First Pitch (5.6)

Pitch begins on black shiny face to the left of a crack.  Clip third bolt with long draw.  After fourth bolt head up and left across crack and up face until you get on blunt arete.  then head to right to ledge with chains

Second Pitch (5.9)

Steep with big moves

Raven Ridge

Here Comes The Turkey

Angry Birds

Holes In The Universe

Fast Times at Wolverine High

Early Bird Arete

In cobble we trust

Rib Cage

The Percolator

Yankee Doodle Arch

Cockadoodle Don't

Cockadoodle Doo

Sunshine on My Shoulder

Tweetie the Condor

Falcon and Gulo

The Sun God

Morning Buzz

King Cobble

The Yankee Strikes Again

Buzzards over Lexington

Eagle Tenders

Return of the Drillslingers

Son of Cobble

Yankee Magpie

The Edge of Glory

Pullet Interrupted

Silt in the Saddle Stitching

Eagle's Nest

Here Comes the Sun

Super Chicken

Pockets throughout the route with fun big moves between.

Nice slab route to set a top rope on for the kids or as a first time lead.  As with most Maple Canyon routes the bolts are close together. The route ends at anchors on top of a ledge that also forms a belay station for The Percolator (5.12a).  The anchors seemed quite high in position relative to the ledge but were still reachable for purposes of setting a top rope.

Slopey pinches and big moves mixed with small holds

Steep slab start leads to steep cruxy section.  Followed by big holds and no hands rests prior to the steep finish to the chains.

Fun route.

A bit exposed, this awesome climb goes smoothly up the arete on the right side of Early Bird

Climbs jugs through choss. A bit cleaner than its neighbors. Best to clip a draw on the sun god for your belayer. The knezek Book calls this 11b, I think a few new holds have appeared.

This is one of the best beginner routes I have done in Maple, along with Bullets Over Bagdad.  A really long and fun route with a nice view from the top.  It follows the left side of a black arete and so it stays shaded until late morning, unlike the other routes at Early Bird Crag.

Climb 'Here Comes the Turkey' (5.1), rest at the ledge, then pull fun moves on large cobbles to the top with good rests. Goes as .12a in the maple guidebook, must be an error or a primitive rating. Nevertheless, good exposure with slightly overhanging jug hauling make it worth a the climb.

Smaller holds down low, find the arch and it gets easier from there.

Climb the 2nd of three ribs to the base of the headwall.  Can be used as an approach pitch for the Percolater (12a).

Climb the 1st of 3 ribs to anchors at the base of the headwall.  The approach pitch for Morning Buzz (11c).

Climb up the 5.1 Super Chicken then head up the headwall. This could eventually become a good climb but right now its dirty and slightly dangerous with rock fall. I worry about rocks falling and hitting the rope because it angles out on the 5.1 part. Take care on this climb!

Small cobbles lead to big cobbles lead to small cobbles lead to huge cobbles lead to crux at steepness.

The left side of the route milks the dark water streak on the left.

Right or left at the top?  Decisions decisions...

Fun route with a single rowdy crux area.

This routes starts out mellow and has a puzzling section where the wall gets steep.  Figure this out and you have it in the bag as the climbing eases to the chains just above this crux.

So this is still cleaning up. My partner fell twice doing it with breaking holds. There is a band of softer rock in the mid section. Climb with care.

Book says 11c. But its easier. Go up the easy 5.1. Continue past 2 bolt anchor. Fun climbing. A bit sandy but its cleaning up.

A classic for sure. No moves are all that difficult by themselves but it is a long one, don't get pumped. Climb this route and stand on the king of all cobbles!

This route is bolted very well, thanks Darren! Goes straight up and uses a full 60m.

The crux is down low, but it isn't too bad. Someone wrote 5.9 in chalk at the base, and it may take some searching for holds at first. Stick with it, it's all there.

Start on the first pitch of Raven Ridge.  After the 4th bolt, head out right.  You are heading up a ramp, past a crack filled with handfuls of squirming lizards (in the summer), to chains.  Don't let them surprise you!

Start by climbing up a small alcove, clip a few bolts and traverse out onto the face.  You will get a little exposure as you are not far off the ground.  The crux comes in a few more bolts when the holds thin out.  Pull through to a very easy/slabby face for the second half of the climb.  Continue up the next 4 pitches of Eagle's Nest if you wish.

A nice straight up line on great rock with big cobbles.

A couple of steep parts provide some excitement but the holds keep coming.

Well bolted.

This route begins in the same alcove as King Kobble and climbs just to the left of the "King Cobble".  Although slightly steeper throughout there is a significant band of loose matrix around the half way point which can make red pointing this route challenging - Tread Lightly.  As always at Maple, a helmet for the belayer is a good idea.

Before you can say, "Who in the world would rate this 3/3 stars?!" you will have onsighted and cleaned this route.  Walk up a short slab to the chains.

A super fun route on a corner feature. Even though its not super long almost all of the moves require power and a ton of body tension.

An easy start through the first two bolts and then the action begins!!!

A very cool pocket gets you to the fourth bolt and then long moves off small holds will get you to the big hole up high. From there its cruiser climbing to the chains.

This could be a tough one to onsight if 10d is your limit.

Start on right trending ramp, clip first bolt, then head up vertical face to anchors.

Nice steep start on big holds.  Lower angle slab at third bolt nicely cryptic.

Hard right avoids steep arête and keeps the grade low.

Big holds up steep face with a shuffle left to the chains.

Need a

Maple Canyon

hero pic for your collection? This is the perfect route for you!

P1-

This is the crux pitch with a very steep and powerful start.  The crux comes after the 4th bolt, when you are forced onto a short sequence of two tiny crimps and committing moves.  You can also chicken out and do

Eagle Tenders

to the right and join the second pitch of the climb. 30M of 5.10c

P2-

Clip the bolt between the anchors of Eagle's Nest and Eagle Tenders and continue upwards on huge holds. 15M of 5.8

P3-

Easy climbing on huge holds.  Only a few bolts. 15M of 5.6

P4-

Easy but unprotected jaunt across the top of the formation and two gullies, past two bolts to the summit block.  Belay from a two bolt belay for the last few moves. 15M of 5.0

P5-

Pull a bulge onto the summit block and pose for pictures! 20ft of 5.9

Descent:

Rap X3.  Rap from the 5th chains to the third chains.  Then rap from the 3rd to the first chains, and once more to the ground. All with one 60m rope. This is by far the chossiest climb I've done in Maple so be prepared. The belay stations are in good locations to miss falling rock but still bring a helmet and be incredibly careful.  You pass through several seams of rotten rock.  If you've climbed at Maple much, you will recognize them.  It will be many more ascents before this route cleans up.  When it does clean up, it will be a fun route and worth it for the view alone.

Deceivingly steep. Good holds on darkish rock.

The last in a set of four 5.1 routes that are great to set a top rope on for kids to scramble or as a location for anyone to learn how to lead and set top rope anchors on a sport route.  The climb goes up an easy slab to a ledge that is also used as a belay station for Sunshine On My Shoulder (5.11b).  The anchors are located on the wall behind the ledge and are far enough back that you can get lots of rope drag going over the edge.  It may be worth extending the anchor when top roping.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Early Bird Crag