Saddle Up, 5.9, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

I feel this route gets a bit more love than it deserves from a few locals.  Smooth Operator, at the same grade and gets you up to the same spot atop Jackrabbit Buttress, is a better, more interesting, climb in my opinion.  The first pitch’s cave like experience is fun, but climbs well below the grade.  The 2^nd pitch is soft for the grade, but is sustained 5.7-5.8 up a solid hand crack which offers good pro for the budding leader at this grade.  The final pitch is a bit run out, but is your typical low angled mid-5^th jug fest to the top.  You can sling features to protect his last pitch if necessary.

Head for Juniper Canyon which splits Crimson Chrysalis and Cloud Tower from Jackrabbit Buttress. Hike up the boulder choked drainage until you are on a steep and loose trail that leads up to the base of Rainbow and the two Brownstone walls.  Keep any eye out for a huge chockstone set in a deep chimney of black varnish on your right (Jackrabbit’s south face).  Once level with this chockstone or slightly below it, go off trail and bushwhack to the base of said chimney.  There are multiple variations you can use to climb this first pitch, but the most fun will be had by going deep into the bowels of the chimney. 

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 120’-5.7+/ Climb up into the depth of the chimney and stem up the heavily varnished rock into a cave like environment.  There is plenty of gear, albeit it is dark and difficult to see at times. You end up mantling on the north side of the massive chock stone.  Belay at the east end of the chock stone via a horizontal crack.  To avoid rope drag, extend you placements.

2^nd Pitch-120’-5.9/ Although this pitch is called 5.9 by the FAer’s, it is difficult to identify any 5.9 moves.  This is a stellar (fun) crack climb on good rock.  Use the horizontal crack your belay is in and hand rail southeast off the chock stone to a hidden crack/corner.  Follow this crack/corner to a comfortable gear belay.

3^rd-4^th Pitches- 5^th- 350’+/ We simul-climbed this pitch to the top of the formation.  Continue up the crack.  The crux move is a shallow corner about 30’ off the belay which leads you out of the crack that started pitch 2.  One or two moves at 5.8 through this and the grade mellows for the remainder of the climb to the top.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Continue to the base of the Brownstone Walls for a link up to another route or descend the main gully in the canyon back to your packs.

Essential Gear

Single to #3, a few extra mid-sized pieces if you prefer, set of wires and shoulder length slings.  70 rope helps with simu-climbing the final two pitches if that is your preference.  This route will be dark and cold in the winter until you reach the upper two pitches.