PRINT: Rock Climb Insane In The Membrane, Owens River Gorge

Insane In The Membrane

5.12b, Sport, 60 ft (18 m),

Avg: 2.9 from 25 votes
FA: Fred Berman & Marty Lewis, February 1994
California > Sierra Eastside > Bishop Area > Owens River Gorge > Inner Gorge > Staying Power 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 route climbs a mostly vertical face on good edges with the crux being a slightly thinner sequence of crimps about midway up.

Short and to the point, this atypical route favors technique and bouldering skills more than endurance, and seemed a slightly easier tick than the neighboring Thieves In The Temple (5.12a).

Location

Located on the right side of the Staying Power Towers just right of the long and classic Blood Sugar Sex Magik (5.10d).

Protection

6 bolts, bolted anchor

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

James Lucas
Boulder, CO

Who loves to toprope this route? I do! I do! Feb 3, 2012

Aaron Cassebeer
Tehachapi, CA

5.12b

A difficult onsight. Once I worked out the moves I really enjoyed the crux sequence. Good flow on pretty small holds. It's also a little more interesting than the average crimp-pull-repeat routes in the middle gorge. Probably lower quality only because it's short. Nov 15, 2016