Routes in Pine Creek Canyon

Climbs a deep corner/crack that splits the lower portion of the south-east buttress, almost on the cusp of the south/east sides of the formation.

Dark Shadows variant.

Excellent and interesting lead.

A superb sustained route at the grade (5.7+). Very popular, due to bolted anchors, ability to be rappelled on single 70m rope, and very good climbing with generally solid protection.

Start below the left-most of 2 obvious long cracks the split the lower part of the varnished buttress left of the corner that Spectrum climbs to the roof 60ft up. This is a few yards above a huge boulder that leans against the cliff creating a tunnel.

1. Climb the left crack to an anchor on a treed ledge. 110ft. 5.5 (Handren says 5.6, but it doesn't climb that hard.)

2. Climb straight up from the anchor, then follow a crack in the wall right of the main chimney to a ledge. Up the steep corner, then right under a block to an anchor at the right end of a big ledge. 110ft 5.7.

3. Go up and right about 10ft of easy ground to a left-leaning corner. At the top, traverse left past a bolt (crux) then up a steep crack to a ledge. Then up and right to the anchor. 85ft, 5.7+.

4. Go up about 20ft to a horizontal crack, then move up and right accross discontinuous cracks to an anchor on the face. This pitch has the most complicated route-finding -- generally, when in doubt, go up or right. On the face there should be a down-arching horizontal curve, and the anchor being aimed for is near the bottom of the curve. Belay at anchors with huecos for your feet. 95ft 5.6.

5. Move up and right to a thin crack, then over a bulge and up a thin (finger crack) on a varnished face with small holds and small gear. Finish on a small triangular, down-sloping ledge (crux). 95ft, 5.7+.

6. Variant, adds an extra 75ft pitch, not usually climbed due to fragile rock and run-out climbing. Climb up passing a small roof on the right, then continue up and right to an anchor in a small right-facing corner. 75ft, 5.7.

Climbs the first deep corner along the east face of Mescalito.

Chasing Shadows variant.

Alternate first pitch to Excellent Adventure.

A decent alternate if Birdland is crowded.

Start about 30m left of Birdland, in a steep gully. Go up the gully for about 320ft (2 pitches), to a comfortable ledge about 15 feet right of the gully. From there head up and slightly right on the face past a couple bolts to an anchor. Then step right and go up blocky cracks to a rap anchor.

Descent: rappel the top two pitches with 2 ropes, on the second rappel divert to the 3rd anchor of Birdland (almost directly below), then finish the rappel down Birdland.

On the east face of Mescalito, looking at the south side, there are two obvious big corners. This one climbs the 2nd big corner in from the south (left) side.

This finishes about 30-40 ft above the tree belay of "Cat in the Hat", an easy 5.0 not-exposed down-climb allows one to rap from there (3 raps with a single 70m rope).

Climb the first two pitches of Birdland, then head up and left to the big chimney (50ft), then up a big crack on the left face of the chimney to an anchor (120ft). Rap from here (usual), or continue up another couple pitches to the top of the formation.

Or climb the first two pitches of Rawlpindi, then instead of branching right onto the face, continue up the chimney to the left.

Climb the face up and left of The Cookie Monster to anchors. Two 70m-rope rappels.

After climbing the first pitch of Birdland, walk about 15 feet left on the ledge. This climb goes directly up the varnished face. It finishes at the same ledge as the 2nd pitch of Birdland, so can be used as an alternate 2nd pitch for someone looking for a bit more spice.

One of the most popular multi-pitch routes at Red Rocks due, at least in part, to large comfortable belay ledges the whole way. Can be rappelled on one 70m rope with a bit of 4th class down-climbing, or with two ropes.

Starts below an obvious left-slanting crack.

1. 150' 5.5 - Climb the left slanting crack, skip the optional belay at 90', up a wider crack to a ledge, then continue up the crack to another ledge. Bolted anchors are a few yards out to the right.

2. 50' 5.5. Hike right along the ledge, boulder up to the next ledge, and up gentle slabs to a steeper wall. Re-belay from here, then up steepish black wall to a small overhang, the up a left-facing corner to a ledge with trees. End on a belay off a small group of trees.

3. 120' 5.6. Start up 4th class terrain about 15' to a small ledge, climb a thin crack in the varnished face left of a small corner to a small roof, traverse left under the roof to another crack that continues upwards, and up this to a ledge with a large block on it. Belay off slings around the large block.

4. 50' 5.3. Traverse right and a bit down to a ledge with a crack above it and anchors.

5. 110' 5.6. Climb the crack, past a bolt to run-out 5.5 terrain to the anchors. Most people end here at the anchor and rappel.

Starts in the grotto behind the big boulder just to the right of Birdland.

The big chimney to the right of the first pitch of Cat in the Hat.

As you come around the south-east buttress, and start climbing up the rubble, this is the first big chimney encountered.

Most people climb Cat in the Hat to the top of the 5th pitch, and then rappel. But the route can be continued past this point with about 500ft of 4th class, and then a final 5.7 chimney to an anchor, then a bit of scrambling to the summit.

1. 150' 5.5 - skip the optional belay at 90', those anchors allow for rappelling on a single 70m rope. End on a big ledge with bolted anchors.

2. 50' 5.5. End on a belay off a small group of trees.

3. 120' 5.6. End on a belay off a big boulder slung around the top.

4. 50' 5.3. Traverse right and a bit down to a ledge.

5. 110' 5.6. Most people end here at the anchor.

6. 500' 4th class. Climb up the buttress, scramble across the notch to the main peak and up to a tree at the base of a big chimney splitting the final band of red rock.

7. 120' 5.7. Climb the chimney to an anchor. Then scramble the last bit to the summit.

This is, also, one of the possible descent routes from any other climb that summits Mescalito -- rappel the