Escape Rock, 5.8-5.12a

Overview/Approach

Room to Shroom, 5.9***, is a highly recommended trad climb in Miramontes guide.  However it is quite isolated by itself in South Wonderland.  I have climbed it several times approaching it from varying directions and never found much other good climbing around it.  Then I found Escape Rock nearby and directly to the south which features two of my favorite bolted climbs in the park:  Lubricated Goat, 5.10b* and Bish, 5.8**.

Bish is a bolted dike traverse perched high over a large roof on the ridge line on the left if you are hiking into the canyon to reach Room to Shroom.  The best way to reach the traverse into Bish is to climb Lubricated Goat, a bolted arete climb to its left.  This arete is a beautiful piece of rock formed by relatively recent rock fall.  The face to the left of the arête is therefore a striking virgin golden brown setting it apart from its surroundings.  The climb is well bolted by Jtree standards and the crux at the grade is via slab before you reach the fun arête moves, but the whole climb is sustained in the 5.10- region.   Once atop this climb, it is easy to walk climbers right over to the start of Bish which is also well bolted.  Once you traverse Bish to the right, there is a fixed rap anchor offering a free air rap to the ground via a single 60m rope.  Emotional Rescue, 5.12a*, is a trad route on Escape Rock and actually pulls the large roof that the Bish traverse is atop of, and therefore crosses Bish.

Hike into the Barker Dam area from the paved trail head (take the right fork of the loop trail) and circumvent the lake (or dry lake bed depending on season and drought) to the right well before you actually reach the dam.  From here you can see the exposed golden brown virgin rock that makes up the left side of the arête that is the Lubricated Goat high up on the left side of the wash leading northwest from the lake.  Hike in the bottom of the wash for a short distance and angle left through brush up to the base of the bolted arête.  The large roof below the Bish traverse is also easy to identify via the photos.  Lubricated Goat is down and to the left of this roof. 

Routes Listed Left to Right as you Face Escape Rock (north facing)

The Lubricated Goat- 110’-5.10b*/ One of if not the best sport route I have done in Jtree. Ironically, after climbing 800 routes in the park, I climbed three 5.10 bolted routes on Rat Rock before getting on the Goat this particular day, all of which were given a star rating by Miramontes, but the difference between the Goat and those three routes on Rat Rock is the difference between night and day. The others were not worth climbing at all in comparison. Lubricated Goat on the other hand is an outstanding climb: an aesthetic bolted arête that is sustained at the grade. A sheared off brownish wall marks the left side of the arête and is how best to locate the route. You start up full on 5.10 slab and in the middle get rewarded by lay backing the arête for several moves. It does ease up near the top. Ten clips to rap anchor up and right but most would use this climb to access Bish which is a must do 5.8 roof traverse. If you are going for Bish, bypass the fixed anchor and belay off of bushes on top and bring the 2nd up.   Well bolted by Jtree standards.  Dow

Bish- 80’-5.8**/ Makes for a great pairing with Lubricated Goat. From atop the formation, enter behind the east side of this massive roof. Climb directly in to the traverse via an obvious dike and three bolts that are visible. The first is low and on the side. The second is up and right and protects an exposed crux move which is the entrance to get your feet onto the dike traverse proper. The third bolt basically starts the traverse line of bolts (well bolted) across the dike with good feet the whole way, an exciting and airy traverse. Towards the end you come across a gap that can be stemmed across but might scare your 2nd. There is one last bolt up high that is easy to miss, that would alleviate any pendulum concern. The rap down over the roof is a free air rap. 60m rope makes it no worries. Approximately 9 clips on the traverse.  Dow

Emotional Rescue- 100’-5.12a*/