All Locations > Oregon > Willamette Valley > Wolf Rock > Southeast Face

Barad-dûr

Name: Barad-dûr
Rating: 3.5

5.11a YDS 6c French 22 Ewbanks VII+ UIAA 22 ZA E3 5c British

Routes in Southeast Face

L › R R › L A › Z

	Barad-dûr T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Cerberus S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Coligula T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b X
	Edge of Mordor S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Ian's Route S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Morgul Vale, The S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a PG13
	Rubber Boa S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b

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Type:	Trad, 8 pitches, Grade IV
FA:	FA: Wayne Arrington & Mike Seeley on July 6-7, 1972 at (IV 5.8 A2) FFA: Peter Fralick & Chris Fralick on May 12, 1985 at (IV 5.11a)
Page Views:	16,245 total · 105/month
Shared By:	Chris Wright on Jul 30, 2011 · Updates
Admins:	Kristin Tippey, JD Merritt, Micah Klesick, Nate Ball Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

An amazing route, and certainly one of the best and longest trad climbs in Oregon. Worthy of a visit from anyone up to the challenge, Barad-dûr is inarguably one of the classiest of our Northwestern adventure climbs. Over the course of eight pitches of mostly excellent rock climbing, a combination of moderate face and crack climbing, plenty of bolts, and a few bold, steep, awesome crux pitches lead you through an audacious series of roofs and up to the top of Wolf Rock. Expect to run it out on easy terrain, but to be well-protected, often by bolts, at all of the route's cruxes. Though there is some loose rock on the route and it is fairly a serious undertaking, climbers adept at heads-up route-finding will find the rock to be mostly quite solid (at least by Oregonian standards).

P1: Follow a line of well-spaced bolts on dark rock up to a bolted belay. 25m (5.9)

P2: Climb up and right past bolts until you can climb a somewhat loose & manky right-facing corner to another bolted belay. 25m (5.9)

Note: P1 & P2 can be linked with a 60m rope.

P3: Climb up past two bolts and trend slightly right along the cleanest rock to a third bolt. From here traverse up and left along ledges placing gear as necessary until reaching another bolted belay on a small ledge. 35m (5.8)

P4: Head up and right on easy climbing (5.4) along a low-angled ramp. Follow the ramp to a left-facing corner, and climb the corner until you can traverse left under a roof. Head left and then up to a belay stance with some unique bolt hangers. 40m (5.9)

P5. Head right and traverse past the obvious line of bolts and around the tricky corner, then up to a cramped, semi-hanging belay on your right. 15m (5.10d)

P6. Climb straight up passing bolts to the crux move over a roof. Make a strenuous mantle onto the sloping shelf on your right. From there, make an airy traverse out right around the corner and up to another bolted belay. 25m (5.11b)

P7: Head up and left on easy but sparsely protected terrain passing a two bolt anchor and following the path of least resistance towards the skyline ridge. 60m (5.4)

P8: Continue up on low-5th and 4th-class terrain until the technical climbing eases to scrambling. 60m (5.2)

Continue scrambling up and left following a narrow but exposed and loose ridge until you can eventually gain the summit pinnacle.

Descent: From the summit, trend west/southwest along the ridgeline following a faint trail when possible until you can gain the Southwest Gully descent. A mix of grassy hillsides and 3rd-4th class down-climbing in a water groove will lead down the drainage until it is possible to exit onto a climber's path on your left. Follow the path back to the road.

Location

Located about 35 miles from Eugene near the Blue River Reservoir on the west side of the Oregon Cascades, whether approached from the east or west, getting to Wolf Rock will involve about ten miles of driving on well-maintained gravel roads. Though it is probably simpler to find your way from the west, the directions provided from the east aren't quite as complicated as they sound. Barring any changes from July 2011, the roads both ways are completely passable with a low-clearence, 2WD vehicle. From the east, drive Hwy 126 to make a right on Deer Creek Rd (FS140). Take that 0.6 miles to make a left onto Rd 2655. Drive that 1.3 miles until you can take a right onto Rd 2654. Drive that 4.8 miles until you can take a slight left onto Rd 2656. Drive that 1.1 mi to Rd 700. Take a left onto Rd 15. Drive that 1.3 mi until the wall is obvious on your right. From the west, drive 126 about 35 miles from Eugene to take a left on Blue River Reservoir Rd. Pass a number of campgrounds and signs for an experimental forest, staying all of the time on Rd. 15. Bearing right at most intersections (again staying on Rd. 15), about 10 miles of dirt road will lead you to find the wall on your left. Park at a pull-out on the south side of the road under The Great Arch. Follow a climber's trail up through the woods until you reach the wall, heading right to the base of the route, which is easily identified by two patched bolt holes at chest height.

Protection

Medium rack to 3" with many slings. No RPs or tiny micro-cams necessary.

Thanks to an excellent re-bolting job, all of the belays are sound and all of the lead bolts that needed replacing have been replaced. A few old bolts do remain throughout the route, but it is unlikely that any will ruin your day.