Two pitches of interesting and varied climbing. The first pitch boasts a tricky, 5.9 slab crux as well as a bouldery, 5.9 roof move. The second pitch begins with a tricky move off of the belay ledge followed by pleasant arete climbing.

Ugly Duckling

Cupcakes & Champagne

Pilot’s Paradise

Written Exam

the Labrador Ate the Cupcakes

Golden Boy

The Prestige

Fun in the Sun

Tender Flakes of Mercy

King Snake Crack

A wonderful slab outing! Bring a picnic for the summit, which is pretty hard to beat. Fun in the Sun tackles the plumb line of the Upper Alchemist, and ascends a sea of beautiful patina, seams, and slab. I've led the route as one looong pitch, but I barely made it to the top before running out of rope. I highly recommend breaking the route in to two pitches.

Enjoy!

Face climb up broken cracks and ledges, dodging the bushes and gradually moving to the right. Catch your breadth in a bowl-shaped alcove before tackling the steep headwall above. The overhanging section proves surprisingly easy. The actual crux comes just below the chains.

This is the first bolted route when approaching the Upper Alchemist. From what I remember: short scramble to get to the first bolt. Shortly after some easy block climbing, make a committing move over a chest high “roof?” on crimps. Cruise up slabby terrain whilst clipping bolts until you reach another “roof” where you dance on toes and crimps and use an awesome undercling to move through it to a ledge feature. Slabby cruiser crispy jugs for the rest of the route to the chains. Route wanders a bit. Use this route to reach the higher multipitch routes such as “Fun in the Sun”. Beautiful views from the top out.

True old school adventure. There are just enough bolts to keep you off the ground (probably). There is just enough loose rock to make for genuine excitement. And the bolts are located near stances, NOT near crux moves.

Start on a boulder, 15 feet below the first bolt. Delicately climb over a detached flake to make it to the first clip. Five bolts of slab climbing lead to ledges and then to the rappel tree. The 5.9 crux of the route occurs well above the first bolt, just before reaching the second. If holds give way and you fall, you'll need an attentive belay to keep you off the ground. There is a second, poorly protected crux just below the fifth bolt. Generally, the rock quality is better if you follow a line to the right of the bolts.

Interesting and sustained climbing up edges.

Can be used as an approach\descent pitch for the hard routes on the formation just above this one.

Varied and engaging climbing up surprisingly good rock. Topping out gains the mini-summit of the "golden egg”.

Start at the sunny SW corner of the egg, standing on a medium sized boulder. Clip a high bolt then bridge the void, using a series of hollowed pockets to pull up, lock off, and mantle onto the face above. The route then traverses up and right, with increasingly delicate movement toward the top... Depending on the climber, bottom or top may feel like the crux.

Solid rock, bottom to top.

Traverse right through a single bolt to access a widening crack. Fingers to hands. When the crack swings left to the beehive, continue up and use a cool pocket for pro (#1) before rejoining the crack near the top. Chains to lower.

Outstanding moderate face climbing with great position on the wall and an excellent summit. Almost as wonderful as its next door neighbor, Fun in the Sun.

Pitch 1 starts below a small, left-facing dihedral. Bring TCUs (#3 and #0 work well) for the crack above the first bolt. Exit the dihedral to the right and then climb straight up past 3 more bolts and a 2" cam placement. Belay from bolts (5.7, 95').

Pitch 2 heads straight up past bolts. A short 5.8 crux is encountered while stepping from a ledge up onto the upper headwall at the 4th bolt. Belay from bolts (5.8, 95').

When rappelling, be sure to rap immediately to the right and then down from the rap-hangers. If you rap straight down and then swing over to rap station in the middle of the wall, it will be very difficult to pull your rope.

Use the first 4 bolts of Tender Flakes of Mercy to access an excellent layback crack that begins 80 feet off the deck. Layback this crack past tiny to small gear for about 40 feet. Just before the crack becomes dirty and vegetated, step up on to the face above the crack and climb straight up past 3 bolts to the top of the wall. Belay from an anchor shared with Tender Flakes of Mercy.

While it is possible to climb this route as one massive pitch, it is highly recommended that it be broken in to two to avoid overwhelming rope drag. With a little creativity, it is possible to belay at the 3rd lead bolt.

Rappel as for Tender Flakes of Mercy.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Rattlesnake Canyon Crags (including Upper and Lower Alchemist)