Rabbit Rock South, 5.8-5.12c

Overview/Approach

 
Rabbit Rock is one of the larger features in the City of Rocks. Its name is derived from a much smaller feature off its southwest corner that looks very much like a rabbit from a certain angle. They call this smaller feature Real Rabbit Rock and the massive wall behind it Rabbit Rock. Bingham’s guide book breaks Rabbit Rock down into three walls, Northeast, West and Southwest. The west wall is much more popular and has more routes. The north wall is the most difficult to reach and thus offers the more remote climbing. The Urioste family and I had it to ourselves on a Saturday during Memorial Day weekend. The south wall has the most infamous route on Rabbit Rock, Redtail, 5.11a, a bolted quartz seam given four stars in Bingham’s book. No Satisfaction, 5.8, is the only moderate on the wall and is a two pitch gear route that takes you all the way to the summit where you have to walk to the very north end for a single 70m rap.

From the east side of Parking Lot Rock, descend the hill and cross the wooden bridge. Fairly immediate, head up the climbers trail on the left to the base of the routes. No Satisfaction is much more striking to look at then it actually climbs and its upper hand crack corner is easy to identify (photo).  The first pitch of No Satisfaction starts just under the water streak.   Redtail starts just below an arête to the right of the water streak.

Route Description(s)

South Face
Routes Listed Left to Right as you face the Wall

• For Members and Non-Members Only- 5.11a*/


• Spuds in the Gym- 5.12a/b***/


• Go Spuds Go- 5.12c**/


• Seasonal Employment- 5.11d**/


• Sudden Pleasure- 5.11a/b***/


• No Satisfaction- 2 Pitches-5.8**/The first pitch is approximately 100’ to the base of the corner (crossing Red Tail) and the second pitch is approximately 200’ to a comfortable gear belay near the top. You can 4th class it from there to the summit and then head for the very north end of Rabbit Rock for a single 70m rap. No Satisfaction starts in a right facing corner just left of Red Tail (perhaps the most popular 5.10/11 sport climb in the park). It runs up the rat infested wide corner (I placed a single C4#3 and #4) to near the large roof and then traverses right over Red Tail via an easy traverse to a ramp that leads to the base of the corner. This corner does not climb as good as it looks. From below on the trail it looks very aesthetic; however it is not near as clean and steep as it looks from the trail once you get up close. Head up the wide crack which offers facial features (scoops) on both sides the entire way. There is a short section where the crack is flaring and gritty but the climbing is mellow. Once the crack peters out, traverse right under the roof and angle back left and belay in a medium gear crack at about 200’. There is one ancient set of bare hangers at the southwest end. There are fixed rap anchors down the northeast face to the back gully. The quickest way down and return to the base is to rap down the very northwest end with a single rope (70m) off fixed chains. Trad. Dow

• Redtail- 5.11a****/Red Tail is considered via the guide and other resources as the best sport route in the park.  The crux is through the first four to five bolts. The start is much easier to clip than it looks.  Run up the right side chimney, clip the bolt, and make a committing move left onto the arete.  From there, several challenging vertical slab (friction) type moves get you to consistent rests through more positive features compared to what you experienced below through a total of 14 clips.  The belay on top is a comfortable one and there is a mid rap station you can use therefore a single 60m rope is more than adequate even though the guide references double ropes for the rap. Dow


• Roughleg- 5.11d*/


• Hyperspuds- 5.11b***/

Images

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