WEST PHANTOM BLUFFS DEVELOPMENT

WELCOME TO WEST PHANTOM BLUFFS

This lesser known area started to see development in 2015 with myself and Jon Prevost spearheading most of the development.

UPDATE SEPT 2023

-smoother never got the chain added.  Use big caution. 

3 new moderates on the far , far left end. 

Portuguese thunder has a original and a new direct finish.  

I gotta install anchors at the top of a bit of mustard.  Use the ketchup anchors till i get it done.   

NEW ROUTE ! OCT 2023  
Hot Croissant  10B OR C ish
30m 1 or 2 pitches depends on how ya wanna slice it up.  


Located just to the left of BACKWOODS LOVECHILD. ALL BOLTED

 



The cliff faces almost due south and gets great sun exposure.  There is a waterfall ( malignant mushroom) that is a great way to cool off when it gets hot about 1 min down the trail.  This creek also allows an unlimited water supply if you bring a filter ( recommended)  and it keeps your beer cold !

I often stash beer in the creek so please dont drink my beer if you find it.  

     A big thanks goes out to Jon, Greg Cole, Meghan, Greg Cornell, Handsome Carl, Simon.   Your backs and legs are always appreciated. Another big thanks goes out to blake, zac, george the chek, and george's wife.  (i forget her name)

APPROACH

The best approach is for malignant mushroom.  Or approach as for Ju-Jube. Both work fine.( the trail to the mushroom is much better)

Reach the waterfall, and start walking west along the bluffs.  First routes appear on the right hand side after 1-2 min.  The routes will appear on the right in the order as is listed below.

THE ROUTES 

 CRACK ATTACK WALL 
This is the first wall you will encounter after you make your way past the waterfall.  Almost immediately you will come upon Crack Attack and the project to the left of it.  

  • Crack Attack * (5.9) 26m   This bold onsight went entirely on clean gear.  Work your way up some cracks, blocks and corners to a bulge and some great stemming to the top.  Rings on top. Some loose rocks remain.  Caution is advised. 
  • Project- There currently is a work in progress a few meters to the left of Crack Attack.  Looks to be a steady 5.10 adventure.  Only a pair of rings at the top. 

RENEGADE WALL 

This wall begins just past a dead tree blocking the trail at the top of a slope.  
  • Mountain Drew* ( 5.10a) 25m This route starts just to the right of Jon's solo chimney.  Some oddly sustained moves keep you headed up the corner.  When things are looking bleak, cut right  across some featured rock and bust out a tricky mantle to a shallow pod.   Make a Hail Mary traverse move with crap feet to the huge corner.  Follow the fun moderate corner back left to the ring bolts.  a long runner helps.  watch some suspect rock near the top.  
Jon on the FA of Jon's Solo Chimney (5.5x)
  •  Jon's Solo Chimney (5.5x) 10m  A wide chimney that is easy going on great holds. Best to top rope from the anchor on the ledge.  Stay off the grass!!
  •  Jon's Juggy Arete*  (5.7) 12m Located Immediately to the left of Jon's Chimney.  A fun little climb in a very cool position.  Moderately spaced bolts lead up the arete. Probably better not to fall on this one. 
    Jon looking Sexy with Breathe in Balance to the right and The Hummingbird to the left.
  •  DISCO ISLAND (5.10) 18m   Follow the big  bolts to the left of Jon's Juggy Arete.  Bomber slab climbing leads into an engaging crux section. 

The chimney, the arete and this disco island share the same anchor on the common ledge.  
Renegade Wall.  Up in a flash is on the left and The Hummingbird on the right.


  • The Hummingbird** (5.10) 25m A tricky slab move leads up into a series of powerful but thin incuts.  Follow them up past okay holds to some jugs under a shallow roof.  Fun moves lead over the roof and up moderate ground to the anchors.    
    Looking up at Up in a Flash! (5.9+)

  • Up in a Flash! * (5.10a) 20m Carefully make your way up and right past a few bulges until a few great jugs present themselves.  Make thin moves ( great feet) left into a shallow bay.  A spacy runout (reasonable) leads to a bolt on the headwall. Make a few steep sustained moves to the anchor.  Technical and thinky !
  • Zac Attack (5.8) 18M  This climb is on the far left side of renegade wall.  It begins up a wide groove gradually steepening to a wide crack/ bulge thing.  Follow this up and ride those jugs to the top. NO RING BOLTS.  JUST 2 HANGERS.  BRING SOME TAT.    This climb is another welcome , moderate addition to the area. 

   THE UPPER WALLS
 
 The upper walls are accessed from a small gully just past Renegade Wall. 
These cliffs contain the classic Ju-Jube and a smattering of other things.  Again, the routes are listed from the east to the west.  Routes are all west of the wet streak.  

 FRANCO WALL (lower tier)
  
This wall of impeccable stone sits about 45-50m tall.  This wall will for sure become the gem of the area. Little D begins on the left side, and the project on the far right.   The wide crack of knuckle sandwich is obvious, and easy to locate.  
 A shot of a portion of Franco Wall.  From the left we have Somedays go smoother (10d/11a) on the upper tier,
Knuckle Sandwich (5.8) and the project on the far right. (lower tier)



  •   The Little D* (5.7) 15m  3 bolts takes you up a little groove up to the ledge that provides access to the upper tier. A fun little moderate thats mostly access to the ledge. This route was bolted ground up.  
  • Knuckle Sandwich* (5.8) 18m   A new fun addition to the fantastic climbing on franco wall. Follow the wide , fun and reasonably sustained crack to a small perch.  Make a move out right to the anchors.
  •  Project (10+) 15m  This climb has a set of anchors on the top, but no bolts.  It's been climbed on tr, but motivation on this one is lacking. 



  FRANCO WALL (upper tier) 
 Franco Wall has seen a flurry of development as of late and continues to get more climbs established as the weeks wear on.  It seems these sport routes are pretty adventurous for the grade and one would want to be solid at the stated number.  Not much at this area is a cakewalk.      
  • Some days go Smoother** ( 10d/11a) 30m  Kudos to Jon for linking this beauty up.  On the top of  little D, make a traverse into the crack ( 10a) or down climb and then traverse in (5.8).  Follow the bomber crack up and make a quick move right across some thin face moves. Head up under the big roof.  Make some superman-ish no feet bullshit (but super wild) moves over the roof and carry on to the top up bomber rock to the rings.  NO FFA as of yet. 
  • Suckerpunch*  (10b/c) 26m  From the top of knuckle sandwich follow 7 bolts up the right hand side of franco wall.  Off the belay, make some steady moves into a nice layback.  Follow the bolts up some sustained black stone to the top and right of the dead tree. Kudos to jon for a great onsight.    
Also, if you combine knuckle sandwich and suckerpunch in one mega pitch, its called the Total Knockout (5.10d/5.11a) 45m   

 IMPORTANT !!!  THE RAP FROM THE TOP OF FRANCO WALL IS A 30 M ROPE STRETCHER.  KNOTS AND BACKUPS !  DONT KILL YOURSELF
IMPORTANT !!!  CURRENTLY (AS OF SEPT 14) BOTH ROUTES ON THE UPPER TIER ARE RATHER SERIOUS.  THERE IS ONE PLACE ON BOTH CLIMBS WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHAIN ADDED TO FACILITATE LOWER CLIPPING STANCES.  IM WORKING ON THE CHAIN.   next week likely ill do it. 


JU-JUBE SECTOR
To the left of Franco Wall lies the classic Ju-Jube and the obscure route Bon-Bon.  This sector is slated for development too.  Reference guidebook for route descriptions.Jujube is pretty cool though.  Anchors could use an upgrading.

 CONDIMENT WALL
Down and around the corner from Ju-Jube lies a smattering of routes on great rock. A lot of Ketchup is the first route on the right. 
A lot of Ketchup is a lot of fun (5.11) 45m
  • A lot of Ketchup* (5.11)  A 2 pitch adventure.  Follow a shallow corner up strong laybacks (5.10b)  to a funky mantle move to access the anchors.  The second pitch heads left along the ledge and up past an impossibly hard looking slab (5.11a) with a steep exit.  If you are a slabber,  the second pitch is for you. 
    Some Portuguese guy flexing under A bit of Mustard (5.10+)
  • A bit of Mustard** (5.10+) 18m This steep route follows bolts up under a roof.  Technical climbing leads into powerful but mega positive moves out and left of the roof. BEWARE THE SUCKER LEDGE.  Committing moves back right lead to a ledge.  Traverse right into the shared first pitch anchor for A lot of Ketchup.
    The famous G. Cornell onsighting the first pitch of The Greg Cornell Mystery Route  (5.7)

  •   GREG CORNELL MYSTERY ROUTE (5.7-5.9)  

We found an old piton, so this is more of a modernized version of an old mystery route. 

 Pitch one - Follow 5 bolts up the wide corner. fun climbing leads up to a fat perch and 2 rings.  

Pitch two - make a move right and follow the great climbing to the top of a small pinnacle. ( runout) A few thin traverse moves bring you into the corner and up.to the top !   Rap down in two or bring a 70.  

Can do it one pitch i guess, but may drag ya bad. 

  • Backwoods Lovechild 5.10a  6 bolts.  
Located just to the left of the mystery route.  Follow bolts up the prickly face.  Looks easier from the ground.   Anchor on ledge by the tree.  

 
  • Hard stemming on beautiful rock.  This is Portuguese Thunder (5.11b)

  • Portuguese Thunder  (5.11b) 25m A burly inside corner past 5 bolts sneaks left at break.   Easier climbing past 3 bolts leads to the anchors.   
  • Portuguese Thunder Direct  (5.11b) at the split, takcle 5 bolts that carry straight up the corner.   Steep, sustained and pumpy ! Watch for some suspect rock near the top. 
There are three new ( july 2021) little sport lines bolted up to the left of portuguese thunder.  

Hollywood magic. 6 or 7 bolts, right line.   Tough start.   5.9

Casual in jeans. 6 bolts.  Shared anchor.  5.8  center line. 

Forbidden Bush 5.9 5 bolts.  Left line. 

These climbs are all moderate and on bomber rock. 

   
      
 

 




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