Routes in Lion's Head

Abseil/ Rap station.

Takes the steep crack to the right of Mane Course. Starting on some large boulders, follow the crack through a tricky, thin corner to the roof. Gain the next good hand rail and tackle the humbling crack to the big roof. Traverse a metre right and up into a recess. Step back left and follow a vague arete easily to the big ledge.

Climb the obvious crack that starts vertical and bends to become almost horizontal. Once you see a thin crack coming from the ground meeting the big crack you will be climbing, pull up and smear to another crack (that is the end of Silloette crack). Make your way to some big blocks in order to build your anchor.

An aesthetic, short face to the right of the first pitch of Simba. Unfortunately one needs to end with some scrambling to get to the walk off ledge. Can descend easy via the B-Route about 40m to the right.

Start between Heatwave and Boris the Bullet Dodger. Pull onto the face and at the small overlap step left then up easily to a ledge. Climb the face above between the crack lines.

Starts just left of the concrete foundation (old lookout) on the left side of a detached flake.

1. [9] 25m. Climb the left side of the flake then follow cracks and face to the vegetated band above. Scramble up to and slightly left to a crack in a dihedral.

2. [12] 12m. Climb the open book to a ledge to the right with a white block on it.

3. [12] 30m. From the left end of the ledge, climb the crack to a ledge then up a large chimney and through a wormhole to the top.

Descent: Either hike to the top or go about 5m skiers-right and down to a rappel anchor (2x60m to bottom).

Start just right of 'Route by T. Hughes'

1. [18] 25m

   Head up the left side of a wide and dirty crack (deep groove) to an overhang. Pull diagonally up and right through the small roof and into the break out right. Continue up to the grassy ledge and walk across to the next cliff band.

2. [15] 42m

   Start a bit right of the 'Rainbow Crag' recess on a face. Up to join 'Rainbow Crag' for a few meters then step left onto the left bulging face of the recess. Move left a meter or two and then straight up to the top.

The project listed in the guide book on pg 51. Start about 3m right of Pride Breaker and climb straight up to a good break in the slanted roof. Stretch or dyno to a flake (which flexes but seems solid enough) on the lip, tend slightly right then straight up easily to big ledge. Concensus grading needed - probably easier if you are tall.

Follow the approach route following the base of the wall until reach a small cave with a small metal plate sign. From there keep going up in a vague path through the bushes until reach a wall with 3 big cracks on it. The one to the right is Millions. the small one with a few grassy bushes growing out of it is Silloette crack (the middle one does not look good for climbing). This is a good route full of protection and nice and easy moves.

1. Climb the small crack all the way up and smear up after the crack starts to turn back down. Build your anchor at some big blocks at the top.

Start ~4m right of Feline. Head up the ramp to the vague, blunt arete.

Opening new lines where other RD's are not detailed, hmmmmm! Startup the wide and dirty crack (deep groove) to the ledge, move slightly right to gain the rail (on the left) in the overlap. Move left and head up for the cleft/ notch in the skyline.

Follows a direct line between Druggernaut and Taut Naut. Climb the oblique corner to the roof. Pull right and then contort yourself up the short, smooth, bottomless corner to some wide rails. Use the projecting fin to pull up and left to the final steep face and finish up Druggernaut. Consensus grading needed.

1. Climb the crack just by the side of a groove that widens to a flary chimney. Climb the chimney (crux) and head to the top of the second huge poised flake near a tree where one can build an anchor.

2. Climb the face on the right of the groove all the way up until able to walk across to a tree. Belay from the tree or 4 meters up to use the bolts of a sport route. One abseil of 60m will take you back to the base of the route.

Start up Kalashnikov but then head up and left to underneath a narrow roof. Pull through and then up the left side of short white face.

Start on a block beneath a prominent roof to the right of the black rock to the right of Political Solution. Step off the block and up to the roof. Pull through on the right on good holds past two perfect rails. Move up the blunt seam, then continue up clean rock to the top.

Surprisingly good, and tricksy. Climbs the wall and arête to the right of And the Living is Easy. Follow the rib to the wide rail, Hard moves onto the face above lead to rails. Continue up the arête (flakes on the face to the left are loose). Small cams are useful higher up.

1. [17R] 40m

   Climb the face on the right of 'Cross Cracks' aiming for 2 blind cracks,once at these they take marginal protection. When possible move to the crack of 'Scary crack', climb this for a bit and then stance above the flake/s. The bittersweet cherry tree makes a good belay.

2. [17] 35m

   Climb up and right to the corner, there is a piton in the continuation of the crack of 'Scary Crack'. Climb the blunt arete and the curving feature to access the pine tree/ rap point.

Start to the right of Kalashnikov. Pull up into a short right-facing corner and up to the brown rock. Follow two layback cracks to the top.

Climb the black crack starting from the top of the bush to the top.

Written for sake of completion. Not recommended. Just right of The Time Wasp is a face with a small roof a few meters up. Climb beneath the middle of the face to a roof. Realize it is too hard to go direct and use holds on the right to be able to step left over the roof onto the face. Make a gripping traverse up and left (with nasty fall potential) to the arête, which is climbed easily to the top. Gets one star for the funky traverse moves.

Classic easy route on Lion's head granite.

Start at the obvious leaning pillar 5 metres right of Gwilym's Rest.

1. Climb the leaning pillar and continue up the crack to a big leaning flake. Traverse right below the flake and then up onto a narrow ledge. Move right to a bolted stance.

2. Climb the crack to the right of the bolts and continue slightly left up an easy slab, then over some blocks on an earthy ledge. Climb a short, knobbly face to belay from a good ledge below a prominent right-facing layback. One can scramble off left at this point.

3. Layback up the corner and step left at the top. Climb onto a razor-thin flake and, stepping right, continue up the face above, aiming for a thin, exfoliating flake. Above and slightly left of this, a very thin crack up a smooth friction face takes you to a ledge in a depression at the top of the route.

Start between Boris the Bullet Dodger and Cold War. Pull onto the wall by some vertical side pulls. At the small roof, step left then up between some large stacked blocks. Head up the light grey face on good holds to the top. This is just left of a darker, narrow, square recess.

The third pitch on the book says it is a 15 but I had climbed a 17 and 18 pitch before it and those all felt easier than the third pitch, that's why I am suggesting a grade 19 for it. The second pitch is an amazing 18 pitch, really fun.

Starts as per Political Solution. After 5m break diagonally left over the blank face to the far left rails. Follow the thin crack to the top. A committing lead as the first gear is about 10 metres up.

Start 3m left of Juggernaut P2. Use a short, undercut face to gain the rail. Tend left and up through a steep blocky section to below a roof. Pull straight through the roof just right of the crack (sneaky undercling) to a left leaning ramp and short open book above. Easy ground up to ledge.

This route lies about midway between Power Struggle and the large pines at the first hiking path chains. It is easily observed from the car park as it is the crack between the appealing orange face to its left and a black face to its right. This nondescript route has one redeeming feature - it gives a great close up view of the orange face of Ayoba. Ascend the open book formed by the orange and black faces into an incomplete crack. Move directly up to a tricky finish onto the ledge above. Belay from the large boulders

Start just left of Power Struggle, and follow two, white stacked aretes on the left of the face. Head right to the first roof. Pull through on the left into a vague recess, just left of where 'Power Struggle' pulls through. Continue up to an undercling flake at the base of the white face above. Pull out right and boldly follow the white arête to the top. The boulder on top wobbles, so railing left or right a foot below the top is safer.

Descent Route on the left.

This interesting and quite hard route ascends the face directly below the only prominent overhanging prow. Move directly up and through two sets of overhangs on strenuous and gymnastic moves using large cams for protection. End at a nice platform. Originally the route had 2 pitons which were removed in 2010, after consensus that the route could be adequately protected.

Between Heavy Breather and Poke in the Eye are is a narrow inset face with a crack on each side. Follow the left crack and then straight to the top.

A meter right of the route After Taxes is a juggy crack. Climb this, pull through a small overhang and head straight through the middle of the somewhat blank-looking face above. NOTE: This is a bold route to lead. Small cams recommended.

Between Heavy Breather and Poke in the Eye are is a narrow inset face with a crack on each side. Follow the right crack to a brown patch of rock. Continue straight past one blocky overlap to a second overlap. Pull through and step right to finish up the grey face.

1. 15 20m:

   From the top of a rectangular block, climb straight up to the open book and all the way up till reach the roof. Climb 2m right until able to pull through and belay from a big ledge.

2. 13 20m:

   . Walk around 8 meters left and then up to the right of a big chimney. Climb the face around 4 meters right of the chimney where there is a small cairn. Climb up and slightly left to a layback crack and then go diagonally right and left again to the top of a small block. Climb the face straight up and belay from a small ledge.

3. 12 15m:

   Climb up and right until squeezed underneath a large block. Climb to the left and up to the top of the huge block with amazing views of the ocean and mountains.

4. 11 15m:

   Climb easily straight up to a big ledge. Scrambling leads to the top.

Climb the parallel crack right of 'Cross Cracks'

1. [15] 35m

   Climb the crack till you get the large flake/s on the left. Belay at the bittersweet cherry tree.

2. [17R] 30m

   Climb up and right to the corner, there is a piton in the continuation of the crack you climbed on P1. Traverse diagonally down right to an incredible crystal cubby hole. Clip the bolt above and find your way to the tree or rap station beyond.

The route follows the obvious crack line a few meters left of Cold War. Pull straight through the bulge (a little strenuous) below the vertical crack higher up. Continue straight up the crack to the top.

Follow a recess passing a bush. Follow the crack, and then the face left of the big succulent. Step back right to the crack under the large grass tuft. Follow the crack and exit to the right of climbers friend bush on top. Listed originally as one pitch, but you will have to be very bold to scramble after the actual climb.

Climb as for Johnny Cache, but bypass the roof to the right, rejoining directly above.

Climb a direct line up the face directly between Come take a Trip in My Air-Ship and Drive on.

Climb the face exactly between the hand crack of Huguenot Wall and the thin crack of the 'Huguenot Wall (Variation)' , directly to the bolted stance. There is no pro.

Start as for Huguenot Wall.

1. Climb the leaning blocky pillar, the move left to a vague crack/depression about 1.5 metres left of the main crack. Stem up the seam to reach the left side of the leaning flake.

2. Climb up the easy slab to a stance among boulders on an earthy ledge. Walk off to the left and down Descent Gully.

Directly in between Folsom Prison Blues and Pounce. Start up the undercut face on thin rails and head up directly to the large roof. Proceed through the roof for about 2m using the thin vertical finger crack in it. Cut loose and head up the splitter crack directly above. Continue up faces to the top.

Climb to the left or to the right of the pillar. Bridge and jam your way up until able to start smearing up to the top.

Just past the South-East arête (Pitch#2) on the Clifton side. Start up a nice hand crack and then follow a vague arete to the top.

Start a few meters right of Knuckleduster. Scramble up and delicately climb the right side of the fragile flake to an undercling. Traverse ~1m left (psychological micro nuts possible) and then straight up face to top. A fall just before topping out would be very serious.