PRINT: Rock Climb Steelhead, Owens River Gorge

Steelhead

5.12b, Sport, 105 ft (32 m),

Avg: 2.7 from 6 votes
FA: Patrick O'Donnell
California > Sierra Eastside > Bishop Area > Owens River Gorge > Inner Gorge > Mothership Cliff

Access Issue: Bridges Out! IMPORTANT LADWP NEGOTIATIONS!! Details

Due to liability concerns, bridges are being removed in the Owens River Gorge at the request of LADWP. The Bishop Area Climbers Coalition and the Access Fund are currently in negotiations with LADWP to get this issue resolved. In the meantime, please continue to be good land stewards by respecting these bridge closures and finding alternate crossing points until this issue is resolved.

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.

Access Issue: Raptor Nesting Climbing Avoidance Details

Please avoid climbing routes between 'Steelhead' and 'Living Dead' due to active raptor nest in this location. April-July or until nest activity is complete.

Description

Do the beginning part of Sea Monkey up the chossy crack but midway where you get to a stance on Sea Monkey clip bolts out right on the Arete. Prepare for battle and go into the steep arete out right with a difficult but fun and well protected V4 boulder problem. There is a hard clip mid-crux, but you want to clip. Regain composure at a stance and clip. From there continue up the beautiful arete until a final 11+ heartbreaker RP crux below last bolt. Rope stretching 35m pitch. TIE A KNOT. The arete is wild, airy, and surprisingly exposed. Enjoy!

Location

Left of Holy Macerol. Right of Sea Monkey and Excelsior.

Protection

bolts

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The burly opening crux of Steelhead.

Excelsior, Sea Monkey, and Steelhead

Steelhead is the blue line right of Sea Monkey.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Dustin Stephens

Nice POD, looking forward to trying this one! Nov 19, 2013

Patrick O'Donnell
Bishop, CA

5.12c

I moved the first bolt that you clip as you move from the crack "Sea Monkey" shared start. It was ridiculously hard to clip so i moved it a little more left. Should be better now. Apr 28, 2014

Vlad S
San Francisco, CA

5.12b

The opening crux on the overhanging part of the arete is very contrived and is the worst part of the climb. It can be climbed around by staying in the chimney for another move to a big horizontal rail, while still clipping all the bolts. Would have been 4 stars if not for this. The upper arete is superb and the upper crux was a lot of fun and very exposed. Totally worth getting on! Thanks for this addition. May 26, 2015

Patrick O'Donnell
Bishop, CA

5.12c

Vlad, I recently got back on Steelhead and moved 4 bolts and added a new anchor. After several years not climbing on it and going back I realized several clips at the first crux and up high before the anchor were totally contrived and difficult the clip. Sorry folks! Nobody likes routes like that so I fixed the route yesterday. Should be way better and more fun and not scary now! Enjoy! May 21, 2017

Marek Hajek
Reno, NV

I haven't been on this one yet. Is it intended to split out right where the bolt line splits or where the blue line is drawn on the photo? The blue line on the photo seems to split off where the second bolt is after the bolt line splits. May 30, 2017

Patrick O'Donnell
Bishop, CA

5.12c

Correct it splits off. Both routes share the same (somewhat crappy) start up the chimney. Gorge chimneys are never pretty. Unfortunately that was really the only option to get to the Arete (steelhead) and the seam (sea monkey). Jun 2, 2017