We climbed this surprisingly good route in April 2013, not having a clue what it was, then with the publication of Calderone's LCC guide (vol. 2) earlier that summer, voila, the details emerged. The first part of the route apparently is the same as

Baja Breakdown

, and the second part is referenced in zozo's comment posted on the

Baja Breakdown

page, but the best climbing is above on the headwall of the buttress. The Calderone guide shows it going in two pitches, with chains atop the first pitch, but we did it in one long pitch and I suspect this is the better value (use runners liberally). Nice addition to the area.

Start in a cool little right-facing and soon-arching corner past a pin, step left, then climb steeper ground past three more fixed pieces to the stance. Resist the urge to turn the lead over to your buddy, and jam the nasty little overhanging crack above (crux) and climb through a blocky section until able to step onto the headwall. A ways up there is a bolt. Get to it, then keep moving to and up a seam to the right that leads to the chains.

Head On

Jaws of Flesh

Sultans of Swing

Certain Death

Chickenhead Holiday

Beam Me Up Scotty

Barefoot in Barbados

Baja Breakdown

Tijuana Donkey Show

Enjoy the Silence

Disco Duck

Love at First Sight

Just Hanging Out

Leap of Faith

Losing My Religion

Gritman's Traverse

Too Close For Comfort

Slice of Bread

Author of Salvation

Seams Like the Seashore

Mantels to Mazatlan

Comfort of Strangers

Flirtin' Death

Disco Captain

Disco Chicken

Comfort Zone

Disco Lizard

Waterfront Cave

Floyd the Barber

On the Waterfront

Clip it or Skip It

Broken Gully

Unknown

Helstirb Grundlip

Fat Agnes

Baptism of Fire

The Shady Spur Crack

Flown the Coop

Acapulco Arete

Start about twenty five feet left (west) of the base of Barefoot in Barbados in a short right facing corner.  Climb up and out following the corner for about 15 feet to a stance proximate a scrub tree.  Continue up, passing a fixed pin, following the corner as it trends rightward requiring a couple of short slab moves as the corner crack thins.  Here the corner heads back upward, and continuing as a fine layback (avoid the brush).  A few more moves leads to a stance and gear belay below a blank steep section of rock.

Descent.  Scramble east across ledgy but somewhat dangerous terrain to a small tree and rap from slings.  The tree is clearly visible from the base of Barefoot and the slings used to have a locker, but is now MIA (presumed booteyd).  EDIT: chains appeared in 2011(?) at the head of the left-hand variation allowing easier descent.

This is the alternative offwidth exit to On the Waterfront.

This is the left-most bolted line to the right of Disco Duck/Chicken wall on the slab.

The bolts are a bit spaced here and there but the climbing is easy.  You can bring a light rack to sew it up a bit more if you choose.

It's a bit gritty, but worked well for our haven't-climbed-LCC-granite-for-months brains.

This route was probably named this scary name because it was first climbed back when large protection was unavailable. With modern big gear one could sew it up if the climbing gear budget was big enough.

The large OW is visible from the schoolroom area and once at the base, you can really see how big it really is.  My guess is that you will be frustratingly close to squeezing into the chimney.  Close but no cigar.

Right side in, or left side in...  that is always debatable.  And I have had multiple climbing partners tell me that I do routes the "wrong way" 75% of the time.

At the west end of The Waterfront, just at the chockstone at the base of the cliffs, is this gully/crack, that angles right.  The crux is getting off the ground.  Good protection, and easy climbing makes for a great trad lead for beginners.  At the 1 bolt anchor, I aimed for the chains to the west, going up and traversing over on the undercling crack, slinging chickenheads.  Not a bad line to give you an easy exit.

Due to good-intentioned folks hoping to preserve the route this classic lcc line has not yet been added to mountain project. I do so now only because word is out and the answer to preserving a natural rescource is to spread awareness. The secrets all slip out eventually and the tight-lipped can do nothing about the fact that joe shmo is free to climb whatever he likes.

Beam Me Up is sick!  The movement is unique, the position lovey. This thing is a committing slab journey on diorite chicken heads, which do sadly tend to sometimes break; Therefore tread lightly. This route is not for the feint of heart, nor for those without relevant experience. Being a 5.12 sport crusher (or even crack-smasher) does not necissarily mean you can climb 11d slab. In fact often it means that you cannot. Better to save the flailing for another slab than impacting this climb negatively.

May I therefore respectfully

suggest

a few pre-requisites. Pebbles and bambam (beckeys wall), Final Link (Crescent crack area), S-Direct (The thumb), Dorsal Fin. The one hard crux move on Dorsal is very similar to several sections of this pitch.

If you’re ready to get beamed up then go for it! Maybe Nob Job or Cymbols will call to you next depending on whether you’d like to push boldness or difficulty. This route is both bold and difficult. If you’re falling you’re cheese-grating. If you’re being caught, it might be from a slung chickenhead. Dont climb when wet.  Maybe best to avoid the last “hand-foot-match-one-legged-squat” move off the croissant after a storm of donuts. When that thing goes the world will be a much sadder place.

On the east end of the Waterfront, is a bolted route that climbs from a sandy porch.  It is within voice distance of Kermit's Wad.  It climbs a polished slab to an undercling, then attains a hole.  Going from bolt 3 to bolt 5 is thin and consistent.

At the far west end of the Waterfront, just past the chockstone are 3 bolted lines, this is the west-most.  The 1st bolt, on waterstreaked rock, leads up and right to a footledge.  Then climb the dihedral/groove system, to the headwall. Climb this and finish on easy chicken-heads.  Thin pro from the bolt to the chickenheads.  Not the best of lines, but it definitely had some interesting moves down low and gaining the headwall.

This is a great beginner slab route that is well protected.  The rock quality is excellent.  The Granite Guide is incorrect, it is not run out at all and won't take gear anywhere.

It is rated 5.8 in both the GG and Tony's book but it seemed 5.7 to me and my partners.

As you head west underneath the Waterfront, you will come to an obvious gully with black streaked rock, and a roof above a ledge. In this gully on the left wall are 3 routes.  This climb climbs the rightward trending crack, that stays left of the bolt line.  A very fun climb, Disco Duck well deserves to be climbed regularly, as its only drawback is it's length and tricky pro.  This climb starts easy, uses a fun hand crack, and then climbe to a ledge.  The rightward sweep is the reason you came, you realize, as you hop across the chickenheads using the crack as an undercling.  The rests are there even though they may not feel like it.  Save a bit for the finish.

Descent: Rappel 100' from a 2-bolt station with chains.

Follow chickenheads with fun mantles and two really bad bolts(not one as in the Ruckman topo)supplemented with small nuts and cams through an overlap and into a flake and crack system with fun jamming.

Start with a couple tough moves up to a chickenhead and little rail. Continue up on slabby moves to a difficult (and gritty) hand-foot match on another chickenhead for the crux. Finish up with easier moves to the top.

P1 -Two  layback sections that take good pro, with a bolt protected slab section between them. A thoughtful mantel at the 2nd bolt is the highlight of this pitch. Chain anchors (95')

P2 - Up a bit, then a fun step to the left with two choices as to what to grab to make it happen. Don't sling the chock stone at your feet to protect this move as it seems a bit loose. Climb Left Clipping Two bolts and moving right past the Pin. mantling your way to the belay ledge.

P3 - Head up from the left side of the ledge (or right for some spice) past three bolts. Fun slab moves as you trend left towards to the crack where you find the original belay anchors, though one of the chains seems to have been eaten by varmints... so clip the remainder and go right to the anchors for a neighboring 5.10ish route. (70' or so to secondary anchors)

Fun to lead, easy to follow.

From the right of the cliff climb up to the beginning of the left leaning crack with a good chicken head at the start.  Moving up and left turn the corner and get a good rest, and then start moving left toward some bolts. The crack thins and the feet fall away for a short section followed by big hands to the anchor.

This sustained climb doesn't let you get 'Too Close To Comfort". Put your edging shoes on then A orange metolious cam and a undercling get you started and too the first bolt, traverse right on edges and chicken heads leading up to a thin seam, Find the sequence and "dance" to the top.

Approach the Waterfront headwall via Disco Duck or similar. Slice of Bread attacks the giant roof left of "the Cave" with horizontal aid climbing. The roof may conceivably go free.

Pitch 1

: Start up the Cave route and move left towards an overhanging finger to a two-bolt belay (.10a).

Pitch 2

: Use difficult free moves and a bolt ladder up a steeping flake to the big roof. Small pro and bolts will aid through the wild roof and onto the diagonal ledge with the next belay.

Pitch 3

: Free climb up and left out the next long traversing ledge with a spicy undercling (5.9). Exit straight up via two bolts to the top and find the belay to the left on an exposed ledge.

Descent:

Two exposed single rope rappels will get you back down to the slabs.

Note the first two pitches could be combined if you manage well for rope drag.

Start with some typical slabbing past the first bolt, then work up the small right facing corner where some gear can be placed. The crack was a bit dirty so gear options seemed a bit thin through this section. Above the crack, jog slightly left and clip two more bolts before reaching the anchor.

According to the Granite Guide, there is a 2nd pitch above that goes at 5.10. When someone bolder and stronger has first hand knowledge of the 2nd pitch, hopefully they will contribute some further insight.

This route ascends the left flank of the steep Waterfront.  Begin, by climbing Chickenhead Holiday.  There are a few free moves, that require a grunt.  The initial steep thin crack is awesome.  Too bad it doen't go forever.  Fun route to do in the sun.

This route shares the same first two bolts with Acapulco Arete, but then it goes right.  The book does not do the traverse justice.  A sustained hard 10 traverse is waiting for you.  Falling on this traverse would not be fun, for either the leader or the follower.  Plan your moves in advance, stay steady, calm, and push those heels down.  Exciting lead.

Somewhere between Certain Death and Uncertain Death, you are Flirtin' Death.

This line starts near the start for Beam me Up Scotty and follows the right-leaning dihedral out to the steeper wall.  Just as the climbing gets a bit tougher, the gear a tad trickier and the rock much grainier, a bolt appears out to the left.  clip and continue to the chickenhead and keep mantling up ledges to the belay.  The bolts at the belay ledge are a bit awkwardly placed since it was Kent's first bolt on the pitch and he was a bit antsy to get one in!   Bring a long sling or extra shoulder length slings to build something handy.  This pitch is 5.10

For the second pitch take the crack up until you can clip the bolt near the huge chickenhead.  Move up and right eventually getting out to the horn on the arete.  A huge, juggy chickenhead is just out of reach so figure out the beta to stand up and mantle onto it.  From here it is engaging (but easy!) mantles up to the anchor.

Nice route on black rock to the right of

Disco Chicken

. Bolted by Mike Anderson when he lived here and freed by Clay Cahoon.

Starts out really nice fingers and hits up a very height-related crux on the face. Then it finishes on beautiful knobs for the rest. Really clean granite from all the water that runs down it. Similar to the other

Disco

routes.

As you head west underneath the Waterfront, you will come to an obvious gully with black streaked rock, and a roof above a ledge.  In this gully on the left wall are 3 routes.  This is the left bolted line.  It starts in a groove system with a bit of crack work, and then it enters a ladder of chickenheads.  Good moves, excellent balance required.  Consistently hard climbing forces you to rest stances which luckily can be had.  The line is funky, but who said chickenheads had to be in a straight line.

Forty-five seconds west of

Barefoot in Barbados

, just east of the gully containing

Disco Duck

, is a bolted slab/arete that requires differing styles. Slab, mantels, and liebacking.

A weak finish, though.

This climb is just up the gully from

Disco Captain

on the same side. It's on a gold shield of rock where the black streaks end. Start on a shield of rock hanging just above the gully and climb a series of cracks and flaps to the top. There is one lead bolt just before the last flap. It's short and bouldery with tricky pro. I originally equipped, cleaned and climbed this at A1.

Freed at 5.13a. A bouldery start with minimal gear and thought-provoking movement. It was difficult to place gear at the crux. The placement is blind on a 0.1" X4 camalot. If the cam is not engaged in a very precise location, it will fail under the force of a fall. A ground fall would send one tumbling down a steep slap into some trees. Probably deserves an "R" rating and this is not much of an aid line, but pretty damn fun as a free line.

First pitch quite clean and interesting despite few ascents over the years.  Takes you right to the anchor on BMUS.  2nd pitch would likely get a bomb by most people's standards as there was a very annoying bush in the way and it's the kind of old school 5.8 that spits you out of the crack.  But you'll like it if you're into a little adventurous torture. Exposed.

This was a 3-bolt variation start to the left of Comfort Zone.  Now it's got 5 bolts making it an independent line.  Well protected and fun moves.   Not sure who put it up, any takers?

It's the wildest climb in Little!!! How many routes do your feet cut on?

Starts with an OW to hands to fingers to a mantle to the chains.

A very, very thin slab, that looked appealing as I hiked past it on the way to

Plumb Line

.

It starts with an easy stretch to the first bolt. Then it works past a small overlap to the second bolt. Then two more closely-drilled bolts protect a very thin and chickenhead-less stretch. Razor flakes and fingertip crystals is all that you have to work with.

After the last bolt a thin seam on the left allows you to work a very committing lieback up through the final tough sequence, until you can get some fingertips in the seam.

The crux seemed to be right around bolt #4.

Caveat: my rating is probably not accurate, as I only climbed it once in the sun on a warm day.  If anyone else has info, please post it.

In between the start of Tijuana Donkey Show and Mantles is this 2 bolt affair.  Easier than it looks.  It climbs well through the slab, then kind of goes down hill, as it works up the headwall to the chains.  Definitely a squeeze.

Just left of the 5.11 thin slab (Clip it or Skip it?) is this fantastic slab choss. Rock isn't great but it has a few cool moves on it that make it a worth a TR burn after you do the Thin Slab.

Same start as Thin Slab, but traverse left out the undercling feature to its end. Make a couple tricky moves to get stood up on the shelf, move right to mantle a slopey chicken head, then continue straight up through the grain.

This is really a variant of Enjoy the Silence.  Start just right of the blunt arete and climb to an obvious crack that'll eat just about anything you throw at it.  When the crack pinches off, you'll find a bolt to finish up to the same chains as EtS.  Another great beginner route that protects perfectly.

Pitch 1: 5.5, 100'. Climb intermittent cracks up a low-angle face.

Pitch 2: 5.7-, 100'. One steep move (5.7-) up a crack about 30' above the 2-bolt station. Then its just a scramble to the 2-bolt station at the top of "Head On".

Pull a small roof using huge chicken heads.  Enjoy them while they last because as they go down in numbers the difficulty goes up.

Just left of Chickenhead Holiday is this slabby area.  There are three bolted beginnings here.  This is the rightmost.  Carefully work your way to the first bolt avoiding the potentially dangerous pre-bolt fall.  Continue to the 2nd and veer left to the third bolt just off the blunt arete.  Here the route steepens and the crux awaits.  It seemed harder than 5.10b to me.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Waterfront