PRINT: Rock Climb Silence of the Poodles, Owens River Gorge

Silence of the Poodles

5.9, Trad, Sport, 50 ft (15 m),

Avg: 3.1 from 46 votes
FA: Geoff Fullerton
California > Sierra Eastside > Bishop Area > Owens River Gorge > Upper Gorge > Cracked Towers

Access Issue: Bridges Out! IMPORTANT LADWP NEGOTIATIONS!! Details

Due to liability concerns, bridges are being removed in the Owens River Gorge at the request of LADWP. The Bishop Area Climbers Coalition and the Access Fund are currently in negotiations with LADWP to get this issue resolved. In the meantime, please continue to be good land stewards by respecting these bridge closures and finding alternate crossing points until this issue is resolved.

1) Never park or camp overnight at the access points.
2) Always park off the pavement, taking great care to avoid blocking the gates.
3) Clean up after your dogs. (Local climbers are finding abandoned doggie poop bags.)
4) Pack out all trash and TP, including picking up after others.
5) Use the outhouses if at all possible.

Description

This high quality route starts with a sweet crack corner system which is jammed and laybacked up to a big jug and a stance below the small overlap. From here pass 2 more bolts up the tricky face/seam to the anchors. Felt a bit harder than the other 5.8's in the area.

Protection

8 bolts

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Aerili on "Silence of the Poodles".<br>
Photo by Blitzo.

Aerili on "Silence of the Poodles". Photo by Blitzo.

Just before the tiny 'roof' section.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Kevin Friedrich

A great route. Easily the hardest yet also one of the best .8's in the gorge. If this route was in yos it would be .8 though. Apr 20, 2007

J Hickok
Hamilton, MT

Maybe don't bring the gear just for this one, but if you did bring the gear this could be a good warm up. Mar 29, 2015

BruceB
Reno, NV

5.8

Fun hand crack with a little face climbing. Solid 5.8.
Bring the rack for this and a bunch of great trad routes at the Dihedrals. Clean rock and nice splitters. Apr 28, 2015

grabski
N California

5.9

Fun, and thinner than expected in places. I agree, felt hard for a 5.8 relative to the area. Jan 25, 2016

BAd

5.9

Sorry, folks: SOLID 5.9. Even in Yos. I did 5.9 pitches on HD and El Cap that felt just like this. Don't go in expecting a nice 5.8 romp. Good climbing, though!

BAd Jul 26, 2017

Jeff Scheuerell

5.9

I think I could come up with a list of 8s in the valley that many would have more trouble on than this. How about even the 1st pitch of After 6?

Poodles is great and very well protected, get on it! Nov 6, 2020

Brendan Cathcart
Bishop, CA

Was at this climb today. Fully sport bolted now. Nov 6, 2020

Salamanizer Ski
Off the Grid…

That sucks, why does everything have to be so light duty...? Nov 13, 2020

BAd

5.9

@Jeff: Hah! Point taken. Truth be told, I could identify at least one 5.7 in the Valley that leaders of this route would struggle on--first pitch of DNB. Heh.

While I get it that "no one takes trad gear into the Gorge, so bolt it," this really was a nice, very well protected mixed route. Shoulda stayed that way, imho. It will get climbed more, however. A good thing? Jul 29, 2021

Jeff Scheuerell

5.9

Ya dude that first pitch of the DMB, holy shizz bomb. IYF! Jul 29, 2021