PRINT: Rock Climb Jupiter II, Red Rocks

Jupiter II

5.11+, Trad, 500 ft (152 m), 5 pitches, Grade III,

Avg: 3.5 from 28 votes
FA: Paul Van Betten and Sal Mamusia (P1&P2). Paul Van Betten, Nick Nordblom, and Paul Crawford, 1986
Nevada > Southern Nevada > Red Rocks > Pine Creek Canyon > Challenger Wall

Access Issue: IMPORTANT notes on Wet Rock and Human Waste Details

WET ROCK: The sandstone in Red Rocks is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN RED ROCKS DURING OR AFTER RAIN. A good rule of thumb is that if the ground near your climb is at all damp (and not powdery bone-dry sand), then do not climb. There are many alternatives (limestone, granite, basalt, and plastic) nearby.

HUMAN WASTE: Human waste is a major issue plaguing the area. The Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition (SNCC) works to provide "wag bags" free of charge in several locations: Black Velvet Canyon, The Hamlet, Kraft Mountain Area, The Gallery, and The Black Corridor. These bags are designed so that you can pack your waste out. Consider bringing one to be part of your daily kit no matter where you go. Once used, please dispose of them properly. Do not throw them in the toilets at the parking areas.

See https://www.southernnevadaclimbers.org/wag-bags for more information on the program.

Description

The setting is beautiful, the stone varnished, the gear is where you want it, and you'll probably have the wall to yourself. In the Spring of 2010 my partner and I found a straight-sided stopper stamped "VB" (Paul Van Bettten?) and a Forest Titon stamped "PH" on the route. Evidence of the climb's seldom-done status.

There are 5 pitches, one of which is below average, but the other 4 are exceptional. All belays are bolted.

P1 - Begin with some runout 5.8 or 5.9 up corners and grooves just left of the obvious dihedral line. Move right into the corners and chimney. Step right at the top. 5.9 or 5.10-

P2 - Work straight up from the belay on RPs and small gear. At ~50 feet, step left into a clean left-facing corner. Climb the corner (crux) on RPs and good small gear. 5.11c, but certainly harder than the .11c on Cloud Tower and Lev29

P3 - straight up from the belay on runout 5.9 face climbing, or slightly right and then up, which a couple RP placements. Aim for the bolt and face climb up and left (5.10d) to a thin crack. After the crack, move left around a large block and belay from bolts on top. 5.10d

P4 - Follow a vegetated low-angle crack or runout arete straight up, passing a band of lighter/sandier rock, to the huge ledge. 5.8

P5 - Up the clean and steep hand crack in the flaring corner on the right. The crack widens and becomes lower angle. As the rock suddenly deteriorates, move left across blocky terrain to the final anchor. 5.10

Rap the route with a single 60m rope. After 2 rappels on Jupiter II anchors, move slightly left and rappel nearby "Challenger".

Location

Jupiter II begins halfway between the huge LF-Corner of "Steep Space" and the cracks of Challenger. It's the first obvious crack system left of the huge corner.

Protection

2x cams from tips to hands, a single #2 and #3 BD. A good selection of nuts, RPs, or HB Offsets.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Corner on Pitch 2

Pitch 1, last dihedral section.

Large loose block left of pitch one. Make sure to stay on route (right of block).

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

John Roark

We did this route on feb. 18 2012 it's great.
The only warning I have is on the last rap down challenger we got our rope stuck 3 times on the thin crack near the top of the second pitch on Challenger benighting us. I swung to the right and placed 2 nuts as directionals for the pull to prevent the rope from running in the crack. After that the rope got stuck just slightly and we were able to pull hard enough to get it unstuck. The first time I unstuck our rope i was able to see the remnants of a rope in the same crack system that someone must have cut to get down.
To be honest I'm not sure if it would be better just rapping Jupiter2 with a 70m and down climbing the last 20' or so. The anchors on Jupiter2 currently do have gear to rap off. Use your judgement. Good luck. Feb 19, 2012

Josh Janes

The lone pro bolt on the third pitch was replaced courtesy of the ASCA with 1/2" stainless hardware in 2012. Also, the first pitch anchor, which previously consisted of one good bolt and one bad one, has been updated. The 3/8" studs from these replacements still need to be patched/camouflaged.

If you use and appreciate updated bolts in Red Rocks, consider a donation to the ASCA at safeclimbing.org. Jun 4, 2012

Tim Wolfe
Salt Lake City, UT

Beautiful exciting climbing on great rock (pitch 4 excepted). Due to complex gear and moves every pitch took some time to lead safely. I thought the first pitch required some very interesting zig-zagging and gear placements to stay "safe." Pitch 2 had a very stout transition into the corner - probably better to get gear high, climb down a bit and do the transition then climb up past your overhead gear on tips lieoffs. Pitch 3 is exciting and again thoughtful and pitch 5 is straight on steep crack climbing. We were able to rap straight down with an 80 meter rope. Mar 18, 2013

Wylie
Bishop, CA

5.11+ PG13

Maybe I missed something, but the P2 crux feels like a serious sandbag. Powerful, techy, and reachy as hell (for a 5'8" person). P3 is PG13, as long as the scrappy ornamental gear holds. Some of the best rock I've seen in RR for sure. Oct 30, 2013

AST

^^^ Agreed. Very VERY hard section on pitch 2 that slapped us up but good. Snot slick walls for feet, intermediate crimps facing the wrong way, intermediate crack pods that maybe a 9yr old could get their fingers in, BIG reach to the one spot where fingers can fit in (and it still isn't over then). Can usually always at least do all the moves on anything rated 5.11 in RR. Not anymore! Jan 23, 2014

Luke Stefurak
Chattanooga, TN

This route is now has Rings/Links on all anchors thanks to the ASCA and John Wilder for getting me the hardware. You can rappel with a 70m rope but be very very careful! The rap to the P2 anchor is a FULL 35m and you clip the anchor below you. The rap to the ground requires some easy 5th class downclimbing. We had no stuck ropes after doing the rap twice (After Challenger and Jupiter II) May 2, 2014

Amos Whiting
Basalt, Colorado

Would it be safe and reasonable to aid the crux 30 foot corner and keep the rest of the route at 5.10+? Oct 7, 2014

Jeremy Collins
MO + CA

Great belay ledges. Great climbing. Light rack. Didn't want it to end. Amos, yes that would be possible. Mar 25, 2015

Gold Plated Rocket Pony
Colorado

Agreed with others that P2 is a definite sandbag. I'd like to go back and work it on TR. Overall an exciting route, I didn't even think P4 was that horrid (totally worth it to get to the 5th pitch).

I would note that P3 felt like a more serious lead than I expected. Agree with Wylie that the gear felt "ornamental" starting out and getting to the bolt was no jug haul (moves higher above the bolt were also committing way above the bolt). I'd lean towards an 'R' rating given P3 but maybe I just don't trust my RPs and 00 cams enough. Nov 15, 2016

Kevin Dahlstrom
Boulder, CO

This is a great route but as others have said P2 is sandbagged. IMO it’s 12b, certainly harder than the crux pitches of Time’s Up, The Original Route (including the 12b start), and Cloud Tower. Oct 8, 2022