Sheep Rock Finger Crack

Sheep Rock Finger Crack (5.5-) is harder than the CMC route (5.2) but still the best easy route to the summit of Sheep Rock. It is an outstanding traditionally protected climb for mountaineers comfortable with the rough third class approach. The crack is splitter with endless finger locks adding a big wall ambiance to the easy angled slab (1,250 foot hike, 2 easy pitches, rappelling required).

Sheep Rock Finger Crack starts down right of the obvious Lightning Bolts. The crux initial finger crack is followed by a short traverse left that gains a second crack that peters out before the summit. Sarah's photo shows the crux really well.

About 30 feet higher, there is a rusty 1/4" Leeper buttonhead. There is good gear in the crack for an optional belay. Using the Rusty Bolt Belay provides a less stretchy catch for followers. After the belay, continue up the thin crack until it ends, and continue up slab to the gear belay at about 90 meters off the ground. Jeremy's photo shows the second pitch. The follower is a few feet above the Rusty Bolt Belay. The leader is at the 90 meter gear belay.

If one prefers to do the boltless final 30 meters roped, then be reassured that there is a good anchor crack on top.

Another worthy finish uses the wider crack to the right. Traversing to this crack is very easy and finishes via the upper Hubbel Route. To do this route as a single pitch could end anchorless. To avoid a tenuous "butt belay" it is possible to traverse to the bolt anchors on either Lightning Bolts or The Hubbel Route. Connecting to the second pitch of Lightning Bolts is possible but harder. Thunderstorms make the summit a dangerous place.

Approaches

There are three main ways to approach the two hundred foot west face slabs of the Sheep Rock summit dome.

First, the hiking approach. From the car, head upstream and cross at "Goose Creek Meadows".

Hike up rugged Helens Gully to the Cave Camp bivy. At the south end of the flat bivy area, drop down south along the left side of a house-sized boulder, and follow tape markers (hopefully) across talus, gravel slabs, fallen logs, and thorny brush until the "Ranch Route" is reached. Two faded trail markers on a post mark the junction with the trail up from the Lost Valley Ranch. It is possible to takes a more direct and gnarly left (north) variant. Instead, we have preferred the longer right-hand traverse (southeast). The crux slab-walking, past a gnarled little pine, accesses the much easier south rib of Acid Rock. Pleasant trail and easy slab-walking, with a good view of the Velcro Wall, end close to the Sheep Rock-Acid Rock Col. If you find the easiest way, then a bit of downhill ends at the base of the Finger Crack Route. Crawling through the exposed window arch along the way is fun but not required.

Second, hike Helen's gully, and do a route on Acid Rock. Or, do a route on Helen's Dome and then Acid Rock. The Mountain Project pages for Helen Wheels and Cookie Monster have photos to help with the connection from Helen's Dome to Acid Rock.

Third, gnarly climbers commonly climb a route up the Land That Time Forgot (North Face), and then bag the summit via the Finger Crack Route. 

Rappelling

There is no reasonable walk off from the summit.  The CMC/South Ramp route used the Finger Crack to descent (Trail and Timberline, 1960s). The backside is an incredible overhang of blank rock. A single 60 meter rope will be enough length to rappel either The Hubbel Route (3 raps) or Lightning Bolts (2 raps), all from 1/2" stainless bolts with rings. Then, either reverse the approach or hike to the top of Acid Rock and do five single rope rappels down the Cookie Monster /Highway to Helen routes.

There are also two other ways off Sheep Rock. For a true mountaineering traverse, there is an anchor north of the summit. The first wild rappel from the summit joins Over the Hills and Far Away (30 meters). After a second 30 meter rappel past Hills' excellent wide crack 5.10 corner, look for a 4th Class traverse southeast to the final two rappels of Over the Hills.... The class four traverse can also be used to access Polyphemus Dome.

The second alternative down the Land that Time Forgot. After rappelling Sheep Rock, hike about 70 meters towards the summit of Acid Rock. The first anchor is on a mildly exposed promontory, a fun overlook to spy on the Acid Rock sector of the Land That Time Forgot. It seems that some have survived rappelling the north face with a single 70 meter rope. That needs field checking or more comments. It is about three rappels to the base of the face. The exit hike starts rough but improves, and the best part of the trail can be seen from the first anchor. At the junction of the Land That Time Forgot trail with the horse trail, you must turn left, and hike uphill to the gentle saddle at the start of Helen's Gully. Many have made a wrong turn!

There is no reasonable walk off from the summit except for the bighorn sheep.  The 5.2 CMC/South Ramp route used a piton in the upper Finger Crack to descent (Trail and Timberline, 1960s).  The backside is an incredible overhang of blank rock.  A single 60-meter rope will be enough length to rappel either the Hubbel Route (3 raps) or Lightning Bolts (2 raps), all from 1/2" stainless bolts with rings.  Then, either reverse the approach or hike to the top of Acid Rock and do five single rope rappels down the Cookie Monster/Highway to Helen routes.

There are also two other ways off Sheep Rock.  For a true mountaineering traverse, there is an anchor north of the summit. The first wild rappel from the summit joins Over the Hills and Far Away (35-meters).  After a second 35-meter rappel past Hills' excellent wide crack 5.10 corner, look for a 4th class traverse to a visible bolt southeast to the find final two rappels of Over the Hills, 30-meters then finally a 40+ meter rappel.  5.0 downclimb finish for shorter ropes.  The class four traverse can also be used to access Polyphemus Dome.  

The second alternative down the Land that Time Forgot.  After rappelling Sheep Rock, hike about 70 meters towards the summit of Acid Rock.  The first anchor is on a mildly exposed promontory, a fun overlook to spy on the Acid Rock sector of the Land That Time Forgot.  Seems that some have survived rappelling the north face with a single 70-meter rope.  Needs field checking or more comments.  About three rappels to the base of the face.  The exit hike starts rough but improves and the best part of the trail can be seen from the first anchor.  At the junction of the Land That Time Forgot trail with the horse trail you must turn left and hike uphill to the gentle saddle at the start of Helen's Gully.  Many have made a wrong turn!

PROTECTION

At a minimum, bring a lot of finger-sized cams, nuts, at least one or two hand jam sized pieces, and maybe a couple shoulder-length slings since there is crack switching.

Jeremy Hakes photo shows a leader at the 90-meter trad gear belay.  Thank you to everyone who posted photos and comments!