PRINT: Rock Climb Supernova, Owens River Gorge

Supernova

5.11c, Sport, 115 ft (35 m),

Avg: 3 from 25 votes
FA: Terri Condon, Steve Elia, Tony Sartin (Feb.14, 2011)
California > Eastern Sierra > Bishop Area > Owens River Gorge > Central Gorge > Solarium

Access Issue: Details

Please continue to be good land stewards and mindful of LADWP.

1) Never park or camp overnight at the access points.
2) Always park off the pavement, taking great care to avoid blocking the gates.
3) Clean up after your dogs. (Local climbers are finding abandoned doggie poop bags.)
4) Pack out all trash and TP, including picking up after others.
5) Use the outhouses if at all possible.

Description

Supernova climbs up a vertical, technical face with a crux near its fourth bolt on small crimpers. After the fifth bolt an overhang is encountered. Clip a sixth bolt above the roof, surmount it, and climb a crack up and left joining Focus for its final 2 bolts. Once you reach the main ledge, instead of clipping the anchor bolts for Focus to your left, continue straight up on big holds and very steep rock past 4 bolts to a small ledge. More technical face climbing past 3 bolts leads to a deceptive final sequence to reach the anchors.

Location

Located in the Central Gorge at the Solarium between Focus and Black Hole. You can lower off this route with a 70m rope, or with a 60m rope you can LPL to the Focus anchor.

Protection

15 bolts to a 2-bolt mussy hook anchor

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tom Helvie
Bishop, CA

Hey Terri, just letting you know there's already a route in the gorge named White Dwarf. It's a trad route at the Atilla the Hun Wall. Mar 2, 2011

terri condon

5.11b

Thanks tom. I fixed it. Mar 7, 2011

Jeff Scheuerell

5.11c

I loved this route! Other than the rock quality through the overhanging section and, in my mind, questionable bolt protecting the last moves before turning the roof this is one of the best routes I have done in the Gorge. Awesome!

The first half to the ledge is 4 stars on its own and in my opinion a much better line than Focus.

But if this route is 11b Marty Party and Venom are 11a. Feb 25, 2014

G Halsne

LOVED IT!!! Full value all the way! to the chains. But a bit of confusion on where it started lead me accidentally climb the first part of Supernova and clip the Focus chains ( thinking supernova was focus ) So I went back and climbed Focus and then kept climbing the second half of Supernova...the now birthed, UltraClassic- "SuperFocus"

Also- add me to the list of Upgraders- I thought it was almost as hard as Venom and Santana, especially the last 20 Ft. Jan 7, 2015

Neil Kauffman
Bishop, CA

5.11c

This route is awesome, great techy 11- and steep crack to the ledge, then it's steep jugs -like black hole's roof section. Cop another big ledge rest & launch into a classic ORG enduro finish to the chains. Could be a classic with more traffic, there's a little creaky flake up high that's a little suspect, heads up! Dec 28, 2023