PRINT: Rock Climb Planet Earth, Sweetwater Rocks

Planet Earth

5.11a, Trad, 500 ft (152 m), 4 pitches, Grade II,

Avg: 4 from 2 votes
FA: Greg Collins et al, 1992
Wyoming > Sweetwater Rocks > Lankin Dome

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.

Access Issue: Close gates after passing through Details

For respect of the local ranchers, always close the gates after passing through. Approach from the Nolan Pocket side is usually not restricted but there are closures for grazing leases on the Lankin Gap side from March-June. Be polite and non-confrontive to ranchers.

Description

This is another stellar climb by the amazing Greg Collins. Hats off to Greg. This is right up there with Red Nations as being a great, great climb. The first pitch starts just to the right of the bottom of the 4th class crack going up to the Tree Route. Class 4 slab (short pitch) to a ledge with a little tree on it. The next pitch is 5.4 I suppose and goes to the two bolt anchor below and sltly left of the left facing dihedral above. The third pitch starts with the crux, several thin 11a face moves to the bottom of the dihedral. A BD microcam (#0 or #1) is handy when you get to the roof under the corner. Proceed up the dihedral, using a lot of runners to minimize rope drag (5.7/5.8). A second crux is near the top of this corner, just before you reach the bolt. I found a #0 tricam and a medium/small HB nut helped a lot here to protect the moves to the bolt. Clip the bolt and proceed up outrageously exposed and fun crimping to the top of the dihedral, where you flip around onto the outside edge on a couple of incut crimps. Proceed into a shallow bowl and clip the bolt with a sigh of relief. Two more 5.9 or 9+ bulges (bolts) lead to the two bolt belay. The fourth pitch takes a cool head, as it is very led out with scarce protection. It generally goes straight up, but wind a round a lot to find the most feasible way.

Location

This route is identified by the prominent left facing dhihedral about 300 ft. up, on the wall right of the Tree Route. Scramble up to the beginning of the class 4 crack leading up to the Tree Route and begin the climb on a class 4 slab leading to a ledge with a little tree on it (the first belay). From there, up to the bottom of the dihedral. Descend by the Cowboy Route or rappel Red Nations.

Protection

Rack of stoppers, set of Camelots to #3, RPs or (I found) a few small-medium HB nuts, set of tricams, a #0 and a #1 BD microcams are nice to have. Take 6-8 single length runners or so, and clips.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Lankin Dome, South Face, Dubble Routes: Sky Route= green. Heart of Stone = black. Red Nations = red. Planet Earth = blue. Venus and Mars = purple. Crevasse Route = yellow

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Erik Gearhart
Seattle, WA

5.11a PG13

Agree with the beta on the micro nuts on the dihedral at the top. And I'm still mad about Greg Collins sandbagging me into guiding a student up this while I was instructing a NOLS instructor course training! PS--the moves around the bolt before moving into the dihedral were quite difficult--way harder than the 10- rating he claimed at the time. Ahh, Greg! Aug 19, 2013

Justin Loyka

What a great route! Interesting rock the whole way, but obviously you're here mostly for the dihedral. The dihedral climbs real weird, and has all kinds of climbing. Just an all around classic pitch. The lead was heady in spots but I was pleasantly surprised about the quality of the protection most of the way. Bring a tiny stopper or two though. Apr 10, 2020