Route Name: Hillbilly Warm-up

Application Status: Approved

Application Cycle: 2021

Rock Formation: Hillbilly Rock

Number of lead bolts to be placed: 8

Number of anchor bolts to be placed: 2

Route Difficulty:5.11d

Route Diagrams:

Proposed Route:

Hillbilly Warm-up climbs an obvious straight-up line on the right side of the wall, bisecting the existing line West Face Right (5.12a) at its first bolt. Because West Face right is a wandering mixed line, originally bolted in the 1980s at the dawn of sport climbing when climbers were just figuring things out (and using the minimum amount of bolts), it essentially crosses the two natural lines on the right side of the wall—the face/scoop/slab on the right, and the steep face climbing left of the arête on the left—to create one wandering line with weird runouts and rope drag. Kissing Cousins would seek to rectify this situation by providing the lower left start that West Face Right really should have to straighten out that line, as well as the natural, easier finish to the original mixed start on West Face Right that will climb the scooped slab above West Face Right’s first bolt at 5.11+. However, the integral Kissing Cousins would do both the new start and new finish.

 

Name Meaning:

Not provided

 

Existing Route Information

The west face of Hillbilly Rock has six existing climbs. The leftmost one is Horsefly Hootenanny, a 5.12+ on the upper left side of the west face. Then there is Uncle Dad (5.13a), which branches right off of Horsefly. Right again is Nephson (5.13+), which moves up the prow in the middle of the wall, 10 feet left of the proposed climb. Right again is Sis Wife (5.14 project), installed in November 2020. West Face (5.12c) is located down and right 20 feet from Sis Wife, and the rightmost route (West Face Right; 5.12a) is located another 40 feet downhill near the southwest margin of the wall. All are sport climbs, though West Face Right does have some moderate traditionally protected climbing to reach the first bolt.

Existing Route Diagrams

 

 

 

A description of the approach (include approximate distance from the designated trail system, existing “social” or undesignated trails leading to the climb and condition of the trail, and state whether there is a durable surface, such as rock.

The approach is via NCAR. Take the Mallory Cave Trail to the Mesa Trail; head south to where the Mesa Trail traverses across Skunk Canyon. Head west into Skunk Canyon on the climber’s approach trail, then head due north up the gully east of Hillbilly Rock to reach the south then west side of Hillbilly Rock on an existing climber’s trail. The trail is on durable, hard-packed dirt and talus.

 

 

 

If different from the approach, a description of the descent, (include approximate distance from the designated trail system, existing “social” or undesignated trails, a description of the trail condition and whether there is a durable surface, such as rock. Include photographs of the descent.):

The descent is via lowering off the route back to the staging area, using the existing anchor atop West Face Right.

A description of the area at the base of the climb (include existing levels of soil compaction, existence of a durable surface such as rock, and existing soil erosion. Include photographs of the area at the base of the climb.):

 

The staging area is a slightly sloping rock-and-soil area at the base of the climb.

 

 

Has all reconnaissance work that can be reasonably done, short of placing any hardware, been done?

Base Area Photos

Has the route been top roped? Is there loose rock? Is it extremely overhanging?

The route has been inspected on top-rope and free climbed at 5.11d. It is gently overhanging at the bottom then less-than-vertical above.

Any additional notes:

Not provided

 

11 replies
  7. Mike Tritt
    Mike Tritt says:

    Yes, Having climbed the original line, this makes much more sense. Will be a great addition to the crag, and a better start if you want to climb the original 12a.

    Reply

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