From the south entrance of the park drive towards the Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Before you get to the tunnel park on the left side of the road, don't go into the tunnel. Hike towards the tunnel and walk around it on the left side slightly uphill for about 50 yards. The route is on your right with an incredible splitter crack start.

Route Description

According to guide books this is one of the best free climbs in the park (I have to agree). The Headache is a three pitch climb with bolted anchors rated 5.10. The route goes in the shade in the afternoon.

Pitch 1 starts with a sustained but spectacular splitter crack. The crack takes all but #2 camalots. Jam and smile until you get to the offwidth before the anchors. A good armbar supplemented with a #4 camalot followed by a high reach with your right arm will get you to the anchors.

Bring all your yellow camalots.

Pitch 2 Continue the sustained crack system as is follows the corner. Interesting face move protected with a bolt will get you under a roof. Pull the roof with marginal jams and keep jamming as best as you can to the anchors (kind of hard).

Pitch 3 Perhaps the hardest pitch. From the anchors traverse left towards the tree and continue with the ever thinning crack until you get to the alcove which will get your head stuck in it (maybe this is the reason why the route is called The Headache). This is the crux. Place a #2 camalot in the crack deep in the alcove and make an awkward move to get out of it and into the left leaning crack slightly above it. Place another #1 camalot and reach the anchors shortly.

Descent Make two double rope rappels from bolted anchors to the left of the route. We used 60m ropes, 50m may not reach the ground but not tested.

Essential Gear

Four or five #2 camalots and one #4 camalot for the first pitch. At least doubles of #0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 camalots. Set of nuts and TCUs from blue to red or aliens from green to red. You need two ropes to get down, we used 60m ropes.

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