This is the original start to what everyone now climbs as

Six to Eleven

.

Start on the trail immediately south of the buttress. Scramble up through the scrub oak, avoiding scratches, punctures, etc.

Once you reach the steeper stuff start up a bit to the left of center and get to the

high

first bolt. There is one more bolt in the next 50 feet or so.

(Of course, if you're not crazy — which is debatable since you're on the original variation in the first place — you'll clip the last bolt on the start of

Six to Eleven

with a sling.)

Once you get to the midpoint anchors the fun begins. Up you go on mostly enormous jugs until you step left to surmount the actual roof. A bit of trickery with crimps and balance leads you to the last 15 foot headwall and the chains.

This appears in the

Ruckman

guide as 5.11b/c. It probably is that if you stay directly on the bolt line, but since everyone (including me) uses the big holds, it's not nearly that hard.

Really, you're better off climbing

Six to Eleven

.

Eight to Eleven

First bolt is about 20 feet off the ground, but only about 10 feet of actual climbing (first 10 feet is scrambling up big ledges). Very difficult to see other bolts from the ground and as you're climbing. The route wanders slightly leftward. Mostly juggy edges and pockets, some airy moves above. Doesn't seem like it's been climbed much as it's a bit mossy and has some loose rock but friction is good. I didn't think there was a definite crux but the climbing is fairly sustained between the 3rd and 6th bolts, but feels more like 5.7 after the 6th.

Descent: much easier to clean while being lowered than rappelling. You'll see the anchors for Gas Boost on your way down.

Land Shark

Climb Stoic Calculus and continue up and right to a nice hand crack with good pockets, slightly overhung at the top. Though this route has been thoroughly cleaned small rocks may still come off until its been climbed more. Use caution as this is a popular area and there may be other groups below.

Emotional Geometry

I haven't done this one yet. Juggernaut has an extension through the roof.

Juggernaut Roof

The right-most route on the southwest face of

Hard Rock

. There is a large tree just to the right of the route. Solid limestone with lots of pockets and jugs.

The route is quite steep until after the fourth bolt, then easy cruising to the anchors. I thought the crux was between the third and fourth bolts; others were more worried about getting to the first bolt (the landing isn't great, with tree roots on the ground).

There is a large pocket just up from and to the left of the first bolt. Inside is a slimy mass that looks like something from a '50s horror movie. Beware.

Gas Boost

The route is the third line of bolts as you round the corner to the southwest face of Hard rock, next to Stoic Calculus and Platinum Blonde (right of the large dihedral).

Fun slab climbing with cool moves over the mini roof. Good place to learn how to lead.

Rockapella

The old guide puts this route at 5.11b. When compared to the other 5.11b's on this wall Primal Magic feels a lot easier. The crux is around the 5th bolt and consists of one committing move to a jug which almost out of sight.

Primal Magic

Can be done in

1 or 2 pitches. 1st pitch is 12b, 2nd pitch is 12a.

Direct start or slightly to the right with right hand on undercling. Starts with a bouldery move to good pockets under first bolt. Crank some polished crimps and move out left to a nice pocket and up thru some more jugs. Move out left to a small pocket and then back right (this seems to be the redpoint crux for most people). Head straight up for maximum value or veer a little right into the corner choss.  Top out on some slopey edges and clip the chains or keep going.

Beehive

This route is a pumpy, steep, pocket-and-jug haul to the penultimate bolt, then some slopers and crimps to the last bolt, followed by another jug or two to the chains.

The climbing is overhung to the first bolt, less-than-vertical to the fourth bolt, overhung again to the sixth, then vertical.

The crux for me is getting to and clipping the last bolt and then climbing past it. It's probably not as hard as I think, but I'm pretty pumped by then.

Many Options

The crux is getting on top of the obvious ledge near the bottom (just above the first bolt). Past that, you either have good holds, or can stem in the shallow dihedral when the holds aren't large jugs.

Bumbly Bells

Overhung and short. Jugs most of the way up. Moves surrounding the last bolt are slightly desperate.

Suicide Blonde

This is a steep, almost vertical climb that is mostly pockets and jugs.

The technical crux is probably getting to and clipping the first bolt; for me the harder part was clipping the chains because the pockets get smaller and scarcer and you have to climb a bit higher than you'd like in order to comfortably clip them.

There is an interesting, rounded, wooden "hold" just after and to the right of the second bolt: it is the remains of a shrub stem.

Stump

Since most people don't even notice this is up there, I figure it deserves it's own route listing.  Climb Vixen Blonde and continue up the line of bolts to pull the roof, finishing in a stance in the dihedral.   Positive holds throughout.  A shorter version of the Juggernaut Roof.

Punch The Clock (Roof)

Starts at the anchors of Primal Magic. Continues up and left finishing just above the left side of the big roof. Probably about 5.11d/.12a except for the extremely crimpy crux at about the two-thirds mark.

Chalkless and Discontent

the approach to the roof might be a little technical, but i guess the crux was fist jamming the roof. great crack, coming over was quite easy. If you're doing it in 2 pitches, the first is a 5.6 and belay from the ledge.

Unknown Roof Crack

A steep start climbs through four bolts of great pockets and jugs before the angle slabs out and the climbing becomes more nondescript. Rock is reminiscent of black limestone of the upper part of Escape Buttress. Pockets abound and the climbing is fun, yet challenging for the start.

Unknown 5.9

Climb the pocketed face past 6 bolts to the top anchor.

Late for Dinner

An OK climb that pales in comparison to Teanova to the left.   Starts off a bit bouldery and heads into an open book section that's a bit spacy between the bolts (easy).   From here, head up and left through a hollow sounding roof and make a run to the chains which are not at all visible to the right.

Cyberlag

This route is located just right of Rockapella.  Start and belay up on the higher ledges.  This is a great route, sustained pulling on steep to slightly overhanging rock.  Lots of good features.  The start is a bit run out but very easy.  make sure your belayer is attentive or there is a knot in the end of the rope if you are using anything less than a 60 meter rope. On the day I was there, someone was dropped 20 feet while being lowered.  The rope went right through the belay device. It is difficult to hear from the top due to distance and typically windy conditions.

Platinum Blonde

This is another AF endurance route. This climb works you from the first move with tricky feet and sidepulls on an overhang. It has 3 distinct sections or bulges so don't dawdle. You do get 2 good rests. Each bulge has its own crux. The first bulge is the start. The second bulge is in the middle with sloping holds. The third has a very cool left traversing bump move. There are some eye opening big moves on the whole climb. The guidebook says 11d/12a. I believe it is a worthy 12a.

Teeanova

A pumpy, slightly overhanging, pocket- and jug-haul for the first two-thirds of the route, a thin crux, then pockets and jugs to the anchor chains.

From the ground, this route looks easier than the 5.9 (

Vaporous Apparition

) to its right. The climbing up to the fourth bolt is mostly big limestone pockets and jugs. However, the crux section between the fourth and fifth bolts lacks any pockets or jugs and the handholds are reduced to a couple of sharp crimps and polished pinches plus a couple of key sidepulls.

Treehugger

The route is the second line of bolts as you come around the corner to the south-west portion of Hard Rock. Next to Eight to Eleven and Rockapella.

Fun climbing and good top rope for beginers.

Stoic Calculus

A line on on mostly large edges with a number of pockets interspersed here and there. A fair amount of vegetation is on the route, but doesn't interfere with the climbing at all.

Mostly quite easy, with one slightly more difficult bit where the large edges and pockets temporarily vanish and a couple of small crimps are key.

Unknown 5.6

This is the first climb on the south-west facing portion of Hard Rock, just around the corner. Climb the prow for the first pitch and the white colored rock on the second.

Pitch 1 (5.6): Easy climbing on big pockets. After the 3rd bolt the climbing seemed a little runout. Good for learning how to climb toprope, not lead.

Pitch 2 (5.11b/c): This is where the fun begins. Haul over roof on good holds, then up to the second roof/bulge. Fun sequence with good holds and long reaches make the climb, not to mention the exposed feeling when going over the roof/bulge. Fun.

Six to Eleven

A somewhat-intimidating-looking jug haul on broken-appearing rock that climbs through two roofs.

Begin either from a comfortable belay position at the base of the cliff or from an okay ledge about 20 feet up (the ledge can be reached by scrambling past two bolts on 3rd or 4th class terrain, or by walking left, up a scree slope, and approaching from the left).

Once at the ledge, clip a bolt that is about chest-high on the arete to the right. Find pockets and sidepulls and continue up and over the first roof.

Take the left of the two bolt lines that are before you, figure out a blank-looking section and then climb up to and through the larger roof. If you aren't using jugs, you're not looking hard enough.

Unknown 5.10+

Climb up to and over a stepped roof on huge jugs and pockets through the first three bolts. The most fun bit of the route, but not the hardest bit. The harder part comes after the fourth bolt: Surmount a bulge on a couple of pockets a wee bit less secure and farther out of reach than during the preceding bit.

Continue up vertical rock using standard-issue American Fork pockets (and a few crimps, if you want them) to the chains.

All-in-all, quite an enjoyable route if you enjoy big moves on big holds. The route is easier the farther left from the bolt line you trend; the natural line tends that direction because, to paraphrase

Willie Sutton

, Thats where the holds are.

This route is comfortably bolted, meaning you wont worry much about any potential falls.

Firstborn

This interesting and neglected route packs a technical and bouldery crux high on the slightly overhanging wall. The line follows a broken crack system above Suicide Blonde. The crux is encountered right before clipping the 2nd to last bolt. I surmise it is sticking the "really cool pocket move" described in the Ruckman's AF guidbook. It seems clear to me that holds have broken in this crux area, and the route is now considerably harder than the Ruckman guidebook indicates. Still a worthy outing.

Dreadlocks

Classic AF pockets with big moves for a bit, followed by briefly perplexing thinness.

After the thin bit it's pockets and footwork to the chains.

Juggernaut

Slog up some lower angled rock to the left of a buttress past two bolts (which we didn't clip) to a narrow ledge covered with small, loose rocks.

Clip a bolt about chest height on an arete and start up in earnest. Work some pockets and sidepulls and surmount the first, smaller roof. Immediately start whining about the next, somewhat-more-intimidating roof and then flop up over it. Rest.

Continue up through the bolt above you (there is another bolt to the left - different route:

Unknown 5.10+

). Enjoy the killer pockets.

Join up with the route to the right at the penultimate bolt and finish at the chains.

Unknown 5.10c

Another steep start on this route that climbs through four bolts before the angle eases off for a bolt. While this might at first appear to be a repeat of the route to the right, the climbing gets interesting at the 6th bolt and remains fun until the chains. Good pockets, jugs and horizontal ledges abound on this route. The top 4 bolts are vertical, and the climbing is just plain fun. Good cruiser route for those comfortable in the easy .10 range.

This is a new route and still has some loose stuff on it, so be careful. I wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities to drop some good sized rocks on your belayer. Route should clean up with traffic.

Unknown 5.10a

This route mostly climbs to the left of an obvious shallow dihedral. It starts where a small shelf is two or three feet off the ground, goes straight up 15 feet or so past the first two bolts, then breaks slightly left to stay outside the dihedral (the third bolt is at the left of the start of the dihedral).

The climbing is mostly pockets and jugs with small edges for feet. It is quite steep with at least one slightly overhanging section.

The crux for me was between the 4th and 5th bolts when the pockets disappear temporarily and you're left hunting for edges.

Unknown Left

This is a slightly less-than-vertical limestone route with lots of pockets, many jugs, and plenty of positive footholds.

There isn't really a defined crux, but the bit between the 2nd and 7th bolts is harder than the rest. There is one bulge that might get vertical, but it isn't particularly difficult.

Quicker Picker Upper

A juggy climb that goes over the left side of the small roof in the middle of the wall.

Start up on large jugs to the roof. Pull the roof using more balance than anything it, then more good holds to the chains.

Vaporous Apparition

Follow the crack system up and left, maybe even do a few finger jams for effect.  Once it ends, move right and rejoin the final section of Firstborn.  If you want some variety, climb on the left of the top bolts for this route, and on the right of the top bolts for Firstborn.

Born Again

Easy climbing to the first bolt then overhanging until the third bolt. Mostly pockets with some jugs; the crux is probably either between the first and second bolts or between the second and third depending on your height and reach.

Carefully placed feet are key; faith that there'll be another good hold coming helps as well.

There is a second pitch rated 5.12a/b; I'm not likely to climb that anytime soon so someone else will have to describe it.

Vixen Blonde (aka Punch the Clock)

A long, mostly not-quite-vertical route on pockets and jugs, with two small roofs to pull through.

The rock is mostly solid, although there are hollow-sounding areas throughout most of the route. The psychological crux is the first, slightly intimidating roof (and that's probably the technical crux as well).

All in all, a fun climb, and long for a single-pitch sport route.

Take care while lowering or rappelling as a 60m rope is just barely long enough (with no stretch).

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Hard Rock