A great psychological warm-up for Racer-X as it compares in physical difficulty, but is much more generous with protection.  Originally viewed as a 2nd and slightly harder/longer pitch to Behind the Tombstone, it also became the 2nd pitch of one of Index’s best moderate multi-pitches, Ride The Lightning.

From the top of “Behind the Tombstone”, continue up bolts through the inverted-V roof. Follow the super easy ramp with natural gear a few feet until you see a bolt above in a “circular cutout”.  Climb into the cutout and then onto the slab (crux).

Climb past

intermediate anchor (the start of p3 of Ride The Lightning) and another bolt.  Move right to the white corner, padding up fun knobs for feet and crimps in the roof to the anchor for the 5.10a/b finish.  The route makes use of a series of expanding flake systems that are safe for climbing but highly suspect for gear.

The anchor is shared with “Beetle Bailey P2” and “Larry’s Lycra” and is an easy access to set up a TR for those routes.

Rope Eating Mice

Exciting moves off the deck with thin feet. A big reach to a pocket jug then follow bolts with a variety of options on moderate enjoyable terrain. High stepping, balance moves and bolts where you need them make this climb a kind index moderate.

Behind the Tombstone

This is an interesting alternative to Beetle Bailey pitch 2. Start as for BB P2 then cut right early following a right trending crack ramp with nice feet. Small cams are good for this bit. Continue diagonal until a block is reached and a bolt (retro bolted 2019) out right. Then follow directly up to the Beetle Bailey anchor.

Larry’s Gaily Colored Lycra

Start by following right facing flakes (5.9), using one small cam then four bolts, and trending rightward to the finger crack. The crux is either the thin finger crack or the face climbing just afterwards (11a).

If you cut right 15 feet from the belay you'll be climbing Larry’s Gaily Colored Lycra (10c). If you started too far left off the P1 anchor you are climbing Metal.

The route also had an aid pitch over the roof, at the very top of the slab (see Clint's topo). Now one can instead follow P3 of Ride the Lightning.

Rap the route doing two raps with 60. A 70 doesn't quite reach the bottom.

Beetle Bailey P2

As several routes go up to the same anchor above this pitch, it is often done as a one-pitch climb, whether just TRed or to set up a TR. Hence, I separated it from its original 3-pitch listing.

Face climb up to a ledge, about 15-feet up, clip a bolt, and start laybacking the offset edge (a mini arete), smearing with the feet (crux). Then relatively easy face climbing to the anchor.

Beetle Bailey P1

Don't get bitten by this Sabertooth. Climb up a generously bolted line of mostly 5.7 and 5.8 climbing.  At bolt 7 use an extended draw and climb directly left to another bolt and then 5.9 crux just below the anchor.  Use extended draws on bolts 7 and 8 to avoid rope drag through easy climbing.

Smilodon Fatalis

This is a great slab climb with your typical Index knobs.

P1: Climb a ramp (5.7) to a bolted belay, or do the first pitch of Beetle Bailey Arch (5.10c).

P2: Traverse way left. When you get to a cool pocket with crystals inside, go up the knobby slab. Some people put a 3" cam in the pocket (5.10a).

P3: A short pitch up an arch (5.9+).

As of 2020, there are 4 options to access the Racer X anchor as your "First Pitch": Smilodon fatalis, Index Archaeology, Village Idiot (Original pitch 1) and Behind the Tombstone (requires a short leftward scramble). The original first pitch is probably the least enjoyable.

Racer X

Continue past the first anchor on Flying Salamanders heading up a beautiful bolt protected slab. The first couple bolts lead off the ramp ledge and into a rock scar with a couple powerful crimps. (crux) 5.9/10a followed by a series of subtle weathered dishes and knobs.

Flying Salamanders (Full)

The Sauropod Argentinosuarus was the largest living land animal measuring in at 38 meters long, just about as long as this climb.

The climb starts with 15 meters of Smilodon fatalis, a cute little kitty-cat of a climb in comparison.  Judicious use of runners will make for less rope drag as you punch past the first anchor and work your way up the spine of this Patagotitan.  Crimps, knobs and layback rails are your paleontological climbing tools until you merge with the last bolt of Racer X and onto the shared anchor.

One can split this climb into 2 pitches for the Cuddly Kitty and a Baby Dinosaur pair of pitches.  A 70M rope will get the leader back to the Smilodon anchor.  An 80M rope actually gets the leader back to the ground.

Argentinosaurus

Crack climb just right of Flying Salamanders.  Start in a broken rock section,  climb through small hands to finger crack, then up and over the bulging rock. Very easily protected with gear.  1 bolt at bottom of broken rock to protect climber and belayer.  3 distinct crack sections that suck up gear.  Shares anchors with Flying Salamanders short pitch.  This climb can get dirty after rainfall.  Bring a small brush.

Hedge Trimmer

This is why you started rock climbing. Inspiring roofs, slabs, traverses and exposure rolled into four very different moderate pitches. Everything to test the new 5.10 leader.

P1

Climb “Behind the Tomb Stone.

5.9

P2

“Rope Eating Mice” Bolts and a couple finger to tight hand size gear placements. Face moves to start into expanding flakes and a high crux. Stop at the first set of anchors NOT the high set of rap rings.

10a/b

P3

“ From the lower belay, make an easy traverse right, up a ramp with optional gear, aiming for an obvious low bolt on an exposed Arete (5.6)  At the bolt match low then make an exposed karate kick to good feet and slap out right to a jug. Follow bolts up exposed terrain minding your feet with a few reachy moves.

10c

P4

This pitch can be seen from the pullout by the river. It’s a fantastic clip up on slabby mantles, high steps and a memorable foot traverse with extraordinary views of Mt Index and the river singing in the background.

10a

The FA team completed the route sans headlamp during an end of season lightning storm 2019.

Ride the Lightning

Climb rampy jugs with big feet up the middle of a triangular face. Moving right clip a bolt and place a finger size cam in a horizontal cracked feature. Break soft left on face moves past two bolts to a pedestal belay for Racer-X/Metal/Beetle Bailey.

SHORT CLIMBER NOTICE:  Several shorter climbers have stated that this line has reaches that make for a potential ledge fall in the bottom half of the route.  The “Vertically Challenged” will need their belayer to be ON-POINT and  ready to take up some rope.  Alternatively, have a partner that’s taller than 5’8” and let them take the sharp end for this one.

Index Archeology

Climb the left facing corner to the belay below the roof 5.10c. Pitch 2 Climbs to the right and through the roof using the thin crack below the tree.

Cupcake

This route was developed for my 9 year old son to be able to begin leading at Index.  It is well protected and will most likely become popular for entry level climbers at Index.

The route is about 15 feet to the right of Behind the Tombstone.  It is a right facing corner, with a bulge at the top.  Climb up and over a detached flake at the base of the route.  Step over and onto the wall.  Make several face moves until you clip the first of 8 bolts.  Go back and forth between using face moves and the right facing corner.  If the move seems hard, look around you might be missing a hidden hold (most are on the left side).  Climb up a slab section and move left over onto the bulge.  This is an exposed move, but exciting face climbing with 2 bolts to protect the last moves.

Flying Salamanders (Short)

36 Volts to Anywhere

Initially intended as the entry to the hard roof pitches that loom above, this line is a good pitch to practice some crack technique without the need for trad gear.  As the last of the climbs to be developed in the early 2020 season, this climb is likely still a bit dusty.

As of this entry, there is a wire brush at the base that everyone who leads or follows this line can use to improve the line.  Yes, even YOU can help get these lines clean.

Michal's 5.5 (5.8)

Cryptic and delicate movement past bolts and pins leads onto a slab. This first half goes around 10d with emphasis on reading the rock for smart feet.   Clip a fixed pin in a hole with optional gear then start sneaking up one of Index’s finest slab puzzles. This section has a very “Phone Calls from the Dead” feel.

Follow subtle knobs with hand foot matches past bolts. Cut left below a final angled piton (climbing to this piton puts you off route) to a crack taking small cams (was previously a piton) before one bolt and the anchor. The crux can sit in a small lingering wet streak visible from the road. It’s dry if the belay chains are dry.

This climb can be top roped by climbing a short 5.9 corner above the Racer X pitch two anchors. This corner may need some cleaning.

Metal

Start as for 36 Volts.  At the second bolt cut right trending up a rampy slab of increasing difficulty.  Follow the bolts into a mantle sequence on a pedestal.  Enter a crux below a small roof with a hand jam on the right and stemming all around.  Once you have established yourself above the roof head left and do fun laybacking up the feature.  Can either finish at the mussy hooks or finish on the right trending crack for the real deal.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Beetle Bailey Slab