PRINT: Rock Climb Stargazer, Sweetwater Rocks

Stargazer

5.7, Sport, 2 pitches,

Avg: 2.8 from 6 votes
FA: Thomas & Angela Williams
Wyoming > Sweetwater Rocks > Moonstone > Main Moonstone

Access Issue: Sticky situation Details

This place is desolate and dangerous WYO desert with very few amenities nearby, and zero assistance should you find your pretty-little-self in a bind.

The people are ornery and the land is mean. I don't recommend coming here at all. If the rednecks, miners, roughnecks vagabonds or land doesn't get ya, some dehydrated whacked-out windblown sunbeaten climber just might. . . . Sweetwater Rocks and adjacent areas require LOW-profiles and LOTS of respect and consideration. Keep all fences/gates as you found them. Do not build fires. Adhere to all posted signs. Do not drive off of existing paths (roads). Do not let your dog run around (chances are great that it'll be shot, bitten, trampled or fed upon). Do not take anything from this land. . . and do not leave anything. Good BLM quads are essential (make sure they're up to date). Granite Mtns (Sweetwater) area closures are adjustable and are done so via ranchers and BLM officiales. Great tracts of this area are privately owned; meaning that they are always closed. For example: Lankin Dome BLM as of last year was closed 04-30 thru 06-31 for public AND private lands; between 03-01 thru 04-31 it was closed on private land. So, sometimes private easements are opened, and sometimes they aren't. . . same with public lands; oh, and mining claims too! Pay particular attention to any signage and postings.

Description

Facing the Moonstone Slab, behind the cabin, there is an obvious bolt route following the deepest, bright white, water runnel at the left edge of the face. It's further left than anything listed in Lander Rocks.

Don't be deceived by angle of the slab. This is not a "sport route" and requires 2 double rope rap's to descend.

Look for a very high first bolt, next to the runnel, and slab up to it, 2 more bolts will get you to an anchor station, maybe 5.4. It's an optical illusion, but from here, you're about 150' off the ground, needing 2 ropes to descend.

Pitch 2: Continue up the steeper runnel, over more difficult climbing w/ a few more (6) bolts to a 2nd anchor station, maybe 5.7.

2 double rope raps will get you to the ground.

Location

The furthest L route on the Moonstone "Slab" proper.

Protection

Bolts, "a few", double anchors for the rap's.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

1st slab in all its glory, Ari and curt slabbin

Same route in evening light

Approx. line of Stargazer

Ron rappelling the route

Hard to beat Dave's photos, but these are the 3 routes I did on this section. There are 3 more routes to the left of Stargazer, among others in the photo. Feel free to add others.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Dave Bohn aka "Old Fart"
Fort Collins, CO

5.7

Bumping just to see if anyone knows the name, FA, or rating. Jul 2, 2007

Tomaz
Lakewood, Colorado

5.6

Hello. My wife (at the time) and I put this route up during the summer of 2002. It is called Stargazer. We rated it 5.6+. I don't generally go around bolting 5.6, but my wife was pregnant at the time and still wanted to climb some easy routes. Wasn't much of that around here at the time. Thus, we created Stargazer. Of course, I drilled it on lead from the ground up. As I recall, I used some hardware store variety un-welded shuts for the anchors atop the 1st and 2nd pitches. I've been meaning to replace those, but have not been back out there in several years. I hope to make it back up there this Summer to do a few things in the Winds and maybe Lankin Dome again. I'll replace those shuts with something better if they are still there. Other than the belay hardware, I used Rawl/Powers 5 pc bolts with either Metoleus or Fixe hangers everywhere else.

We used to spend a fair amount of time out there in Miller Pocket and at the Miller Cabin. Very peaceful area with lots of "adventure" climbing.

Best to keep a low-profile out here, wave to the ranchers, and leave all gates as found.

Thomas Williams & Angela Williams
Lakewood, Colorado Apr 15, 2008

Timmy Kessel
Fort Collins, CO

Great route. Dancing up great rock. High first bolt but real easy climbing. Bolts are getting a bit old, but still looked and felt tight and in decent condition. Oct 16, 2022