10+
[Hide Comment] Not 50 ft as the description suggests. This is shorter than Heart of Darkness by about 8-10 ft or so. Jan 9, 2018
Tradiban
951-527-7959
[Hide Comment] I feel like I have larger than average hands (I don't know, I don't go around comparing) and the crux was tight but solid. 2 #3s will sew up the top section. Mar 28, 2021
No Dak
San Diego
[Hide Comment] It might be 100 yards by the flight of the crow from Iceberg, but it’s 300-400 trail yards west of Iceberg.

Varnish inside the crack at the top sounds very hollow.

Great crack!!! Feb 19, 2023
Matthew Pieper
Henderson, NV
 
[Hide Comment] "Life swings like a pendulum, backward and forward, between boortemus and boredom" - Schopenhauzer Dec 16, 2024