Pioneer (Spike) Route

The original route to the summit of Beacon Rock, first climbed in the Summer of 1901 (

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). The route meanders all over the NW Face to follow the path of least resistance to the top. It is characterized by mostly 3rd-class hiking on dirty ledges, with a couple of short stretches of 4th-and 5th-class rock, on which the FA party, and others shortly thereafter, fixed long iron rods into the rock to aid their ascent up these "impossible" sections (no harder than 5.7 by modern standards).

Start hiking up a left-trending dirty 3rd-class ramp just to the left of the clean (ish) face at the base of the NW Face just above the large boulders. The first iron spike is within 50', so you will know that you are on route. You will reach a modern bolted anchor after about 250' on route (well-after the first switchback, and just above the first bit of 4th-class rock) that you can use to belay the crux pitch above: 60' of dirty 4th-class followed by a 40' 5.7 dihedral. Follow the trail across the ledge, up another 15' of 5.easy rock, and walk through the perched forest before cutting back left up some 4th-class rock for 150'. The final 70' to the narrow summit ridge is up a right-trending dirty 3rd-class ramp. This is the highest and coolest top-out of any route at Beacon. Descend the hiker's trail.

There is some poison oak along the easiest stretches of the route, but it is quite small and easily avoidable if you know what you are looking for, except for the final 70' where there are some large bushes quite close to you (don't try to rope-up for this stretch). Most of the oak on route that would cause you problems was eradicated as of July 2015.

NW Face, just left of the face that "Genesis" ascends. This route is open for climbing year-round.

A couple of large nuts, some long slings for trees, and a #2 and #3 camalot would protect the crux pitch well. Certainly bring your tennis/approach shoes for the rest of the route (if not the whole thing).