Type: Trad, 2000 ft (606 m), 10 pitches
FA: unknown
Page Views: 5,933 total · 21/month
Shared By: George Bell on Jun 8, 2001
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

You & This Route


29 Opinions
Your To-Do List: Add To-Do ·
Your Star Rating:
Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty Rating:
-none- Change
Your Ticks:Add New Tick
-none-
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Warning Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: Seal Cave closure. DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

This is a really fun scrambling route from Bear Canyon all the way to the Fum-Dum col. From here, you can continue up to the top of Dinosaur Mountain or Dum. This route is great to do with no rope as there is little exposure during the hard sections, which are more like spelunking. In fact, do not attempt this route if you have claustrophobia! If you take a rope, this route is very long and may take you most of a day. For those who love 3rd-4th class adventure scrambling, this route is definitely 3 stars.

The third stratum on the north side of Bear Canyon is actually split into two pieces, the route follows this division (see photo below). Finding the start of this route is not easy. Leave the trail up Bear Canyon at the first stream crossing, upstream of Stonehenge (this is not the stream crossing on the Mesa Trail). Bushwhack NE, crossing the stream and head uphill (north), at this point you are between the third and fourth strata. A short distance up you will find a break to the east, cross through this and you are now between the two sections of the third stratum. The summit east of you is the top of Stonehenge.

Continue up into a fern filled gully. Finding this gully is they key to the start of the route. At the top of this gully is an ominous black cave with a car-sized chockstone above it, it looks like a dead end. Scramble up a slab and into the cave. The slab is quite smooth and may actually comprise the crux of the route, choose your line carefully.

Enter the cave, and continue back into it until you can see the exit, a narrow passage straight up. This is quite claustrophobic, and if you're into rebirthing, this is your place. You will exit into the sunlight at the bottom of a bowl of rocks.

I will describe the rest in less detail so as not to spoil the adventure. The next section is pure hiking, just remember to aim between the two pieces of the third stratum. Several tricky spots here provide interesting 4th Class bouldering problems (or harder if you go another way). At one point, a large tree has fallen into the gully of the route. This tree is difficult and unpleasant to pass. Eventually, you will tunnel beneath some giant blocks and emerge right at the Fum-Dum col.

From here, a faint trail heads down, eventually becoming the Mallory Cave Trail. Before you do this, it is worthwhile to head west and then up to the summit of Dinosaur Mtn or Dum.

Protection Suggest change

A pair of shoes!

Photos

loading