Bourbon Street

Overview

Bourbon Street was the first route that broke the tradition of ground-up bolting at Quartz. That tragedy aside, it is a fantastic route that offers a variety of face, slab, and stemming moves over moderate, run-out terrain. Bourbon Street (5.8R) along with Baptism (5.10RX) make up the 2 arches that define the left edge of the Quartz Headwall.

Getting There

Follow the directions to Baldy Point as described on the main page. Take the middle path of the trail leaving the parking lot. Turn left immediately after a large 10-15ft tall boulder. Follow the trace path to a small boulder field and traverse this to the corner where the fields meets the main formation. Follow this up and upon reaching the ledge below S-Wall, head up and right over 4th class terrain. The Bourbon Street ledge is a grassy ledge that is the left-hand terminus of a large flake under the Headwall. "Scramble" (slippery, thin low 5th class) up to the ledge where 2 bolts mark the start of the route.

Route Description

The original start headed directly up from the two bolt anchor on Bourbon Street Ledge. Water run-off and over-use have made this start significantly harder than 5.8, so the best option is to start about 15-20ft right of these anchors. Head up about 10 ft and make a delicate, and scary traverse back left to the first bolt. DO NOT FALL HERE as you would tumble past your belayer for a nice 40 foot factor 2 fall. Once the first bolt is clipped head up towards the base of a rightward arching seam.

Stop and clip the bolt that is on the uphill side of the start of the seam. Traverse the seam. Being short, keeping my feet and hands about in the same place worked pretty well. Follow the seam to its end, clip the bolt on the uphill side of its end. Step up and left over the lip and make your way for the large flake with a pocket on its left side.

Here you have a choice. Belay in the crack of the flake or, if you put very long runners on the previous 3 bolts, continue up to the top in one pitch. Either way works, just make sure to use at least 2ft slings on all of the bolts if you choose to go in one pitch of the rope drag will hurt when you don't want it to.

Continue upstemming between the main wall and the flake until it becomes too awkward, then move to stand on the flake. Continue up to a black hour-glass looking streak of rock that looks as if it has been chiseled to accept a specific stopper (trust me, you will never find a better stopper placement on a slab pitch). Place the last piece of gear and head up and slightly right over the steep rock with good holds until you reach the Headwall anchors. Belay and rappel from here.

Essential Gear

4-5 Quickdraws (of the 2ft variety): 3 for the bolts, one for your stopper, and one in case your one-pitch it.
#3,#3.5,#4 Camalots (for belaying in the flake, only 1 needed if one-pitching)
1 #11 BD Stopper (trust me)
Lockers for the belay at the Bourbn Street Ledge and Headwall Anchor.

Images

View Bourbon Street Image Gallery - 4 Images