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

Bush Rush

5.9-, Trad, 40 ft (12 m),  Avg: 2.3 from 94 votes
FA: Paul Davidson, Kim Spence, late '70s.
Arizona > Northern Arizona > Flagstaff Area > Oak Creek Canyo… > Overlook
Warning Access Issue: Climbing restricted due to tourist safety DetailsDrop down

Description

A short route with a short crux, but good moves on good stone. If it were 100' tall, it could have been classic... but it isn't.
This climb goes up a boulder to a horizontal, then up an obtuse corner with a finger-to hand crack for a few 5.9 moves before topping out on lower angle broken rock. The crux is getting fully established in the crack after the horizontal and protects overhead.

Location

This is the second route encountered on the main wall of the overlook, heading back from the descent to the railings.

Protection

A few nuts and 1 set of cams to 3"
Building an anchor up top is a little problematic and requires solid judgement.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Bush Rush
[Hide Photo] Bush Rush
Bush Rush- short but sweet.
[Hide Photo] Bush Rush- short but sweet.
High-stepping out of the crux.
[Hide Photo] High-stepping out of the crux.
Near the crux bulge
[Hide Photo] Near the crux bulge
Working the crack
[Hide Photo] Working the crack

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] FA: Paul Davidson, Kim Spence, late '70s.

It's possible this was done earlier by Baxter/Dexter/Karlstrom but it was probably too short for them to have even looked at, had a bush in it and when we did it there was nothing in the original Alpineer guide that described it. Don't suppose anyone has a clue where that piece of history got off to ? Larry, do you have it ?

Name came from the bush that used to grow out of the crux area and that Sr. Spence fought with on the first. I let him thrash with it, get most of the gear then in my typical fashion snaked his lead.

The bush grew there for many years, but there's no trace of it now that I could see just walking by it.

I think we originally rated this 5.8 because it was such a short thing (toula's original orange guide calls it out at 5.8, 5.9 is probably more accurate but 5.8 might be in keeping with the local std.)

This is a climb that has spanked a lot of first time visitors. It's the first real obvious thing you come to and in today's sport world, size no longer matters, so a lot of folks jump on it.
It looks pretty easy but as I recall, it's a bit of an off hand/finger size that requires some pure jamming for a couple of moves. So if you're versed in cracks, no problem, if you haven't done many then this one might feel pretty stiff for the grade.

FWIW - many of our belays at the Overlook involved running the rope many feet back to a solid pine and tying it off, coming back out to the edge and then getting some directionals in.

For example, I believe for this belay, you can use the pine at the top of Dugald's Route. Oct 28, 2008
ScooterV Valuikas
Chandler, AZ
[Hide Comment] If you think this short crack is a 9- then you have skinny fingers. I hit a spot below the crux the only hold for my left hand was my two fingers on my right hand.
Oct 8, 2010
Bigbad WOLF Anderson
Tucson, AZ
 
[Hide Comment] good introduction route to the area, short sweet May 24, 2011
Jon Ruland
Tucson, AZ
  5.9
[Hide Comment] IIRC you don't have to jam the crack in the section that would be finger stacks for someone with average hands, which makes it considerably easier. Oct 27, 2015
Josh B
Flagstaff, AZ
 
[Hide Comment] for 15 feet I could’ve believed I was climbing at the waterfall, rad! anchor seemed great to me, save a #4, #3 and a .5 Aug 19, 2022