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

Galactic Hitchhiker

5.12d, Sport, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 3.3 from 25 votes
FA: Rodney
Arizona > Northern Arizona > Sedona Area > Sedona > Twin Butte > W Twin Butte > Planetarium

Description

Cool route up the right side of the cave. Start in a dihedral and stem up to the roof. Pull the roof and take a rest. Don't clip the bolt in the upper dihedral (the straight up version has not been sent). Clip the bolt on the right, move right, then up and back left to the top of the dihedral. Up to anchors. The crux is after the rest and is a powerful boulder problem.

Location

Right side of the cave.

Protection

Bolts

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Tim Emmett climbs Galactic Hitchhiker in the setting sun. He was oh-so-close to on-sighting this thing. Photo by Tim Sinson.
[Hide Photo] Tim Emmett climbs Galactic Hitchhiker in the setting sun. He was oh-so-close to on-sighting this thing. Photo by Tim Sinson.
Climber: Justin Turner<br> Photo: Ryan Borys
[Hide Photo] Climber: Justin Turner Photo: Ryan Borys
sweet stemming
[Hide Photo] sweet stemming
Clay on Galactic Hitchhiker.
[Hide Photo] Clay on Galactic Hitchhiker.
gettin' her done
[Hide Photo] gettin' her done
Nice big sloper jug
[Hide Photo] Nice big sloper jug
Resting up with an arm bar just before the crux.
[Hide Photo] Resting up with an arm bar just before the crux.
Really cool moves on the dihedral.
[Hide Photo] Really cool moves on the dihedral.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Michael Sokoloff
Spokane, WA
[Hide Comment] Excellent, varied route. Really fun stemming in a corner to tough boulder problem crux.

The bolt following the crux is too far left and causes a ton of ropedrag for the not-so-hard moves to the anchor. I'd suggest backcleaning once on the ledge or just skipping it. It may be worth adding a bolt further right.

Has the left version been sent yet? Mar 25, 2009
Eric Foster
Flagstaff, AZ
  5.13a
[Hide Comment] Anyone have a guess at what grade the left side might go at? Jan 15, 2012
Hamlincheese
  5.12c
[Hide Comment] Fantastic crux! Jan 29, 2012
Chris Kalman
  5.12+
[Hide Comment] Just as good as Mission to Mars, I thought. Crux moves felt harder to me than the cruxes on Mission, but Mission felt pumpier. The bolting isn't perfect, but it's fine. Rope drag at the end is inconsequential. Mar 7, 2020
Peter Horgan
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] No send, but definitely the best route I did while visiting Sedona. I did not feel any rope drag from the bolt out left before the crux. The bolt at the crux was a bit loose as of today, 11/10/23. Nov 10, 2023