John Fischer Memorial Route

The JFMR was established and climbed by Bishop local Tai Devore in the early spring of 2011 in memory of John Fischer. John was a local climbing guide and an old school mountaineering legend. He was killed when his motorcycle hit a deer while riding near Conway Summit, ca. on June 5th 2010.

John would often bring clients to Pine Creek to climb, many to this very wall which is named after his climbing school the Palisade School of Mountaineering (PSOM).

The route follows the prominent pillar in the center of the PSOM slab for 7 pitches and holds some great mixed climbing.

P1: Climb the slab and some cracks to the first anchors at a small ledge.

P2: More mixed climbing past a cruxy face move left from a seam to a flake. You end up on a large ledge. you can belay from here for the next pitch or walk right and up on ledges and build a gear anchor at the more logical base of the next pitch.

P3: The money pitch. Climb past a few bolts on slab and then enter the amazing right leaning fingertip crack crux of the climb. A few small pieces protect this section well until the crack pinches off and you must make a few insecure but fun lieback moves to a good horizontal edge and crack. Finish past a tree with good gear in a hand crack.

P4: Easy crack climbing on your left leads to some interesting and challenging slab climbing that is well protected by bolts.

P5: More great slab climbing heads up and right to a flaring seam. Place some gear here and make a long reach to the right to get into another finger crack. Climb over a tree trunk to the next belay anchors.

P6: This roof pitch is great! A bit of gear leads to the right of the first roof and bolts lead you leftward out onto the face above the belay and over another roof section. These moves are really fun and the roof mantle is a bit awkward. A few more bolts get you to the last belay.

P7: Another great pitch! From below this pitch looks intimidating and steep but once you are here it isn't so bad. Climb up the big flake with good gear before heading out under the last small roof to a bolt or two. Good holds lead you up to the roof and once you can peek around you will find some good placements to protect this move. Turn this last roof and head for the final set of mussey hook anchors. Have your partner lower you back to the belay below to save a rappel and then they can toprope this pitch to clean it.

Rappel to the bottom of pitch 3 (to the left side of the tree) where you will run out of rope. Walk down to the last section of climbing on good ground and you will find a single FIXE rappel ring anchor on your left on the side of a block. Use this to descend to the next set of anchors and then to the ground on the routes mussey anchors.

The JFMR starts uphill of Racing Lizards with bolts on the slab. Follow bolts and prominent cracks to the top.

Bring a double rack of small cams up to .75 and singles of everything else up to 2". A set of stoppers will come in handy. Also bring 12 draws and a few long slings. One 70 meter rope or two 60 meter ropes will do. You must rap 7 times plus one short rap from a single rap ring or do a small section of downclimbing.