Teenage Wasteland, 5.10, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Wasteland in general is not that large of a formation and the attempt to make new routes makes most all of them a bit contrived.  Several cross each other and Teenage Wasteland is no exception.  You start the first pitch to the right of where you start Wasteland.  You cross Wasteland on the second pitch.  Like I said, the routes on Wasteland are a bit contrived in general but of the group, Teenage Wasteland offers the best sustained moderate climbing. 

There are excellent moves at the grade on all four pitches but none of the pitches are overly sustained.  The first pitch climbs an easy corner/crack to the right of the tree marking the start of the route Wasteland.  At the top of the corner it traverses up and right though bolts to a mild, but fun (crux of the pitch), roof mantel.  The second pitch traverses up and right along a bit of a handrail (crux of the pitch), before mantling it and traversing way out left (crossing Wasteland) and up to the shared belay with Fire Sermon.  The third pitch is the best pitch of the climb offering more sustained climbing near the grade.  It shares the beautiful upper face with Fire Sermon.  Teenage continues to track right to left on the wall with the third pitch.  Take the left most bolt line and meander up the wall trending left near the end to a fixed belay on the arete below a small roof (see topo photo).  The fourth pitch offers the route crux, right off the belay, through a small hand jam roof.  After an awkward roof mantle, continue up easier run-out ground to the shared Wasteland finish on the left arete. 

Hike past Entrance Dome, following a trail up canyon on the right side of the wash up to the hill below the obvious Wasteland Dome feature to the northwest.  Avoid crossing the white washed drainage (which is for Out of Towners Dome).  Instead, follow a fainter trail up the hill.  Wasteland Dome is in between Out of Downers Dome and Entrance/Exit Domes.  The routes are all south facing.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 90’-5.10-/ A solid pitch.  Up and to the right of the shade tree marking the start of the Wasteland route, start up a corner crack below grade.  Traverse up and right following three bolts, pulling out of the roof of a small arch (crux). Continue to fixed rap bolts at a stance. 

2^nd Pitch- 180’-5.10-/ The local guide has the distance of this pitch way off and MP.com's description, as of 2020, is off route, leading you to a pair of fixed rap hangers out right that belong to another route.  Trend up and right following three bolts.  It is sort of a finger rail (crux of the pitch). At the end of the bolts follow right leaning cracks and then cut out left aiming for the left side of the chimney pillar on the route Wasteland. You cross below the pillar, climb a chossy shallow corner (below grade) and then up on its left side through brush to a decent ledge between two pillars and a pair of fixed rap bolts.  The local guide references a large oak tree above the shallow corner, but in reality, you are aiming for a large desert willow.  There is an oak tree further west of the willow that is part of the rap descent (slung). 

3^rd Pitch- 150’-5.10-/ Another good pitch of climbing.  Take the left most of two bolt lines.  After several clips, it trends up and right.   Eventually you traverse back left to the edge of the buttress at a pair of fixed rap hangers directly below a small roof, 9 bolts in all.

4^th Pitch- 190’-5.10-/ Again, the local guide seems to short most of the length estimates of these pitches or my 2^nd lied to me about the length of his rope!  Pull through the roof on bolts, the crux and best moves of the route.  It is almost a dyno hand jam and then physical pull, what we typically call a “hero” move (think Sylvester Stallone).  Climb well below grade on run out plates up the buttress and finish on the slab arete bolt that the Wasteland route finished on.  Belay off of a tree.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Scramble northwest to the top of the formation.  Locate a pair of rap hangers.  Make a single 60m steep rap into the chimney below.  Scramble down to a slung tree.  Make another 60m single rap skiers left to a well cairned (2020) ledge.  Scramble down back east into a treed gully.  Make a short rap from one slung tree to another.  A 70m rope allows you to skip the 2^nd tree with about 10’ of easy slab downclimbing at the end.  If you are on a 60m rope, hit the 2^nd tree and make a steep rap from there down to 3^rd slung tree.  A 70m gets you all the way down from there or if on a 60m, stop at a fixed rap along the way.

Essential Gear

The gear call on MP.com is way overkill (single from #00 to #3 and doubles from #.3 to #3.  There are many bolts on this route and the cruxes are bolt protected.  If doing it again, I would take a single rack from #.3 to #1.  I placed no wires.  All the routes on this face are a bit contrived and cross each other, take plenty of extended slings to minimize rope drag and/or sling features.  Wall receives all day sun but does catch the wind normally. 60m rope. I prefer to biner my approach shoes for the descent.