This route is quite continuous. Great rock, great placements, great views. Go up and check out this "forgotten" area.

The Call of Duty

Randy's Polka

Ooooh Crack!

Ascent of a Man

The Leak

The Horse's Mouth

Do or Dive

Hari

Randy's Polka

can be described as somewhat chossy 5.8 climbing to a V3/4 boulder problem, but the crux moves are on excellent rock and involve using features that are very unusual for Big Cottonwood quartzite (Ruckmans' guide will give it away).

Begin by climbing 15 or so feet above potentially bone-breaking boulders to a bolt, continue to a second bolt 15 feet higher, then work right and up to the base of the roof and a third bolt.  Crank the roof, clipping a fourth bolt enroute, and scramble to the chains.

To the right of "Ascent of a Man" is a jagged crack through a roof.  Run it up to one of the trees and have a little adventure.  No bolts, No anchor (aside from trees)  Fun little route with some fun crack/roof moves.

Not sure if this has been climbed before...  Purdy crack, hence the name and the motivation.

As you traverse west, you will pass by a few routes, this is the all-bolted route that is before --EAST of the super-roofed - "Do or Dive", recognizable by the upside down staircase look.  This climb consists of well-protected face climbing.  At bolt 2, avoid going right (with the chalk) to the finger crack at the base of the roof, as this makes it easier, and obviously wanders.  Beware of the "Oh Shit!! ledge" up top, after the 4th bolt.  If you wander right at bolt 2, I feel it is a 5.10b.

This is the obvious, mostly bolted route right at the top of the approach trail. Look for the black streak going up a steep slab with a couple of roofs, the first bolt is 15 feet up but pretty easy to get to. Very fun climbing with a few hard moves at the first bolt and a crux pulling the second roof.

Begin by climbing 15 or so feet above potentially bone-breaking boulders to a bolt, step right, and move up easier rock to another bolt 15 feet higher (or, for more challenge, climb straight-up from the first bolt).  Make a few moves and jam the leftward leaning, slightly overhanging handcrack to easy ground and the chains.  Enjoy the drop back to the base.  The face is less than inspiring, but the position provided by climbing the handcrack is quite cool.

The Ruckmans give this route three out of three stars in their 1998 guide, the most of all the routes they describe on Above and Beyond Wall.  It may be the route to do on the crag.  The line turns three roofs in quick succession, has a short easy section, then presents one last roof to get to the chains, all very well protected.  Take a second to spy the fixed gear before you start: a bolt and a pin just after the first roof, a bolt after the third roof, and two bolts protecting the last roof.  Ruckmans' topo shows another pin after the second roof, but I didn't see it.  If you go left at the last roof (after clipping the second to last bolt), you may use a somewhat wobbly loaf-size block, but it doesn't look like it is going anywhere.

The first 40 or so feet of

Hari

may ascend the best rock on the Above and Beyond Wall, via classic, steep Big Cottonwood quartzite face climbing -- the route would be three, maybe even four stars, if this section of rock were twice as long.  Unfortunately, the rock becomes less interesting, both aesthetically and in terms of difficulty, for the remainder of the pitch.

The first half of the route is obvious, protected by two bolts supplemented by a cam or two.  The latter half of the climb diagonals up and right, almost becoming a traverse near its top, to reach a two-bolt anchor.  (The topo in the Ruckmans' guide shows the climb more straight-up than it actually is).

Hari

ends at the two-bolt anchor, but if you feel unsatisfied, try the bolted arête-feature just above, which is

Kari

(5.12), or head right to catch the headwall crack, which is the crag's namesake,

Above and Beyond

(5.11d).

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Above and Beyond Wall