Type: Trad, Sport, 600 ft (182 m), 4 pitches
FA: Bolts: Jim Campbell
Page Views: 10,418 total · 47/month
Shared By: Aaron Hobson on Feb 27, 2006
Admins: Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown

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Description Suggest change

This multi-pitch sport route was designed for exposing beginners to the many facets of multi-pitch climbing. The entire route is bolted, but can also be led with traditional gear making it ideal for a sport climber breaking out into the realm of trad climbing. The climbing is fun and varied, a mixture of cracks, slab and face moves. Some may find bolts placed next to good trad placements distasteful. Don't climb it then, there are plenty of pure trad lines up the Checkerboard Wall.

Jokingly referred to as the "Overbolted," this route has a number of odd and poorly, very poorly, thought out belay stations as well as some useless bolts and other just plain whacked stuff. You may find yourself sitting below a pair of bolts just off the perfectly good ledge time and time again, but the climbing is good.

Location Suggest change

This route climbs roughly straight up the middle of the Checkerboard wall. Ii is the most popular route and the trail goes straight to it. To find the base of the climb look for a large cairn. The base of the route is in a bushy alcove just above it.

Protection Suggest change

There are seven belay stations on this route, each with 2 bolts and rappel chains. The pitches can be profitably combined by skipping every other belay station making it a four pitch climb - two pitches to the Lunch Ledge and two above. The route meanders left and right so bring lots of runners to avoid rope-drag if you do this.

The entire route can be rappelled with a single rope, although it is faster to walk off or use double-rope rappels. Your first double rope rappel can take you to the Lunch Ledge, but this is not recommended. Stop at the bolts just above the Lunch Ledge, the ones you skipped when climbing. This is to avoid hanging up your rope. On the second rap skip Lunch Ledge and go to a pair of bolts just below it, also likely skipped on the way up. If you have a 70m rope, you can then rap all the way to the ground from here.

To walk off you will want your hiking shoes. Go east and stay north of the rocks all the way down to where they end. You will have to go back up some as you turn the east corner of the Checkerboard Wall. Walking is slower than rapping.

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