Anxious Reptilian-- 5.4, 2 Pitches

Overview

This is a 2-pitch route to the summit of Point Judith. It's a nice outing for an easy day or if time is limited. The approach is short and fairly easy.

Getting There

Park about 0.3 mi south of the Buckhorn Wash pictograph panel, which shows up on Google Maps in case you don't have an actual map of the area. Use this page's primary image to help you ID the crag and spot the turnout.

Route Description

Hike and scramble up and right to gain a ledge system past some junipers. Eventually, the ledge narrows to the point where, if you plan to rappel back down, you might want to leave your pack, or, if you want to do the walkoff, you'll follow this narrowing ledge to a bolted belay station. The bolder/boldest member of your party should go first in case someone else wants a belay to the anchors.

P1-- Traverse left along the ledge and slabs. The MP page, written by FAist Jason Stevens, says there are four bolts to clip while traversing and then 2 as you head up to the anchor, but I recall one less clip than that. Regardless, be smart and go with at least 6 draws. The belay is from a single solid bolt. Stevens said he ran out of bolts and would otherwise have put 2 in, but he says the bolt is bomber, and it appeared to be when we were there 4 years later. Still, we backed it up with a couple of Tricams, which we brought exactly for that purpose and in case there were any protectable pockets on the pitches.

P2-- This pitch is shorter but steeper. Climb steep, sandy rock and clip a bolt. Then pull up into what Stevens calls a "cathedral" and find the easiest way up. Top out and belay off a tree. I found this pitch a bit heady because of rock quality and sparse protection. There were pockets that could have taken cams, but they were probably too weak and they were also too large for our Tricams. I did place a Tricam as I topped out, but by then the climbing wasn't scary anymore.

Descent-- The MP page suggests rappelling, but there is an easier way. Just walk a bit and drop into a gully that will take you down and then back around the formation to your car. My partner chose this while I rapped because I had left my pack near the start of the route.

If you do rap, it's a little awkward. From the tree, you'll rap to a ledge to the right of the P1 belay, and then you have to traverse to a rap station you probably saw on P1. Rapping on a 70, I barely reached this station before running into my stopper knots. From there, you have to rap down and again traverse right to reach the starting belay and the walkoff. Alternatively, just rap straight down; with a 70, I had no trouble reaching easy ground, and that also made the hiking descent easier.

Essential Gear

At least 6 quickdraws. If you're a trad climber doing this on a rest day, you probably have alpine draws, and they'll serve you well on P1.

If you plan to rappel, you'll need a 70 or 2 ropes. A single 60 will not get you down.