Routes in Carson Pass

The obvious low line of holds right of the descent, which finishes at half height (though a top-out finish might be feasible under all that lichen?).

The easiest way off the boulder, which is also a fun problem in its own right.

The technical central slab on the eastern face, without cheating to the jugs to the right or left.

Left side of the eastern face. Hard start to jugs.

The very classy steep arete, that's better (and harder!) the lower you start.

Start just right of the small rock at the base.

Sit start on the rock in the landing zone.

A full traverse of this boulder looks awesome and hard.

The patina'ed left arete, with an exposed and lichenous top section.

Squeeze job with dodgy square-cut patina (be careful - it's very loose!) just right of the left arete.

The diagonal crack feature in the middle of the patina'ed face, starting with hands matched in a large horizontal hueco.

Really good moves and deceptively sustained.

Just right of C-Deck crack, but left of the stump, with small left facing crimp/gastons. Handholds feel about V4-ish, but feet are non-existent.

Though it's possible to downclimb the white slab and jump off near the stump, there's an easier descent off the back of the boulder down into the chimney / gully and onto a block.

The beautiful featured patina slab facing the parking spot. A lovely top rope, perfect for kids or beginners.

Top-ropeable off two new bolts (installed sometime between 2016 and 2020), or (better located) large gear (#4, #5 camalots). Either way, bring lots of slings to extend the TR point well over the edge - there's already lots of unavoidable drag from the chicken heads on the face.

Up the left leaning slab / corner and vague scoop left of 'Patina Face'. Great climbing on unusual (for granite) incut face holds.

Left again at some obvious starting holds at head height. Move left under the corner / scoop, then up the sustained thin black panel at half height (avoiding the temptation to move left or right to jugs), and then a variety of easier finishes.

One move wonder direct start, at incut hold above head height.

There are a couple of manky old rivets and rivet-holes visible on this face, and a line to the right of them looks like it might be climbable (though the second bulge 15' up looks pretty blank...).

People boulder in this section.

Up the featured arete, moving left into the grey corner. Up this to a prominent cracked undercling / sidepull block, and either traverse hard right here, or continue up the corner for a few more feet, then traverse hard right on sharp crimps (both ways are about the same difficulty, and are the crux of the route). Easily up to ledge and final short steep crack.

This route is directly below the new double bolt anchor, but bring lots of slings (or better yet 30' of static rope) to get the TR point over the (sharp) top edge of the face.

Up the cracks/flakes above the good looking white/orange rock.

People boulder in this section too.

Easiest access to the top, but has some exposed moves and tends to be dirty. Recommended that you wear climbing shoes for this.

At times there has been a hand-rope dropped down this, attached to the bolts on top. As with all fixed gear, treat it with suspicion.

Layback left arete.

Line of crimps up centre of face. Highball.

Right arete and spider-webby flake. Bad Landing

Traverse from 'Left Shield' to 'Right Shield'.

Fun slabbing up the middle of the face.

Left side of 'The Dolmen'. Very loose rock!

Up the vague right-leaning dihedral in the centre of the face.

Nice rounded slab to more featured, albeit chossy, steeper section up high.

Huge reach (or poor intermediates) up and right from obvious cracked undercling.

Awesome steep jugging.

Fun jugging, left of the small cedar.

Start on opposing crimp sidepulls then easily up to crux topout.

One move wonder - shame it isn't twice as high.

Elegant side pulling on jugs.

Right arete is off. Harder than it looks.

Sustained thin climbing on the right of the lovely patina face.

Left side of the lovely patina face. Crux is leaving the ground.

Classy start then easier to finish. 'Flaming Flake' is off.

The grey flake just left of 'Flames Arete'. The tree is on at the start for your left foot.

Did someone eat too many chilis?

The groove and jugs just left of the tree.

Major right facing corner on the right hand side of the dome.

Slab route to the right of Gemini Cracks, and also the rappel descent for that and nearby routes.

1. 30m 5.10a. Up the blocky corner (watch out for wasps), and up a tricky laybacking section to the roof. Traverse right under the roof until below the first bolt. Pull over the roof, clip the bolt then up the slab (2nd bolt) to a hanging belay on chains.

2. 30m 5.10c. Up a well protected face past 7 bolts to another hanging belay on chains. Can rappel to the ground from here on double 60m ropes.

3. 15m 5.10a. Short pitch past 3 bolts to hanging belay on chains. Can be linked with P4.

4. 30m 5.10b/c. As for 'Gemini Cracks' P4, but using the right hand crack only - a bit contrived, but awesome nonetheless (take lots of finger-size gear). Shared belay on chains.

5. 30m 5.10a R. Cross over Gemini Cracks (which goes right at this point) and trend slightly left up the face above, passing spaced bolts. 2 bolt anchor.

Rappel the route with double ropes (60m recommended).

To get to the start, look for a ledge system about 50' down from the aqueduct, under a large oak tree, and follow it past a step-across until you're below the obvious slab with bolts.

Cruxy start with mediocre small gear (can be avoided via the chossy trench on the right), to pleasant slab climbing past 5 bolts and a variety of small to mid-size gear to join the original route at the first belay (natural anchor).

Much better than the original P1.

A classic! Pitch 4 is the money pitch, with a superb moderate crack way up in the sky.

The best way to do this route is to link 'Gemini Cracks Direct Start' into P2 of 'Gemini Cracks' into 'Gemini Cracks Variant P3' into P4 of 'Gemini Cracks', then rappel from there.

1. 40m 5.0. Up a non-descript V-chute to a small ledge with trees (natural anchor). Watch out for poison oak.

2. 20m 5.8 A0 / 5.10c. Nice corner and crack up rock scar to roof. Pull on a #4 cam to get into offwidth trench, then easily past small tree to double bolt hanging belay (with slings and a rap ring).

3. 40m 5.7. Continue up the crack to a pod (button head just above - possible to belay here), then follow the nice discontinuous cracks right to a hanging belay on chains.

4. 30m 5.8. The pitch you came for! Up the awesome twin splitter cracks (mostly climbing the left hand one) to a chain belay. Most people descend from here, as P5 isn't worth doing and descending from the top of the dome is more difficult.

5. 30m 5.4. Move right along crack to tree then easily up crack system. 4th class except for one move near the top (stay roped up).

Rappel descent is down 'Smoke Screen' - double ropes are required and 2x60m ropes are recommended (can descend in 2 long rappels with double 60s).

1. 35m 5.8 From the P2 belay on Gemini Cracks, go left on the hero undercling flake (#4 / #3.5 cams), and up a lovely easy crack on the left hand side. Belay at chains on top of the flake.

2. 30m 5.2 Move right on broken blocks (watch for the rope getting hooked up) then up nice discontinuous cracks to rejoin original route at the chains below P4.

With a 60m rope, it's also (just) possible to link pitch 2 all the way to the top of 'Gemini Cracks' P4. In this case the second should clip into the P1 anchor with long slings, so they can give the leader as much rope as possible.

Better than the original P3.

The obvious left-leaning splitter right about where you reach the cliff, with two new bolts leading up a slab to the start of the crack.

1. 25m 5.8 Up the slab (2 bolts) to the crack, then following the crack to a chain belay. This pitch can be top-roped, but directionals are strongly recommended to avoid big swings.

2. 25m 5.6 Walk right on the ledge (may be worth moving the belay) until you reach a pleasant little left facing corner crack. Up this to belay on the diagonal ramp.

4th class descent down the ramp to the left.