Royal Columns

Approach

The Royal Columns are the second wall you come to, at approximately 1 mile, along highway 12 west heading west from the junction. The columns here are lower in angle and obvious on the south side of the road. Look for the new footbridge.

Cross the footbridge and hike the trail to the base of the wall.

Inca Roads - 5.9

Inca Roads is a excellent crack climb located about 1/4 the way down the wall from the approach trail. The start is located by finding the the left facing corner that starts out wide then goes to small.

Description - Move up face holds to gain the offwidth crack. Thrutch up this until you can get a fist jamb. The crack starts to steepen and narrow down. Near the top is a vertical fingers section (crux). Look for feet and stemming here or it will feel like 5.10.

Down - Bring up your second and rappel off the top or set up a toprope.

Gear - 1 set of cams from .4 to 4.5 inches, 1 set of nuts medium to large, 50 or 60 meter rope.

Orange Sunshine - 5.10B

Orange Sunshine is a classic fingercrack and is regarded by some as the best route at the Royal Columns. It is located 2/3rds the wall down the wall from the approach trail. Look for the clean fingercrack down the middle of a wall between 2 columns with some orange lichen near the base.

Description - Jamb the fingercrack via killer fingerlocks until the bulge about 3/4 the way up (5.9 to here). Get some gear in then crank through 20 feet of sustained steep 5.10B fingers to reach the anchor.

Down - Bring up your second and rappel off the top or set up a toprope.

Gear - 2 to 3 sets of cams from .5 to 2 inches, 1 set of nuts medium to large, 50 or 60 meter rope.

Jamb Exam - 5.9

Jam Exam is an excellent crack of varied width. To reach the base scramble to the west end of the wall and look for the clean rack line just left of a bolted pillar. The crack expands as it goes up.

Description - Jamb the fingercrack and stem the corner. The crack opens up to accept hands then gets steep and narrows down to a crux thin section at the top.

Down - Bring up your second and rappel off the top or set up a toprope.

Gear - 1 set of cams from .5 to 4 inches, doubles 2 to 3", 1 set of nuts medium to large, 50 or 60 meter rope.

Mush Maker - 5.7

Mush Maker is a very nice handcrack on a low angle column that offers a nice warmup and introduction to the area. It is located about 1/2 way down the wall. Look for the obvious clean handcrack just right of some fallen blocks.

Description - Jamb the joyous and easy handcrack for 80 feet of goodness to the anchor.

Down - Bring up your second and rappel off the top or set up a toprope.

Gear - 2 to 3 each cams 2 to 4 inches, 50 or 60 meter rope.

X-Factor - 5.8

Located on the west side of Royal Columns almost exactly where the approach trail first reaches the base of the (climbable) rock (not the choss you traverse under earlier in the approach). Look for a smooth rectangular (2'X 2') slab 10 feet off the ground.

Description: The pitch climbs a weird feature: 2 cracks which "v" together (no crack) and then open up again on the upper half of pitch (hence the "x"). Crux is midway up the pitch where the crack temporarily vanishes and you do a few face/crimp moves.

Down: No bolted anchors directly on top but plenty of those 20 feet to the right. Belay from gear on top.

Gear: Set of cams from about 1" to a #5 Friend/#4 Camalot. Light set of nuts.

First Blood - 5.8

This is the crack immediately right of Mush Maker. Look for a wide (~4 inch) crack starting 15 feet above ground (above some 3rd class ledges).

Description: Jam this fist to OW crack – incuts inside the crack and some face features keep things at 5.8. Crux is the exit out of the crack onto the sloping ledge.

Down: Bolt anchor on top (same as for Mush Maker).

Gear: single #1-#3.5 Camalots (can place smaller stuff near top and in constrictions); #5 Friend; double #4 Camalots. No nuts.

Cactus Love - 5.9

This route is located immediately right of a large column on the right side of Orange Sunsine. When you reach the base of the Royal Columns on the approach trail, hike right ~30 feet. Look for a weird stem-box formed by a column edge/squeeze chimney on left and a thin edge/crack on right. There’s a 2’X 2’ chockstone 8 feet up.

Description: Climb this weird stembox via a combination of finger locks (on right) and stemming. When the crack on right peters out, switch to wide (~3-4 inch) crack on left. Small stance beneath a minor roof allows you to catch your breath before the crux. Pull the roof (more of a bulge) using the fingers/off-fingers crack on right and the wide crack on left. Belay 12 feet higher on bolts.

Down: Bolted anchors at the top and on the left.

Gear: Double green and yellow Aliens. Double Camalots from #0.5 to #3. Single Camalots #3.5 and #4. Light set of nuts.

Images

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