Overview/Approach
Tooth or Consequences, 5.11c
Jet Stream Wall offers up perhaps the
most solid rock at all of Red Rock National Conservation Area. Its heavily varnished routes hang high above the left fork of Pine Creek Canyon. Half of Jet Stream Wall is made up by a huge arch on its right side. A sustained route that runs up the gut of this arch, pulling out of its roof at its center, is named
Drifting, 500’ of 5.11 climbing. By far the most moderate of Jet Stream's routes (2012) is a relatively new route,
Tooth or Consequences (5.11c) established in 2009, which ascends the right side arête of the wall which ends at a feature named the
“tooth”, a dark 100’ tower falling away from the top of the wall. Tooth or Consequences is mostly a 5.9-10 route with just a few moves at 5.11. The
most challenging route on the wall is its namesake, Jet Stream, offering up four of its six pitches at the 5.12 grade.
Jet Stream is a north facing wall. Not as directly north as Rainbow Wall, but is still mostly
shaded. Facing north in combination with its upper position in the canyon allows these routes to be climbed in relative comfort when Vegas is heating up towards 100F. Handren’s guide book references climbing the Olive Oil descent gully to the top of Jackrabbit Buttress and then descending west to reach Jet Stream Wall. The much preferred approach is to park at Pine Creek trail head, take the left fork of Pine Creek
past Cat in the Hat and continue up canyon just as you would for
Adventure Punks. Once you pass the pocketed wall on the left that folks place stones in, look for cairns that cut up and back left towards Adventure Punks, the Challenger Wall and Jet Stream Wall.
Continue traversing back east until you hit the long wide slick rock ramp below Jet Stream wall. Tooth or Consequences starts before the large ramp that follows the entire base of the Jet Stream Wall, following the arête below the detached tower above (tooth). The start of Drifting is directly below the huge arch above and is within a ten minute walk from Jet Stream’s start.
Route Description(s)
Routes are Listed Right to Left as you face the Wall
Tooth or Consequences-8 Pitches- 5.11c/ The first pitch of Tooth or Consequences begins on the left side of a triangular 200-foot-high buttress which leans against the base of the prominent. Begin to the left of a significant roof (and lone pine tree). Several pieces of fixed pro (5.10) lead the way up the left side of the overhang on black rock. The climbing eases for the last half of the pitch to a fixed belay. The second pitch is a stellar pitch for the grade at Red Rock (5.8) on good rock. It follows an obvious crack system straight up to a large ledge past one piece of fixed pro. After moving the belay across the cactus filled ledge to the arête ahead, climb lesser quality rock up the left side of the arete via intermittent cracks (5.8). The fourth pitch (5.10) is an outstanding face pitch up heavily varnished scoops on the left side of the arete. The fifth pitch works its way up crack systems that lead generally leftward (5.8.) The sixth pitch heads up to an exposed overhang which includes an athletic move (5.10) to gain the steep face left of the arete which leads to a semi-hanging belay . The seventh pitch (5.10) is outstanding: exposed, steep, with varnished edges and ends at a good ledge. The final pitch starts on the slab and turns the arête to the left which is the crux of the climb (5.11). A slightly overhanging side pull and dyno to a solid hand ledge allows you to clip a bolt, make one or two more moves at the grade and then follow up much easier (5.9) ground to the top of the "tooth’s" (tower) summit. Dow
Drifting- 5 Pitches- 5.11c/
Atmospheres- 4 Pitches- 5.12c/
Jet Stream- 6 Pitches- 5.12c/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