For the moderate climber this is one of THE routes to do at Pinnacles. Long, fun and airy at the top. It is possible to TR the first part of the route off of some midway anchors, but is not really recommended because this route sees a lot of traffic.

The start of the route feels harder than 5.6. You can boulder out the opening moves or do a slightly spicy traverse over from the side if you wish to avoid it.

Portent

Holiday Ordeal

The Cleft

Straight Up

Trauma

Swallow Crack

Jorgie's Continuation

Power Point

Gladiator

Lost Horizons

Fly By

Cosmos

Melvin

Stupendous Man

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Bye-Bye Fly-By

Dead Bird Crack

Plague

The Verdict (direct)

Mammary Pump

Jorgie's Crack

Trial

Broken Arrow

Ordeal

Pistol Whipped

Buffalo Soldier

The Wet Kiss

The Big Pucker

Racing Stripes

Entrance

Nailbox Crack

Broken Arrow (Direct)

Passover

The Roof

Lithium

Forty Days of Rain

Labor of Love

This is a contrived route that wrestles the lip of the large roof, just left of the start of Portent. 2 bolts, then it joins Portent.

Short route that can be top roped climbing Ordeal. Delicate face left to the corner. It was originally rated 10a, but then upgraded to 10d as many holds have broken off.

Pretty fun chimney which goes pretty straight up then out to the left for an easy but fairly runout slab/scramble up to the top. Decent rock with the crux being getting yourself through a narrower constriction in the chimney.

Locate two bolts below the roof and climb straight up through them to join the route The Roof. Traverse right under the roof to the anchors. The climbing can continue from the chains to the top via Roof, but I've never tried.

Cleaning this route on rappel is a pain. I would recommend someone second the climb and clean on the way up.

Climb up to the base of the corner on an easy but unprotected ramp. Work your way up the corner to the bottom of the roof, take care to place good pro in the crack (hand to finger size). Traverse out left on good underclings and exit the roof to a nice mantel. Face climb to the top, a bit runout but it's on easier ground.

This is located in the middle of the east face of the Discovery Wall, uphill where the climbers path begins to flatten out. From the path, head up about 15 feet to a large open area, where you will find the bulge that leads to the Swallow Crack.

Start on a bulgy face that leads to a wide left faced crack on a slab where excellent hands and feet are available. There is certainly some rock that will eventually pull out on this route, so use caution! After the crack, move left to the bolt, and climb some class 4 rock that will lead you to the top of the Discovery Wall.

This route is about 90 feet long, and due to the leftward movement of the route, top roping this roue either requires some interesting directionals and a long rope, or some ballsy climbers. A fall on a top rope from the anchors will swing you about 50 feet left and crash you into the slabby section of Fly-By (5.9+), the next climb over.

This is a spectacular and super interesting finish that takes you to the top of Discovery Wall from the anchor on Jorgie's Crack. A fun and airy traverse leads to a thin, technical corner. A little sporty with a bolt, fixed pin, and supplemental gear.   It's a real Pinnacles classic.

This short bouldery climb seems difficult to rate. It moves through the roof to the right of Stupendous Man. David Rubine's book calls it 11d/12a but I've heard it called as low as 11a. It joins Stupendous Man after the fourth bolt.

This is an exciting route that starts with a trad protected overhanging stem problem (5.11), continues up the slab to the Dead Bird roof, turns the roof on the left, to more technical stemming in a hanging corner (5.10).

This is a very overlooked route, but definitely worth doing.  Start up the funky crack toward Mammary Pump, then head right past a bolt.  Climb an interesting move over a sharp arete edge and try not to slice your crotch on it.  Then head straight up the nice crack, which is in a little bit of a flare/corner.  Above, you will get to an offwidth section.  You can face climb past it, OW it, or both.  It is spooky without a big piece to protect it though, so bring the Big Dude.

Climb up a large slab underneath a huge overhang that moves left.  This is found in the center of Discovery wall, 50 feet left of The Swallow Crack (5.6).  This sits under the largest roof on the right half of the wall where there is slab climbing underneath.

Once you're under the roof, you'll be able to get nice and comfortable with the roof as the holds on the slab and vertical inner traverse section become really loose.  After the exit, climb up left and over the slabby section, or continue upwards for an excellent 5.10c ending.

This is a good route.  The guidebook describes it as "spectacular" and "puts the leader in vry phtogenic positions."

Climb up to a bolt, move left and around/over a roof.  The 1st bolt is a bit less useful if you blow it before the 2nd bolt.  The rock around the 2nd bolt seemed to have a crack in it.  Continue up past 6 more bolts.  Supposedly you can get a small cam in between the 5th and 6th bolts.

Loose at start. Shares anchors with Racing Stripes.

The official crux is the mantel at the first bolt, but the thin moves passing the third bolt can be challenging.

A bit loose getting to the first crux at the fourth bolt (10c). The climbing then improves as you climb a bulge pass the last three closely spaced bolts (it is possible to clip two of them of a stance).

The start of this route is the same as Fly-By, but it goes straight up the face. It starts easier (5.6) and then steepens-up, becoming progressively more challenging. The crux is the last couple of moves before the roof (where it rejoins Fly-By).

The rock on the edge of the roof is loose, so you have to commit to reach the jug right after the roof.

Dead Bird Crack is a great little trad climb that starts at the base of Fly By but instead of going up the crack it traverses across left towards a roof.  Low angle traverse is thin and protected only by a small nut placement (extend!).  Once in the roof there are plenty of options for small to medium cams but make sure to extend your pieces or you'll end up with crazy rope drag.  The moves out of the roof are pumpy but keep moving and you'll find solid stances ahead. Continue to follow the obvious features up and left.

At one point you may think, "do I pull over this bomber bulge, clip the bolt and climb straight up to the anchor or do I keep following the crack up/left?"  If this is tempting, be aware that this is the 5.10 variation.  For the 5.9 finish keep following the crack left, past a piton and run out some 5.6 at the end to a nice happy set of bolt anchors, climber's right.  Here you can comfortably belay your partner while seated in a little two-butt sized pocket in the rock.  The comfort comes in handy when (s)he yells "TAKE!" after missing the first attempt at the crux you kissed your cams before pumping through.

This climb starts with the crux: A roof at about 10'. Use the hand crack and mantle up. Clip a bolt and work around a second smaller roof about 40' up. Now climb through the middle of the face, passing two more bolts (5.6R). The last third of the route is the easiest, but protection is sparse and a fall would be unpleasant.

The official crux is someplace within the first 30 feet or so, but the beauty of the climb lies in its sustained and slightly overhanging nature.

This is a fun, inviting, slightly pumpy route which ascends a few bulging tiers. The route is described as reachy in the guidebook.

Start on slightly loose rock. Clip a bolt. Move up over a set of bulges angling left past a pin. The crux involves a key left side pull near the 3rd bolt. Clip another bolt.

Per

Vlad S

: the only thing reachy about this climb are its clipping positions. The first as well as the last bolt before the runout are totally off route. I recommend skipping the latter one, since it's only 2 feet above another bolt, and the clipping hold is now gone. Ultimately, that bolt should be moved 3 feet left.

Jorgie's is the very chalked up arching thin crack in between Swallow Crack and Ordeal, some ways down the right side of the Disco Wall. It takes relatively good gear, and packs in some great climbing in its relatively short length. The crux comes as the crack begins to peter out, with a tenuous, off-balance move left.

This is an old aid line that starts up the chossy crack left of The Verdict, and then traverses a seam across the overhanging, bolt protected  wall in a series of beautiful, strenuous moves on excellent stone.

The hardest move involves reaching a softball-sized hueco midway across the face, though the extremely sustained and technical nature of the bolted sequence is the real crux.

This is a really fun climb. The protection is good except for the runout to the first bolt. The book calls the runout 5.5, but I think most folks would find it even easier and secure. The hard stuff comes after the second bolt and remains fairly sustained until you cross over the arête. Good stemming allows for some rests.

Toward the right half of Discovery Wall is a left-facing corner with a nice, roof-like overhang. Start climbing up the crack and toward the roof. There is a bolt, then a fixed pin under the roof. The pin seems good and solid, but you can easily place a back-up piece. Then you get to make improbable face moves out left, before climbing up around the roof's left side. Do not stop at the intermediate belay bolts unless setting up a TR for the bottom half. Continue up the crack up to a ledge with another bolt, which somewhat protects the final headwall. There are anchor bolts in the obvious notch at the top.

This is an excellent route with solid rock. It eats up good pro, plus has several bolts along the way.

Worth doing, despite the R rating.  Typical Pinnacles potentially lethal runout on easy but friable rock to anchors.  Three bolts and some medium cams lead up a face with small ledges. Finishes on The Verdict anchors.

A couple of thin cruxes (10c, 11a)  are protected with bolts. Small gear useful between bolts.

This face route heads up a less than vertical section about 50 feet right of Portant (5.6) that faces the same direction of Portent.

Climb up to the bolted wide cracklike system that starts about 20 feet up from the path, and it's a simple slab walk up to the first bolt.  For an added move, boulder over the first bulge on the way to the first bolt (still a 5.9.)

After the first bolt, use the crack to move over a short vertical section, and then follow the bolts up the crack system to a mantle move at the fourth bolt.  Continue upwards, where climbing is easier to the top anchors, which are obscured from view from the ground.

This route is the second bolted line right of Portent, and is easily indetified because the first bolt is about 35 feet off the ground.

Climb up to a 5.10a angled crack that leads to the first bolt using some not so tough, but burly jams. After the first bolt a secondary piece of protection should be placed in the crack before ascending a small 5.10c/d roof move that moves to hidden holds.  Missing this move is NOT fun (my shoulder still hurts, I scared the hell out of some hikers when Jared let me down bleeding profusely) due to the slab that sits below this move.

After the first roof, climb up past two more bolts and a balancy 5.10c section that's easier if you're tall.  Once over the top the climb is quite runout, but the climbing is only 5.2 as you move up and right to the top anchors, which are shared with The Wet Kiss (5.9).

Crack, chimney, and face moves. Can toprope from top of Melvin.

Same start as Stupendous Man, then go to the right to a wide crack. Crux is finding the foot holds while hanging from a solid hand hold on a slightly overhanging part.

This is the crack in the left-facing corner next to Pillbox Crack.  It looks easy and low-angle from the ground, but will surprise you with how steep it feels while climbing it.  The route is often overlooked, but is high quality, solid and fun.  When Ordeal, Portent, Jorgies, Swallow, Wet Kiss, etc. are all busy, you can probably walk right onto this one.

Just climb up the corner crack, past a little tree-let, to a bolted rap anchor.

On rappel, try to avoid the healthy growth of poison oak at the base.

This is the direct finish of Broken Arrow. Climb straight up after the fifth bolt resisting the temptation to go left.

The first bolt is way up the ground, but the first part is easy 5.4-5.6 climb. The rock of this first section is very loose, so be careful there! After the first bold, where the game starts, the rock is good quality.

There are much better routes on Discovery Wall, but if you haven't ticked this one, maybe it's time. The problem is that the crux is at the very end of the pitch and the protection, from small cams, is, well, er, uh, less than inspiring. The chains are oh, so close, but oh, so far away.

Start below the large right facing dihedral with a crack and climb up it on moderate terrain, cams for protection, to the roof. Traverse right under the roof using a finger-sized crack for protection. One or two fixed pins may be found along the way, but as with any fixed pins at the Pinns they are to be treated with care lest they fall out into your hands.

Get as good as gear as possible for the moves at end of the traverse to the chains. The original ascent continued past the chains to the top of the wall.

Fun bouldery route with 2 distinct cruxes. Pull the initial bulge onto a ledge, followed by two bolts of easier climbing. Start up the second crux, making a tenuous 4th clip, and continuing up on small holds.

After the fifth bolt is 35' of unprotected 5.6 climbing on suspect rock. Options for dubious slung knobs exist, but be prepared mentally for the final run up to the anchors. The anchors can't be seen until you're a few feet away, but trend slightly right and you'll find them beneath a bulge.

This is a Pinnacles anomaly- A full on Roof Problem. Short and very gymnastic. It's all go from the moment your feet leave the ledge.  Fun and powerful. Crack and roof skills are required.

Kelly Rich had the vision, but we both lacked the skills. We placed what is now the second bolt, kinda botched the placement, and promptly got shut down on the next few moves. It took Mike Carville to figure out some key wizardry to unlock the next section.  Finally, with his beta, we were able to send after more than 4 years.

It had been a cryptic aid problem that appeared to end at the lip (there was a bolt there, and some fixed pins below) but no evidence that it had ever been finished, nor was there a bail sling or carabiner on that last bolt- a mystery.

This route starts in the Portent Chimney. Stem up the right side, clip a high bolt, the bust out onto the face to the right. Cams in a horizontal protect the first crux over a bulge. From the small ledge, the route follows a left slanting thin crack (bolts) to an vertical offset edge. This upper section is the business.

Description

Protection

Routes in Discovery Wall