PRINT: Rock Climb Red Planet, Sedona Area

Red Planet

5.13a/b, Trad, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 4 from 8 votes
FA: John Mattson
Arizona > Northern Arizona > Sedona Area > W Sedona > Dry Creek Rd Area > Fin

Description

Red Planet is one of the few hard crack lines in Sedona. The line features steep bouldery climbing on ring locks and baggy fingers.

Unfortunately, the route shares the mungy, but easy first pitch of Big Corner. After wading through choss to a 2 bolt anchor, traverse left on 3 bolts and more detached pillars to the obvious crack. The business is the next 30' after which the angle eases and mostly thin fingers take you to the anchor. The pitch is about 100' long; a 60m rope will just work to get you back to the belay.

Location

Right of the popular Mars Attacks. Starts as for the route Big Corner, but peels off left after the first pitch. Obvious overhanging fingercrack on the wall left of the Big Corner.

Protection

Pro:-
60m rope
7-8 runners
1-2 Red C3
2 .3 C4
2 .4 C4
1-2 Orange TCU (.5's were a little too tight at and above the roof)
2-3 .5 C4
3 .75 C4 (Could bring a 4th if you think you might be aiding)
#1 C4
#2 C4

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Jeff Snyder on an attempt

and a few moves later, which is just the start of the crux.

Red Planet 4/2010

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

misterclimberman

5.13

here is some added rack beta. my friend was just on it, so i still have no certainty of the size, its just heresay. i will give in depth rack beta as soon as i get on it. the most important thing is the 1-1.5 (.5-.75 camalot) inch pieces. more notably, several in-between that size is useful, and helps with confidence inspiration. I believe a gold alien would be a very helpful size. Apr 28, 2006

Braxton Norwood
Billings Montana

What are the ratings for each pitch? May 11, 2008

Chris Tatum
Flagstaff, AZ

First pitch is 5.8 or so... kind of chossy but short. Pitch two is the business. Dec 13, 2008

bjglenn

Was climbing Mars Attacks yesterday (3.26.10) and watched a guy just finishing Red Planet as we were rappeling. Thought I would add a comment as I'm guessing this route is rarely completed (possibly 4 assents now???). Mar 27, 2010

chuck claude
Flagstaff, Az

More than that,

after the first ascent by John Matteson, ATLEAST Kyle, PeeWee, Ben, Nick, and those are the people I know of (or atleast heard of second hand) and I expect there are probably several/many more. Its a hard route but very doable. Mar 29, 2010

chuck claude
Flagstaff, Az

Ok now its

1)John Mattson
2)Peewee Oullett
3)Nick Berry
4)Kyle Edmonson(fall 2009)
5)Ben Williams (spring 2010)
6)Matt Swartz (Spring 2010)
7)Alex Honnold (summer 2010)(onsight: based on second hand sources so it could be wrong)
8) Jeff Snyder (Oct 2011)

I think I got the order right. Hell, with all the traffic it's seeing, it saw 4 ascents in it's first 11 years, but it may see 4 ascents this year.

Note: the first pitch continues to get clearer/worse. Jeff dislodged the huge flake before the roof one the first pitch (which was ineviditable) and I kicked loose a huge flake before that

As for gear,

0 BD C3 (blue aliens) to 2 (yellow) BD C4. Multiples of 0.5 and 0.75 for the crux, 0.4 and 0.3 for before and after the crux only 1 1.0 or 2.0 BD C4 (you can carry both or just one of the 1 and 2). 3 quickdraws for the traverse (now the flake has partially fallen off) and 1 quickdraw for up higher. Apr 18, 2010

chuck claude
Flagstaff, Az

Gear list is

Green BD C3 to Green 0.75 with a yellow #2 C4 or Red #1 C4 (they protect the same section).

3-4 0.75 C4's
2-3 0.5 C4's
2-3 0.4 C4's
2 0.3 C4
2-3 BD 1 C3 (or 0.2C4)
yellow/red C4
4 draws for the route and then 2 for the anchor draws

or atleast that is what I use Nov 1, 2010

Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM

vimeo.com/147817117 Jan 21, 2016

Blake M

Highly recommend more than 4 draws unless you are a fan of rope drag. Feb 15, 2017