Barrier Bluffs Practice Routes

FAs – G.Cornell May-July 2003

These three lines were done to pop some life into the forgotten north side of Barrier Bluffs. They are all 18m or less ending at bolt anchors, so more than one can easily be worked on in an afternoon. A beaten trail from Yellow Wall hooks around to the north side hugging the entire wall, eventually ending at a new sport cliff called Salt ‘n Pepper. It is about a 5 minute walk along the trail between each of the three routes. You may need to know the old 80s routes to locate these new ones. Parking in that empty parking lot for half a dozen cars, may be the best idea, to get off the road and ditch.

All three routes have good ground cracks to allow soloists to easily build anchors as were the first ascent. The gear needed is similar for all climbs: nuts, cams from .5″ to 3″, small-medium hexes, Tri-cams, and a Talon hook helps.

Messy Line (A0/1) is 10m high, and 5m left of the old route Screaming Monkey Vomit(a right facing solid corner). Climb the crack, quick hook right to bolt then on up.

Kjarkas Flutes (A2) is 2m left of the 10b route Sleepy Tree and follows a narrow right facing corner that arches rightward a tad, then finishes up on nice ledges and is 18m in length. There is a fixed pin down low. Kjarkas are an amazing Andean flute band from Bolivia!

Adrift (A1+) is found right at the bottom of a steep dip in the trail heading north. There is a fixed pin, go up to the big white roof where a rivet and bolt go right to a belay. The idea was to go over hence the name.