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Almost Overlooked

5.6 PG13, Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 3 pitches,  Avg: 2.1 from 14 votes
FA: Briqan (Brian?) Holcomb & Richard Warren - July 1989
New Mexico > Albuquerque Area > Sandia Mountains > Chimney Canyon > Sentinel

Description

P1 - 5.7, 30+ feet: Once above the 15 or 20 foot crack, head mostly up while trending left to below a bulge with a kind of hard-to-see button-head bolt - more like a large boulder. Unlock the rightward moves above the bolt/bulge (5.7), then continue up past the very short evergreen tree, reaching a nice, flat, large-ish belay ledge about 30 feet above the tree. Roughly 3/4 inch gear for the anchor.

P2 - 5.7, 30+ feet: Head up on easy terrain to a bit below the left side of the roof. Follow cracks up and rightward to the approximate middle of the roof. Traverse right (5.7) and then up out from under the roof on thin pro. Continue up to the top. Can encircle the summit’s boulder pile with rope for anchor.

P2 Var - 5.7, 30+ feet: This is probably the better of the two ways to finish, especially if a party is  there to climb Lost Ledge as well. Thanks to kevinnlong for commenting about it.

Head slightly to the climber's left from the big ledge area. Make your way up through a minor trough minimizing use of large stacked blocks just on your left. Continue up the trough passing a prominant 10 foot right facing flake, avoiding it by staying right a few feet. Just below some overhanging features, traverse right about 5 feet on good rock and then head up to the top.

Location

Start at the base clockwise from North Ridge, hiking around a corner and up dirt about 20 feet.  The route begins straight up a very clean ~one inch crack that is about 15 or 20 feet tall; see the below photo for the locations of the start and the hard-to-see bolt.

Protection

Standard rack.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Joe leading the upper section of Almost Overlooked
[Hide Photo] Joe leading the upper section of Almost Overlooked
George belays Bill as he passes the hard-to-see bolt.
[Hide Photo] George belays Bill as he passes the hard-to-see bolt.
Bill finishes via the left variation of P2.
[Hide Photo] Bill finishes via the left variation of P2.
Starting up Almost Overlooked, just below the piton.
[Hide Photo] Starting up Almost Overlooked, just below the piton.
The piton
[Hide Photo] The piton
Start of P1 is marked, as well as the location of the hard-to-see bolt.
[Hide Photo] Start of P1 is marked, as well as the location of the hard-to-see bolt.
Orange shows the finish I completed. Blue looked to be a possible variation of this.
[Hide Photo] Orange shows the finish I completed. Blue looked to be a possible variation of this.
Almost Overlooked Approximate Route. The upper section of the route I took shares the finish with Lost Ledges.
[Hide Photo] Almost Overlooked Approximate Route. The upper section of the route I took shares the finish with Lost Ledges.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Steven Reneau
5.6
[Hide Comment] At the base, we tried the 1-inch crack and the face just left of it, ~8 ft right of the log. Perhaps more interesting than the crack with vege to the left, but the right crack ends at a ledge easily reachable from the ground, so didn’t add much. We did not find the button-head bolt, but found a piton with a screwgate down left from the short pine tree. Maybe we were left of the bulge, bypassing the crux? Reached the belay ledge at ~35 m. After traversing right below the P2 roof, joined the upper part of Lost Ledge for the finish. Our route seemed like 5.6 or easy 5.7, easier than Lost Ledge. Sep 26, 2011
Bill Lawry
Albuquerque, NM
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Good summary, Steven R. The "bulge" has a bit of contrived feeling to it at first. But I believe the terrain there and for a little bit beyond is interesting. Also, since the write up, I've done the start at the 1-inch crack and agree with you. Sep 26, 2011
Mike Mills
Albuquerque, NM
  5.6
[Hide Comment] I also never did find the button head bolt, but did find the piton with a screwgate quicklink in the location described above. This climb can be done in 1 pitch with a 70m rope but rope drag was a bit of a hassle. A 60 m rope would involve some simul-climbing to complete in 1 pitch. Oct 9, 2011
kevinnlong
Boulder, CO
  5.6 PG13
[Hide Comment] There is an excellent variation on P2 (or the upper part of a single P1).

Instead of cruising upward and to the climber's right, head slightly to the climber's left from the big ledge area. Make your way up to a minor trough with a prominant 10 foot right facing flake. Climb to the climber's right of the flake up good rock and good pro. Finish at the summit to the climber's left of the traditional finish.

This variation is certainly 5.7-5.8 depending on your choices.

According to A. Simmons, DON'T PULL ON THE FLAKE; it may be loose. There is plenty of good climbing 5 feet right of it or to the left of it. Jun 25, 2012
Bill Lawry
Albuquerque, NM
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Revised the description to coincide with the start described in Mike Hill's guide. Jul 15, 2012