Trailside Slab

An obvious short steep slab right above and beside the trail just as it begins to turn the corner. Nice steep friction. A few other lines can be top roped from the two existing bolt anchors.

Freaky Styley 5.9/10a 4 bolts 12m

Dave Robinson, 1993
left route in photo

Big Horn Lingus 5.10a 4 bolts 12m

Paul Valulius, May 28, 1994
right route in photo

Numerous broken corners and short walls have been climbed just right and uphill from Trailside Slab and continuing on to the Layback route on Crescent Wall. Few lines here have much in the way of redeeming features, but one or two clean corners exist along with some short multi-pitch routes that have not been described in this guide.

Directly left of Crescent Wall a number of slab routes have also been done. Goats and sheep love to traverse back and forth above this section of slabs and cliffs and they seem to enjoy trundling down rocks and boulders onto the heads of unsuspecting climbers. A helmet is a very good idea here, even if you are just hanging out at the base of the cliffs. Take pitons and gear if you plan to explore.

Photo Legend:

1. Trailside Slab
2. Crescent Wall
3. Hidden Link Roof
4. Back Wall
   

Crescent Wall

Follow the trail uphill past Trailside Slab and continue up towards the obvious double roof. Go until you are actually past the slabs and a fair ways up the hill where the trail branches left back to Crescent Wall, the slab with a prominent large tree on it's left edge.

Do not go straight up or straight down the terrain below the slabs. The soil here is extremely fragile and erodes VERY rapidly, potentially turning the area into a dust bowl. Since Sport climbing has started here this area has eroded the most rapidly.

Layback 5.7 gear 75m

Ian Gynther, Cyril Shokoples, May 27, 1985
Begins in Crescent Corner and traverses out to follow the rib / face above.

Crescent Corner

This follows up the dirty corner left of Romulus to belay off old (c1982) bolts on the large ledge above. Rarely done and with good reason.

Romulus 5.10a bolts 25m

Cindy and Eric Hoogstraten, 1991
Leftmost bolted route.

Remus 5.9 bolts 25m

Cindy and Eric Hoogstraten, 1991
Begin up Crescent Crack, then move left over the overlap and finish on either Romulus (more difficult) or Duo Arboretum.

Crescent Crack 5.7 gear 23m

One of the best short sustained gear routes. From the large tree, follow the curving crack and right at the top go slightly left and up to a two bolt anchor. Take a set of wired Stoppers and cams.

Duo Arboretum 5.10a bolts 25m

Cindy and Eric Hoogstraten, 1991
Thin, steep and solid. Fun slab climbing.

Solo 5.7 gear 23m

Cyril Shokoples, c1977
Begins left of This Bolt's For You and works obvious weaknesses to gain the chains on This Bolt.

This Bolt's For You 5.8 bolts 23m

Maureen Allard and David Robinson, 1993
A top rope problem from the Blue Lake days (1980s), this route was led on sparse gear before being retrofitted as a sport route in 1993. The sport route may be more direct. Boulder up the steep slab then head for the crank over the overlap.

Crescent Wall - right side

Right of This Bolt's For You is a ledge with six double bolt anchors. Often used to practice traditional leading on gear or for top-roping, there are no bolts for sport climbing. All routes are less than 25meters. There are only a few routes with names although a lot has been done here:

Crescent Wrench Corner 5.7/8 - the left side of the obvious corner groove.

Crescent Moon 5.6/7 - the obvious corner or groove

Betcha Can’t 5.10+ - a thin steep slab with only a single knifeblade for poor protection

Slopers Corner 5.6 - rightmost of the corners on this wall

Slopers 5.6 - rightmost route here on down-sloping slab features.