Locate the four large boulders atop the left end of the south face of South Echo Cove Rock.  Bonzo Dog Band is the mostly-left-trending crack system that ends between the middle two of these four boulders.  It starts at a large flake just left of a boulder.

There is an alternate start for this route just left of this flake, but the old quarter inch bolt was rusted and hangerless as of late October, 2002.  We got onto the climb by getting a large piece high behind the flake, then stepping left onto the face.  This was followed by an intimidating, wide, high step to the left, after which the climb eased up considerably, both in difficulty and ease of protection.

Unless you're much smaller than the average leader, you'll end up stretched out on your belly to build a decent gear anchor beneath the boulders.

For the walkoff, crawl back between the boulders atop the route.  You'll find yourself in an open, airy cave system.  Walk left until you leave the cave, then climb (low fifth class) onto the very top when it becomes convenient.  Keep walking left, scramble down a couple more fourth-to-low-fifth class downclimb sections, and walk off onto the road.

Though you could reach the top of this climb via the walkoff, the traversing nature would make it a poor toprope.

Bonzo Dog Band

J.B.'s Variation

Out on a Limb

Bacon Flake

Sugar Cube

High Wire

R.M.L.

Sicker than Jezouin

Axe of Dog

Poodle Skirt

Possessed by Elvis

Statute of Limbitations

Atari

Range Wars

Unknown

Fear of Dogs

Cactus Pricks

C.S. Special

Horny Corner

Fear of God

TM's Terror

Barbed Wire

Ass of Dog

F.U.N.

Sabretooth

Central Pilar of Finley

Flake and Bake

Gordon-Bartlett

The Riddler

Life and Limb

Allergy

Pocket Veto

Sitting Here in Limbo

Chips Ahoy

This steep face route is about half way between TM's Terror on the left, and Axe of Dog on the right.  Climb over a small overhang near the ground, go past a right-slanting crack, pass by the right end of a left-slanting crack, and continue up past a bolt to the top.  It's a bit runout.

Climb to the first bolt on

R.M.L.

then move right and climb the steep slab up the center of the block to a shared finish with

F.U.N.

.

This route lies on the right (east)- most solid buttress of the South Face of the Echo Cove Rocks. It is approached via a few slab moves to a small ledge. Climb this line of 6 bolts on the rounded, bulging arete to the top. The crux is down low, starting off of the ledge with a huge high-step to get feet above the bulge. The handholds here are small and sharp. The route felt like 5.10c to me, but will be far harder for those far shorter.  Flexibility might make up for height until such point that the good hand-hold can not be reached.

The belay up top is well set with large cams and/or hexes and small tricams.  There are other possibilities too.

To descend, walk/scramble off to the climber's right (east) then south by a big "potato-chip" looking boulder, and the back West toward the base.

This route is snuggled between Possessed by Elvis and Flake and Bake near the right end of the south Face.

A right-slanting crack above a horizontal yields some awkward climbing, followed by easier fun climbing above.

This route climbs the back side of the upper block of Central Pillar of Finley. It climbs the short, slightly overhanging south face of a cube-shaped block from right to left. The route faces Possessed By Elvis/Bacon Flake.

The face on the right side of the block, starting from inside the chimney, has also been toproped (5.11-).

Climb the face up to a horizontal crack, then follow a thin, vertical seam.

A short hand crack leads over a roof to jugs (pro to .75" here) after which a committing mantle sequence leads to the first bolt. Steep and greasy smears head upward with an easy but runout section after the last bolt.

Don't be fooled by the easy rating of this climb as it requires a variety of techinques and a cool head to succeed. Interesting moves on good rock merit this two stars out of five.

This dihedral starts right off the deck with some pretty interesting and thin moves, easing up as the route progresses. At the horizontal, if desired, place a small cam for that "Extra" security. Walk off toward Keys Ranch. It does involve a few fun moves...can be downclimbed via ramp with some fifth class friction moves...not recommended for beginners...

Two routes right of the popular

Bonzo Dog Band

, this route climbs a nice lieback to a short tenuous face move to an easy crack to the top. The route takes solid trad gear, the crux is well protected, and there are rap rings at the finish. What else could you ask for? Parking for the route is maybe 18 feet away. 2 stars out of 5.

This thing starts with real thin moves on very thin and sharp edges. Many of the edges are breaking away as you search for a way up. Since I first did this mess, there are quite a few missing holds. The crux is right at the bolt. Beyond that it eases up considerably. I did not lead this. After we did "Sicker Than Jezouin" the 5.10d dihedral just to the right (worth doing), we used the same rope TRing the route. I do not recommend it unless you care not for you finger tips. It will eat them alive!!! If there were a better "Bomb" system on this site... I would give it three "Nuclear Bombs"!!!

This route is immediately to the left of "Bake and Flake" on the right side of Echo Cove Rock-South face. The difficulty is in the initial few feet. It makes one think a bit more than usual. Once over that, the pockets above are easier.

To the right of

Out on a Limb

and the descent chimney is a free-standing block. Climb up the south face of the block to reach a short crack which is followed to the top of the block. Scramble down the back side to gain the descent chimney.

Climb a right-slanting crack on the wall behind and immediately right of the C.S. Special formation.

Begin in obvious jagged crack with a fixed block just right of Sicker than Jezouin (good pro). Move over small roof and step up to a left leaning seam. Hike up the seam (small cams) to slab moves to ledge (tied off knob). Finish up City Slickers (AKA Chips Ahoy) corner.

Climb the start of Axe of God, then move right up a right-slanting crack to an arete with 3 bolts.

2-bolt belay/rappel anchor.

This is a 3-bolt face climb on featured rock located 25 feet left of Possessed By Elvis.

A bouldery start over a small roof starts things off, after which a delicate mantle and a few balancy moves bring one within reach of the first bolt (a spotter is helpful, but the best advice is to not fall). A series of polished slabby moves follow with one commiting move after the last bolt. Gear belay under the summit block and rap or downclimb (easy 5th class).

With it's ease of access and engaging moves this route has seen the passage of many a climber, and the polished holds are a testament to that. Short but fun and perhaps best done on a cooler day or in the shade. Two stars out of five.

This is a fun dihedral with hand jamming, offwidth, stemming, and a steep move onto a face (crux) at the top.  You start up the corner on the left side of the R.M.L. flake, then stem over to an arete at a bolt, and continue to the top.

Climb the initial crack of "Axe of Dog", then climb difficult, thin face, past two bolts to a two bolt anchor.

Although short, this is an exciting climb with two crux sections:  a steep face move and a flared hand jam.

Toprope the face through a bulge just right of Range Wars.

This route isn't as nice as Axe Of Dog just to its right.  However, it's still worth doing.  A 5.9 finger crack start leads to a 5.8+ hand crack above, where it joins Axe Of Dog for the finish.

The '92 Vogel guide shows a TR that starts off of

C.S. Special

and then cuts left after the first bolt - avoiding the crux.  The rest is fairly straight-forward face/slab.  The guidebook gives this a 5.10c rating, but it's a lot easier than C.S. Special.

It's an ok route but perhaps not worth the time with superior lines to either side.

This route is around the corner to the right from Axe Of Dog.  It's a right-facing crack system just to the right of a large corner.  The climb is a chimney/lieback and face route.

Begin 20 feet up and right from Pocket Veto. Climb the arete of a block on varnished rock up past a horizontal to a ledge, then move left and climb the face just right of the Pocket Veto crack finish.

This route lies somewhere on the second-to-the-right-most (east) solid buttress of the south face of the Echo Cove Rocks. The buttress is easily identifed as being immediately left of a huge flake suspended up off of the ground between this rock and the next buttress to the right. This face sports 2 bolts, although certainly not where the Vogel book details them. The difficulty and severity of the climb depends upon the line taken by the leader. Approach the pitch via a few slab moves to a small ledge, and then begin climbing on natural gear to reach the first bolt (or not) and motor for the top. This is an easy lead, but probably not for a neophyte leader (check your head).

The belay sets well on hand-sized gear, but there are other possibilities too.

To descend, walk/scramble off to the climber's right (east) then south by a big "potato-chip" looking boulder, and then back west toward the base.

This route climbs past three bolts and then joins Atari for it's last bolt.

This sinister route starts with a short thin crack/lieback before gaining a flaring groove which ends at the base of a headwall. Clip a bolt, decipher the baffling crux and finish up a thin crack that widens at the top.

Gear belay and easy walk-off down slabs to the climber's left.

Climb the face between Sitting Here in Limbo and Out on a Limb.

A height-dependent, crimpy start leads to two difficult mantles in a row, followed by featured slab climbing to the top.

This route lies at the left-most margin of the right-most (east) solid buttress of the South Face of the Echo Cove Rocks. It is approached via a few slab moves to a small ledge, and begins just left of Sitting Here In Limbo and Out On A Limb.  This is a wide and scaley crack.Climb this curving line using jams and chimney/OW technique where necessary, as the rock quality does not inspire one to step delicately on the available rock.  Climb to the crux near the top of the buttress. And pull up and over with gear at your feet (no good pro is to be had above while at the crux)

The belay up top is well set with large cams and/or hexes and small tricams as for the previosuly mentiened nearby climbs.  There are other possibilities too.

To descend, walk/scramble off to the climber's right (east) then south by a big "potato-chip" looking boulder, and the back West toward the base.

To the right of the flake with C.S. Special, there are two straight-in crack systems.  This route follows the right crack system, which is more continuous and much easier than the left one.  It's a weird steep face climb up the crack system - the moves are tricky to figure out.

This route lies on the right-most (east) solid buttress of the South Face of the Echo Cove Rocks. It is approached via a few slab moves to a small ledge, and begins just left of Out on a Limb and just right of a scaley wide crack.Climb this line of bolts on contoured face to the top of the buttress. The crux is somewhere near the middle of the route and is on small holds.

The belay up top is well set with large cams and/or hexes and small tricams.  There are other possibilities too.

To descend, walk/scramble off to the climber's right (east) then south by a big "potato-chip" looking boulder, and the back West toward the base.

This route features easy but awkward crack climbing. What could be more fun?

This climb is the crack/corner just right of Sicker Than Jezouin. In the Vogel guidebook, the start of Chips Ahoy is not clearly marked. One option is to start in the Sicker Than Jezouin corner and climb a crack/flake in the wall on the right; from there you can step around right into the Chips Ahoy crack.

Continue up the crack until atop a large boulder near the top of the route. Here the Vogel guidebook shows the route going up the wide crack in the corner. Another option is to make a short traverse left and finish up a crack in the left wall.

Description

Protection

Routes in Echo Cove - South Face