Flight Path Area, 5.7-5.10b

Overview/Approach

The Flight Path area on Bridge Mountain's lower southeast face contains an assortment of short sunny walls with mostly single pitch trad climbs just to the right of Stick Gully. Stick Gully is the broadest gully cutting into Bridge Mountain’s lower southeastern flank. This entire area is a popular winter destination as it is mostly south facing with a twist to the east, therefore sunny and protected from winds. There are several classic and/or potentially classic multi pitch climbs to the west of the gully: Birdland (5.7), Spectrum (5.11a) and Orange Clonus (5.10d). One of the more popular single pitch routes on this section of Bridge Mountain is Straight Shooter (5.9). Just to the right of Straight Shooter wall is the before mentioned wide, deep and obvious gully/canyon named Stick Gully. Just to the right of Stick Gully starts the Flight Path area.

Flight Path has twelve established routes as of 2011: ten single pitch trad and sport climbs along with two multi pitch trad climbs anchoring the east end of this area. Climbing a few of the better cracks at Flight Path makes a great way to finish off a visit to Stick Gully, or at least that is the way I used the area. Steve Hasse and Tom Beck established the first few routes I climbed at Flight Path; Doin' the Good Drive (5.9) and Simple Expediency (5.8+), both of which are fun routes sharing the same anchor on the left side of Flight Path.

Head up as for the very popular 5.9 single pitch route; Straight Shooter. From the Pine Creek trail, turn right at a well cairned climbers trail to ascend the right ridge of the lower rock band below Straight Shooter and Brass Walls. Follow the ridge up and break off the trail towards the obvious broad gully (Stick Gully) up and right from atop the ridge. Aim for the first varnished wall just right of the gully. Flight Path starts with a right facing corner climb (Commuted Sentence) and then the next three routes share the same anchor on a nicely varnished two tiered wall.

Route Description (s)

Routes are Listed Left to Right as you face the Walls

Commuted Sentence-Single Pitch- 5.9+/

Right Facing Corner

Doin’ the Good Drive-Single Pitch- 5.9+/

This pitch is quite reminiscent of Straight Shooter. It begins off the deck with a nicely varnished small finger crack (C3’s). This whole wall is divided by a horizontal ledge. After mantling the ledge, you can go left via a hand crack for this route or take the pod/hand crack up right for Car Talk. Dow

Car Talk-Single Pitch- 5.9+/

Variation of Doin’ the Good Drive

Simple Expediency-Single Pitch- 5.8+/

Upon initial appearance this route does not look worth doing. However, the second half (past that mid ledge) involves some more Straight Shooter type climbing, a finger crack move or two up a nicely varnished face to a shared anchor with the previous two routes. Dow

They Call the Wind…-Single Pitch- 5.8/

Sex in the Scrub Oak-Single Pitch- 5.7/

Been there; done that.

Ignore the Man Behind the Screen-Single Pitch- 5.6/

Belief in Proportion to the Evidence-Single Pitch- 5.10a/

Sport Climb

Common Bond of Circumstance-Single Pitch- 5.9+/

Sport Climb

Radio Free Kansas-Single Pitch- 5.7+/

Flight Path- 3 Pitches- 5.8+/

Pattizabzent- 3 Pitches- 5.10b/

External Links

Over 300 routes detailed from first hand successful accounts at Red Rock Canyon. GET OFF THE TOURIST ROUTES and explore!

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, BLM

Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association

Images

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