Not a good choice if other climbers are in the area due to rock that will come down despite your best efforts.  First pitch is fun but has funky rock in places.  You want a to be strong enough to avoid the funk and run it out a little.  (A good thing to TR if you have done the first pitch of Planet Eater.  Pitch ends at the anchors used at the top of Planet Eater.  Second pitch climbs straight above the belay then angles right for a long way on unprotected 5.8.  You will eventually gain the weakness with pro that leads to a big ugly chimney.  At the top of this is a ledge that takes good pro or continue another 25 feet to bolts at the top.  We went left a ways past some bolts then up a lichen covered section of rock.

Just a Fantasy

Red Hot

The Gift

Irresistible

Bobbin' for Hobbits

Middle Earth

You Betchy It's Sketchy

Earth Angel

Hobbit In A Blender

Elfin Warrior

Centennial

Hobbitual Offender

Fireball

The Bump

Premonition

Pull Me Up

Infectious

The Gift that keeps on giving.

The Breeze

Grand Opening

Delirious

S'Blended

Silmarillion

War Of The Worlds

The Planet Eater

Possibly the best sport 5.11 on the mountain, and that is not a designation that gets tossed about lightly.  From bottom to top this climb has amazing climbing in almost every style you could want.  Commonly people will just do the great first pitch, but there is definitely more great climbing to be had on the upper pitches as well.  DO THIS CLIMB !Pitch 1 - The money pitch for sure.  Start with the tricky slab that is a barrier to entry for some people.  As the wall steepens to vertical you will navigate cracks and corners that continue to change sides up to a fun and short roof sequence that you pull on good holds.  Exit left if you are continuing upward and straight up to an anchor made from Metolius rapp hangers if you're just climbing the first pitch.Pitch 2 - A short left trending pitch climbed on large holds.  Great movement, but unfortunately over too quickly.  Commonly linked with the third pitch.Pitch 3 - A wonderful and thought provoking technical pitch taking you to the top of the formation.  Two variations exist here with an obvious branching point 2/3 of the way up.  The left variation is slightly harder, but both are in the 5.11 range. This climb should be on every Mount Lemmon climbers to-do list.   

Technical crux down low but lots of devious stuff above.

If you can ignore the sloppy glue job and love short in your face climbs this one is right up your alley.  Stick clip bolt 1 (&2?) to avoid decking onto the slab then start things off with some holds way under the roof and jump to a jug...... yes a JUMP.

    Navigate long steep moves on mostly good holds, some slick feet, and a cryptic lip encounter as the wall kicks back to vertical before the chains.  The holds get small and the feet get high.  This is great place to blow it over and over when you think you've got it in the bag.

Starts on Delirious but branches right after a couple of bolts, then up.

The upper headwall is sustained until just before the last bolt.  Some cool thin moves the first of which is devious to decipher if a critical hold is not chalked or ticked.

Three crux sections interspersed with easier climbing makes this interesting but not too sustained.  This end of the wall is very slabby and thin, especially compared to the overhanging routes on the left end. 

  Slabby start is easier for taller folks.  Runout on easier but not super easy ground, so be careful.  Next crux is at a bulgy corner followed by easier moves to thin section at top.  Fun climb.  Expect to use your feet. 

  There is a second pitch to Simarillion to the right which looks accessible from Middle Earth.

Starts with a short lieback seam, ends with easier face climbing.  In the between is lots of slab.  Very thin and fairly technical, makes you appreciate sticky rubber.

Good warmup.  Mostly good holds with a few thinner sections.  Crux is up high.

Hobbit In A Blender is the Solange Knowles of routes.  Comprised of the same DNA as its sister, Premonition, Hobbit In A Blender features thin face climbing to a small tiered roof.  The movement and rock are good but it lacks the stunning beauty and flair of its sibling.  Its easier to tag but not quite as satisfying.

Climbs the big roof on the left hand side of the cliff. Tricky sequential moves at the second bolt and a cool move to an undercling then hard moves over the roof lead to a no hands rest.  If not for the no hander it might get 3 stars.  The slightly overhanging second half is no give away and involves palming up the rounded edge of a shallow corner then a hard traverse right to a huge jug.  The upper section is the polar opposite of the first 25 feet.

An epic endurance pitch consisting of endless technical face.  This route will test your physical conditioning, crimp strength, memory for beta, and your belayer's patience. 

  Clip approximately four bolts before crossing Pull Me Up left-to-right.  One bolt may be shared by the routes.  Follow the closely spaced bolts as they veer right and upward by using small edges and crimps to gain ground.  Desperate moves give way to a grungy weakness that provides a much needed respite after the crux.  Summon up the energy for one last battle, clipping three bolts, before pulling onto a false summit.  Three spaced bolts up easy, featured terrain lead the climber to the anchors. 

  While this route is no doubt amazing, it lacks the perfect rock of its neighbors such as Silmarillion.  All in all a very memorable, challenging pitch. 

  The route is named Centennial since it was Scott Ayers' 100th FA.  At 165ft the route is the entire length of a 50m rope, which may have been used at the time.

A fun pull over a steep bulge leads to interesting climbing up a head wall to the arete.    Engage the arete in a 3 dimensional manner then finish on thought provoking slab moves.

No type of manufacturing left undone on this one.  Glue, drilled holds, and more glue oh my.  This one is more like a roped boulder problem than anything, but it is fun.  Don't fall after the last bolt before anchors or you'll get some nice air time.

This is a fun and very bouldery route.  It gets your attention right off the ground.  Continue up through some long pulls to the infamous glued on chip just before pulling over the roof.  Remember that its not over till its over as one more crux guards the chains.

Bring your bag of tricks and smearing shoes for this one cause every ten feet the style changes but the footholds stay the same. Fun stemming in an alcove leads to an undercling traverse, followed by a few moves of desperate lay-backing, then a few hard crimpy moves leads to a bit o'jug hauling and a tricky roof encounter.

The start is a little tricky and then it eases off a bit.  The challenging and fun part of the climb is the middle section which is quality, but pretty thin climbing.  The route goes left and crosses the magnificent line of Centennial.  You can double rap down, but we found that one 60 M rope reached when stretched to the max.

Listed as a project in Squeezing the Lemmon II, this route was sent by Kevin O'Donnell in 2008. It is characterized by steep and powerful climbing on good rock, with a variety of features. 3 boulder problems separated by easier climbing get you up to the chains. The hardest of the 3 is at the top, however there are a few good rests to regain energy.  

  this route climbs extremely well.

Double the length and double the fun.  Climb The Gift then keep going up tricky vertical terrain for five more bolts worth of technical climbing similar to what you will find on the top of Delirious and Irresistible.

 If you crush the steeps then the upper part of this climb might just be your kryptonite.

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This is a really good moderately overhanging 5.11. Crux down low leads to larger holds but pumpy climbing with a redpoint crux up high. There are a couple of kneebars on this route if desired. Scott originally rated this climb 11a. Try it and see what you think.

Thin, technical start. Better holds higher at upwardly diagonal crack but requiring more powerful moves. Crux over bulge to anchors.

Another of the must do 12-'s on the mountain which will test your endurance. Starts straight up for a couple of bolts then traverses slightly right and up a ways to the rest ledge. Continue past the ledge to some tricky lower angle climbing to the anchors.

While not a crag classic, I found S'Blended to be a thought-provoking, challenging route.  After scrambling to the base of the route, a brutal start complete with rope tangle leads to wonderfully delicate face climbing. 

  The highlight for me was unlocking a sequence involving foot smearing towards a barely sufficient undercling followed by a desperate throw.

Mostly thin face and slabby with a couple easier sections tossed in.  Good variety.  A bit run out in places, but mostly on easier ground.  Has a second pitch but I haven't done it.

The most striking line at Middle Earth, War of the Worlds ascends a clean, rounded, vertical arete.  When the angle lessens one can veer left for the complete two pitch experience or pull a small overhang for the lesser, but still 5.12-, variation. 

  The climbing is a stark contrast from the overhung routes to the left.  This one is all footwork.  A true gem for the technicians. 

  (Note: I have only climbed the mini-pitch so I can't speak to the rest of the route)

Middle Earth is a stellar crag consisting of mostly sport routes with grades from 5.9 to 5.13.  The left side of the crag consists of bouldery, overhung lines starting at 5.11.  This section of the crag stays shaded until 3pm.  The middle of the crag features a trilogy of classic, vertical, friction routes: War Of The Worlds, The Planet Eater, and Premonition.  The right side is marked by long less-than-vertical pitches and sees sun earlier, at perhaps 11am.  Conditions are best during the spring and fall months; however, it is possible to climb the left hand routes during the summer.  Some routes have high quality second and third pitches; some require a second rope to descend.  There is cell phone reception (Verizon, April 2016).

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Location

Protection

Routes in Middle Earth