PRINT: Rock Climb Mega Mega, Owens River Gorge

Mega Mega

5.11a, Sport, 130 ft (39 m),

Avg: 3.2 from 29 votes
FA: Dan McDevitt
California > Eastern Sierra > Bishop Area > Owens River Gorge > Central Gorge > Riverside Island

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.

Description

Mega Mega is a new 40m, 11a route on the left side of Riverside Island. This is a very spectacular and fun route with a pumpy last section with giant holds. 20 bolts

Location

Right of Ratso. To get to the route go left after crossing the bridge then you can tunnel under a rock and go to the edge of the water. The route goes slightly out left over the water and uses the first bolt of a traverse that was put in to access the routes to the left that had their bases flooded. Go back right and up after clipping the first bolt.

Protection

20 bolts. Lowering anchors at top. anchors also in the middle for doing the route as 2 pitches or use it for doing 2 rappels.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Tammy onsighting Mega Mega

megamega!

Just past the first anchor

Makayla on Mega Mega

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

John Robinson
Elk Grove, ca

5.11a

I lowered off the top anchors of this route with a 70m rope. (Maybe my 70m rope was longer than 70m?) Dec 18, 2016

John Robinson
Elk Grove, ca

5.11a

Above the mid anchors the route is somewhat chossy for a short section but with good holds. Dec 18, 2016

Jeff Scheuerell

5.11a

Be careful to keep your rope out of the river. If you clip the mid way anchor then pull it will usually stay dry. Dec 20, 2016

Marek Hajek
Reno, NV

5.10d

The route is around 38m or 39m. We used an 80m rope and when we got to the ground, there wasn't much rope left - enough for the second to tie in, but not much more. The first pitch feels like 10c, the second pitch like 10d/11a. Running the two pitches together is the classic way to do this route and there is, surprisingly, very little rope drag when doing so.
Clipping the rope to a fixed biner on a sling at the mid-anchor kept the rope out of the water for us.
Not sure how the access will be after LADWP did some work on the river flow on 04/20/17, which totally flooded the crossing and raised the water level at the Riverside Island a couple of feet.
I don't think the Location information is correct. The route is to the left of the giant crack, which makes it to the "LEFT" of Ratso. Apr 21, 2017

Jeff Scheuerell

5.11a

If you look at the book you will see you are both right. Mega Mega is right of the first pitch of Ratso but then left of the second pitch. Apr 21, 2017

Ryan Underwood
Laguna Hills, CA

Our 70m rope failed to get us to the boulder. Some clever rope work got the first climber down and then we just doubled rap the second time. Route is good but not the best at the Gorge. Pretty dirty up top still. 10c climbing gives way to 5.9 jug haul on this endurance fest.

Don't forget to tie knots at the ends of your ropes! Apr 30, 2018

John Robinson
Elk Grove, ca

5.11a

Thanks Ryan. I deleted the info in the description about rappelling. I did make it to the boulder with my 70m rope but, like I said in my description, maybe my rope is a long 70. May 1, 2018