Tombstone Stripper, 5.10-, 6 Pitches

Overview/Approach

MP.com says 7 pitches, the local guide 6, but it can be done easily in 5.  This is not a sustained route at the grade featuring less than half a dozen 5.10- moves.  However it is a worthy route that does show you some relatively outstanding rock for Sheepshead.   This first pitch is slabby and overcomes several overlaps by mantling, following the bolts and supplementing with gear.  You end at the same fixed rap of Ides of Middlemarch and just below the 1st fixed belay of Peachmaker.  The second pitch starts out for a few meters on Middlemarch but then exits the above crack system by trending up and right through bolts, fun and steep in places.  The third pitch offers two short cruxes of the route, one off of the deck and another after crossing a cool rock bridge (arch).  Both cruxes involve face climbing at the grade.  The fourth pitch is a long pitch climbing well below the grade.  The last two pitches can be combined with a little thought and extending your clips.  The finish offers no real climbing obstacles but does create an independent finish for Tombstone Stripper.

Approach as you would for Peacemaker.  Continue south along the wall to the next staging area. Idles of Middlemarch climbs the obvious bolt line straight up. To reach the base of Tombstone Stripper, you must scramble left up a vegetated ramp where you will fine another line of bolts crossing several overlaps.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 95’-5.8/ MP.com has this pitch at 5.8 which I concur with.  Climb the bolted overlaps just to the left of Ides of Middlemarch.  Climb several slab moves at the grade as you angle up and right to the shared fixed rap with a comfortable belay ledge shared with Middlemarch. 4 clips.

2^nd Pitch- 100’-5.9/ MP.com has this pitch at 5.10- and the local guide has it at 5.8-.  Splitting the two seems about right.  Up and left is Ides of Middlemarch.  The bolt line straight up through the small overhang is Tombstone.  Fun and positive airy climbing leads to easier climbing on great rock to a small ledge, protect and move to the right side of the ledge to the fixed rap. 5 clips.

3^rd Pitch- 105’-5.10-/ By far the best pitch of the route.  Make several physical (crux), but positive, mantle moves through bolts off the deck to surmount a rock bridge.  Traverse along the bridge to the other side and follow more bolts up (2^nd crux) a short steep section.  There are no old bolts as the latest edition of the guide alludes to.  Then up and left following bolts up a chossy easy ramp/corner to another fixed rap at a stance.  8 clips. 

4^th Pitch- 200’-5.8/ Climb through the 3 bolts straight up through solid plated ground.  Great rock.  Sling features and set wires.  Stay left of the balanced boulders above.  And belay at a fixed rap at the base of a large treed ledge.  3 clips.

Move the belay up and left to the fixed belay on the next ledge above way out left. 

5^th/-  6^th Pitches- 210’-5.8/ MP.com calls it 5.9 but the guide calls it 5.8.  I concur with the guide.  MP.com calls it 220’ and the guide calls it 170’.  I concur with MP.com.  There are two bolted lines directly above.  Peacemaker is the left one.  Clip the first two bolts of the right one and leave it to climb up and right and then back left up to a low angled left facing corner.  Climb it and traverse out right through a bolt to almost the notch. Turn up left and follow the rock gully to one exposed (bolted) slab move up left and into the slot above.  Do a hip belay.  6 well placed clips show the way. 

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Head to the back of the slot and descend slightly to circumvent the backside of the summit of Sheepshead to a treed gully which leads to a notch and joins the common descent trail down the gully between Muttonhead and Sheepshead.  Add any of the Barnyard routes (exceptional) or Ranch Hands further down for a full day of climbing.

Essential Gear

Didn’t use gear much, but did place everything from #.3 to #3 with the exception of the #1 and #.75 at least once.  70m rope if you want to combine the last two pitches.  Route gets southwestern sun.