Chimney climb to an amazing summit, but don't let the moderate grade fool you– this is a route with some serious runout sections up high and if you can't work with dirty rock and loose blocks, this isn't for you.

How we did it:

P1 - step back into the chimney and locate the obvious splitter finger crack on your left. Plug finger sizes for 35-40ft then stem and chimney a bit up to the chockstones. I stayed on the outside and ended up mantling on a ledge and setting a gear belay here, with a #1 and #3 in iron pockets.

P2 - step up off the blocks and launch upward, protecting in dirty horizontals, loose flakes, and even a small tree- extend this a lot to have less drag. Gain the dirty ledge with the small tree and stare deep into the chimney, wondering how you can protect it. There's an obvious .5 placement, get that and head deeper and higher. Expect about a 30' runout to your next protection, at which point you're almost on top. Belay from a tree.

Descent - I've read that there's a walk off//scramble down the other side, but I've ever done it. We hiked about 75-100ft along the cliff back in the direction of Masters, Lunatic, etc. and rapped off a tree, to a small ledge with a small tree big enough to hold us for a second rap. Ended up at the base of Astro Flex after 2 raps.

Gear: No big cams needed, doubles in finger sizes and single rack up to a BD 4. Plenty of runners and some stoppers can be helpful, as well as a .1 and .2. Take a headlamp if it's getting late.

Mindy

Finger Lickin' Good (CLOSED)

Masters of the Universe

Astro Flex

Close to the Edge (CLOSED)

Lunatic Fringe

Starship Trooper

Right Crack

Wrong Crack

Sultans of Stem (CLOSED)

Climbs more like a sport route with long moves on solid face holds. Start in the wide flare that has a finger crack in the back and follow the crack system to the sling anchors.

NOTE:  This route has been closed by the U.S. Forest Service and is included here for informational purposes only.

Climb the finger crack left of Sultans of Stem. The crack thins and becomes discontinuous about 2/3 of the way up.

Commit to the well featured face. You can fiddle some more gear in but its difficult to place from good stances once you leave the crack.

Beware, falling from the anchors with no gear past the end of the crack will result in a ground fall.

The first route when you approach the wall. Take the left-facing dihedral that's below a roof. Pull through the roof to arrive at a ledge that was used as a belay spot. Pull another roof and into a second dihedral. Wrap from a large ledge with a pine tree.

NOTE:  This route has been closed by the U.S. Forest Service and is included here for informational purposes only.

Ascend the attractive face right of Sultans of Stem. Boulder a thin start to the first "bolt." The climbing eases up considerably afterward.

Plug in a piece or two in a small horizontal between the bolts.

Follow the interesting rock to the anchors.

Reportedly there is a second pitch that goes all the way to the big ledge.

Locate a splitter hand crack a few yards left of Finger Lickin' Good.

Climb the crack until it fades and then launch out onto the spookily chalkless face. Angle up and right to a ledge. Traverse right to bolt anchors over the chopped sport route and belay.

Short and sweet! Climb the right offwidth to a short hand crack and use it to pull the overhang. Top out on the capped ledge.

Locate this crack 50 feet left, around the corner from Lunatic Fringe. A tough hanging start in a somewhat painful hand crack  leads to enjoyable climbing to a slung boulder.

Follow the baggy hand crack left of Right Crack 20 feet. Take a rest before committing to fun lay backing that takes you to the same anchors as Right Crack.

NOTE:  This route has been closed by the U.S. Forest Service and is included here for informational purposes only.

Climb the obvious dihedral in the middle of the east face of Hen's Nest.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Hen's Nest Rock