Tucson Bouldering: Redington Pass (aka Tanque Verde)

Sometimes areas seem to get more spray/attention than warranted while other more deserving ones are ignored and neglected.  I've never fully understood why this is but I've seen it the world over and in Tucson the great neglected area seemed to be a charming little place with the duel name of Redington Pass and/or Tanque Verde.

I actually remembered this area from an exploratory hike I did when passing through Tucson 14 years ago and never forgot the giant water-polished boulders.  For this trip I asked some locals about the place and I was told it wasn't very good, they had never been and/or the other areas where much better.  I started thinking my memories from all those years ago was wrong but fortunately I ignored the naysayers and went back to do some ground truthing only to discover that my memory had indeed served me well.

Redington Pass turned out to be my favorite of the lower elevation areas around Tucson as the climbing, rock and setting are all exceptional and the access is casual.  Several of the best problems I did around Tucson were here and to my surprise the best of them where first ascents.  It boggled my mind that such good problems had been overlooked for so long but hopefully that will change.  I'd venture to say that Tanque Verde is not to be missed for the visiting boulder and is considerably better than the heavily trafficked Hairpin at the base of Mt Lemmon.

If you do go to Tanque Verde be aware that this is a nudist spot so you can let it all hang out or at the very least not be bothered if others do.  Perhaps the reason the place is under the radar is because folks are scared off by birthday suits.........
Here are some photos

Climbing rocks and building sand castles.  Redington actually ended up being an optimal place for the family as this spot is next to the main cluster of boulders.  Not a bad way to spend a winter's day.

The waterfall just downstream from the bouldering.  When we first visited this area we hiked up the canyon be we later realized there is a well established trail that drops you above this waterfall and right at the boulders.  The canyon was a nice hike but the trail make the approach easier.

Prairie on a rad steep line out the belly of a massive boulder.  This problem was just big moves on jugs from the stand and I added an obvious sit-start that is considerably harder.  It is once again surprising that this is a first ascent but unless I hear otherwise I'm calling it Pants Off Dance Off.  There are a couple impressive projects to the right that could be proper hard and definitely worthy.  

The Pictured Boulder is a little further up canyon and had a couple impressive lines on it with the two best being listed as projects.  Three of us spent the better part of 3 hours trying to figure out beta on the best one and in the end managed to crack the improbable sequence and establish Don't Get Chicked.

Jesse discovered that if you lay your leg on the starting self you can reach/use the horrible holds higher up and Prairie cracked the best beta for the final crux move.  I thought Prairie was going to do this thing before me (thus the name) but she had to return two days later for her ascent.

Another line just to the right of Don't Get Chicked brought be back to the Pictured Boulder and ended up being just as good as its neighbor but very different climbing.  There wasn't as much subtleties on this one as it just took some big pulls on decent holds.  I also sit-started this one under the big rail and realized Chicked could be started here as well.  I called the problem Don't Get Dicked.

Of the established problems at Redington Pass my favorite might be Red Arete for its unassuming nature and fantastic climbing.  It packs quite a lot of climbing in a small space and offered some pleasing movement.

Prairie on the steep beginning of Red Arete and then navigating the polished pinches that make the crux.

Tall Smooth White One was the name appropriately given to this massive boulder.  Apparently the lines hadn't been done on this block which seems hard to believe as 3 of the 4 problems I did were in the lower grades.  Maybe the height has scared people off but it still seems presumptuous to claim the first ascents without a more thorough survey of the locals. 

These are the two best problems we did on the Tall Smooth White One and they are sweet.  The one on the left had just enough hold on perfect rock and is by far the hardest of the 4 problems we did (I'm calling it Clothing Optional if it hasn't been done before).  The photo on the right shows Prairie using some of the amazing water polished features of the other problem we dubbed Smoothie.

A parting shot overlooking Tanque Verde.  Will be psyched to get back to this awesome spot.

Wilderness of Rocks: Tucson's Bouldering Wonderland

Wilderness of Rocks was my favorite overall area around Tucson and the place has potential to put Tucson bouldering on the map.  While other Tucson areas are small Wilderness of Rocks is massive as the rock is seemingly endless with the granite offering a variety of features and styles reminiscent of Black Mountain.  The good stuff that has been done is unquestionably world class and only a small fraction of the stone has been explored.  The best is likely yet to come and if you like exploring you could spend a lifetime establishing 3 star problems.

Logistically Wilderness of Rocks takes a bit more effort than most areas as you first drive to the end of the Catalina Hwy (45ish minute drive from Tucson) and then hike at least an hour.  This is also considered a "summer area" as it provides manageable mountain temperatures when Tucson is roasting below but most winters should provide some ideal climbing days.  Of course the high elevation means you can expect Wilderness of Rocks to get shut down much of the winter but fortunately a couple sunny winter day can melt enough snow to make a lot of stuff climbable, but expect to hike through a bit of snow.

Unfortunately I only managed two days in Wilderness of Rocks and I actually spent both days in the same sector but I did of course do some exploring and could very easily have spent a my entire trip here without coming close to seeing everything.  Here are some photos from my days climbing in the Dog Park sector

The Sky Boulder is an amazing piece of rock ringed with great problems.  Nothing quite like starting your climbing day with a warm-up on granite "alligator skin"

Jetpack is one of the establish problems on the steep side of the Sky Boulder.  It's a bit of a one move wonder (dyno of the lip) but still a quality problems.  

Young Bigness is aptly named as the crux requires a massive move that took some effort on my part.  I believe this is the hardest established problem on the boulder but there are a couple good looking projects (like the one to the left) that will take it up a few notches.

 Before going to the Dog Park I'd seen some photos of one particular problem that I desperately wanted to check out and I didn't disappoint.  The locals had established a left exit called Surfing but I was struck by the obvious line up the rail and sent a good portion of my day (and all my skin) flailing on it.  It was the reason I went back to this area and after a bit more work and with the help of Alex we cracked the beta and sent one after the other.  It's been dubbed Minnie's Haberdashery and is alone worth the hike.

On the left is Alex doing the crux during the FA of Minnies Haberdashery and on the right is Prairie trying Surfing.

I saw so many amazing unclimbed boulders but time restraints limited me to only establish a few.  We dubbed this beautiful swooping slab Pressure Drop and it was harder (and therefore spicier) than I had expected.  I ended up bailing a little right at this point but the line I'd like to do would take the non-crimp I have my left-hand on with the right-hand and do a terrifying slab dyno.   I also did the striking arete on the left side this boulder. 

Jefe on just another amazing boulder he cleaned up.  This one is called Creep Show.

Stev on Creep Show.  

 On the way out from the Dog Park we walked through another sector (Magic Forest) and had just enough time to bang out a cool sloper problem called Hell Bitch.  I would not recommend this problem to those of shorter stature as a couple moves are a no-go if you can't reach from the big feet.  On the right is Prairie trying to dyno where taller folks just stand up. 

 Psyched to get back to this place.

One of Dartmoor's Best Boulder Problems: Tropic Thunder

I've been racking up a fair number of first ascents here in England but I recently establish my best yet.  Tropic Thunder is a real gem of Dartmoor bouldering and good enough that it could be classic anywhere in the world.  In my opinion Tropic Thunder is second only to Devon Sent in the Dartmoor area but folks should get out and decide for themselves. 

Tropic Thunder climbs a prow/arete out the middle of a visor.  I would have brushed up this problem had I stumbled upon it anywhere.

A rarity for Dartmoor, Tropic Thunder it very steep and utilizes an array of heels and toe-hooks.

Here is Mikey sticking the first move.

Tropic Thunder also makes use of a couple xenoliths that are very uncommon around Dartmoor.  Here is Tom trying to make use of a toe-hook on one of the xenoliths.  

The problems climbs extremely well and it took two days to work out all the little subtleties.  The crux to Tropic Thunder was figuring out what to do once you got your hands on the slopey lip while your feet are way under the roof.  I found 3 different sequences but in the end it was the one that required doing a little bump and holding a massive swing that proved successful.  It's always nice when everything comes together.....

If you want to check out Tropic Thunder it is pretty easy to find as it is located on the slope along the north side of Beadon Brook.  Park off Beadon Lane just where it crosses the brook and either follow the brook for a bit until you see rock and scrabble up the slope or take the higher path (easier) and drop down when you see rock.  This area has a bit of rock with roughly 20 established problems and more potential if you're willing to brush.  Enjoy

Casa Diablo: A Treasure Map

There has been a trickle of interest regarding Casa Diablo and the questions generally include asking directions to the established problems.  While I hope people take the time to explore and establish new stuff I realize a dangling carrot is often needed to get folks started.  With that in mind I put together a quick map showing the exact locations of some of the better stuff that we did.

Remember that most of the points on the map will also have other development around it and there are plenty of problems that I only had time to give a quick brushing and are waiting for an ascent.  And if anyone does make it out there please let me know what you find and what you think of the place.  Happy hunting.

It's also worth noting that GoogleMaps might give directions to Casa Diablo Mountain from Bishop via Hwy 6 to Benton or Hwy 395 to Tom's Place.  It is much shorter and faster (unless you drive 15mph the whole way) to just take Casa Diablo Rd as for the upper parking to the Sad Boulders.

Casa Diablo: Things to Consider

Casa Diablo is amazing.  The place meets pretty much every criteria for what makes a great area, from the beautiful setting and stable climate all the way to the amazing lines and abundance of quality rock.  But despite having so much going for it Casa Diablo will not appeal to most climbers.  Don't get me wrong,  there is certainly potential for mass appeal but I don't foresee the place getting crowded.  For that to happen a few adventurous spirits would have to take a shine to the area and lay the difficult groundwork that is generally needed before the majority of climbers dare to venture from pages of their guidebooks.

It is a bit presumptuous to think a rarely read climbing-blog could seriously impact an area but I actually have mixed feelings over "spraying" about Casa Diablo.  I'd hate to see it turn into the shit-show that other Bishop areas have become but after consideration I decided the only thing that would really do that is a guidebook after much development.  At this point underdevelopment and a lack a information will certainly keep Casa Diablo from getting crowded, but its proximity to Bishop and the quality problems could drum up some decent traffic in a few years.  Currently it will appeal to those kindred spirits that prefer a little adventure and enjoy the process of finding and developing problems.  So with those folks in mind here are some things to consider if you are thinking about checking the place out

1. Not all the rock is good.  There is a lot of choss at Casa Diablo but the good rock is bullet and worth the effort.  Finding the gems can be the crux at times but the good stuff is very good.  Also, much of the rock falls in the "decent" category but if you take the time to clean it up you might just unearth a classic.
2. General rock quality varies by area.  While pockets of good rock can be found all over there are certain areas that tend to have generally better rock than others.  I've found areas with boulders a bit more spread out are generally better quality.  Jumbles of massive boulders often have cool features but the rock requires more cleaning than I was willing to put in.
3. It deserves more than a quick look.  My psych for Casa Diablo grew every day I spent there because I hiked and brushed a lot.  A couple of the best problems were missed on previous days and taking a second or a third look can often have a big payoff. 
4. Be prepared to hike/scramble.  Finding the good stuff could require trudging around and while some of it is very close to the vehicle you'll be missing out if you aren't willing to go wander a bit.  Lazy people probably won't appreciate Casa Diablo and will be waiting for a guidebook that will hopefully never come.
5. It's an easy hang.  Casa Diablo is easy to get to (type "Casa Diablo Mountain" in GoogleEarth/Maps) and is reachable in even a standard car.  Camping is free (public land), cell coverage is great and the view/setting is stunning.  It's worth noting that I always approached from the obvious parking to the west and the very last bit of road is quite steep.  
6. I haven't seen it all.  I really tried to see as much of Casa Diablo as I could but I had limited time and often a kid (or two) in tow.  I've found some mega stuff but I haven't come close to seeing it all.  You never know what is still out there to find.

If anyone does take the time to check the place out I'd love to know what you think and hear about what new problems you put up.  Here are some more pictures from my time there.

Tooth Decay was one of my favorite moderates.  Techy with the holds and feet in just the right places for it to work.  I also added a sit-start from the big scoop at the bottom. 

Prairie was painfully close to doing Tooth Decay but always came up just short on the big crux move

This project is one of those that will require a lot of cleaning as the rock isn't great but will be manageable.  Usually I wouldn't bother but this one was so beautiful it could be worth the effort. 

Tom and I did a few "filler" problems near the Mega-Boulder and they cleaned up nice.  Here is one of them

This boulder had beautiful patina and I originally thought the middle line would be a classic warm-up.  It ended up being harder than I thought and is now a classic moderate I called Mi Casa.  I also did a sweet one to the right and there are two to the left I didn't get around to. 

The problem to the right which I called Tu Casa

I stumbled upon this boulder after already exploring the same area on previous days. Crazy how I somehow missed this one and shows the importance of being thorough in your exploration.  The arete is one an awesome moderate I called Hell Freezes Over and there are a couple things on this boulder I'd love to get back to.

The Devil Wears Prana is probably the hardest thing I put up in Casa Diablo.  I even stayed an extra day just to do this and my many attempts are probably the reason I couldn't muster doing the awesome arete on the Mega-Boulder.  All in all I'd say it was worth it as this thing was pretty sweet.

This shot of The Devil Wears Prana gives you a better idea of the problems.  First you tackle a big "Huecoesque" roof with the help of two knee-bars before busting out to some bad slopers.  The crux is the end and took quite a bit of refining before I could put it together.

Casa Diablo: The Mega-Boulder

Casa Diablo is certainly more than just a one-trick pony as there are multitudes of amazing problems scattered around.  That said, there is one particular boulder that stands out and has received more of my attention than any other in the area.  I've dubbed it the "Mega-Boulder" due to it's quality/size and, as I said before, it alone is worth a trip.

The steep face that I'm so enamored has yielded two world-class problems (yes, they would be classic anywhere in the world) and the 2 or 3 projects remaining on the boulder are worthy problems as well.  Here are a few pictures and commentary

The Mega-Boulder.  Tom is standing under Midnight Roses with the stunning arete to the right and the rope hanging down over a project we never got around to trying.  Far to the left and obscured by a tree is another project we brushed up that will be a nice addition.  

Noah laying eyes on the boulder for the first time.  The boulder is massive but since the top-out is low angle it makes for perfect bouldering. 

While Midnight Roses was the first problem we did, it was the arete that I originally took a shine to.  It's one of those lines that you know is doable but the difficulty is hard to assess and the fact that it is highball with a tiered landing means overcoming fear will also be a major obstacle.  Last winter's ground-up attempts proved terrifying but this year we cracked the beta on rope and then tried to dial in the crux sequence before going cordless.

Even though working the arete on rope eliminated a degree of uncertainty it was still unnerving to climb without a grip of pads.  Since neither Tom nor myself are famous enough to attract a posse to contribute pads Tom decided to set up his circus net (seen in the photo to the right).  That's right, Tom has a circus net for just such occasions and the fact he busted it out speaks to the quality of this problem as it is no easy task to set it up. In the end I think Tom would say it was worth it as the effort culminated with him safely on top of the Mega-Boulder.  I wasn't so fortunate and while I have lots of excuses for my failure I'm kicking myself for not taking full advantage of the cushy landing.  I can't remember what Tom called this one but it is awesome.

Midnight Roses was the first problem we establish but it didn't go down easy either.  We resorted to working this problem on rope (Lisa doing just that in the photo) and the beta took some refining before we put it all together.

Midnight Roses is actually fairly sustained but the first move proved to be the physical crux.  The "standard" beta involves a big right-hand move to a sloper but there is also alternative beta that better suites those of shorter stature.  Lisa and Noah demonstrate the different options.   

This problem definitely goes on my list of favorite first ascents* and it is an amazing addition to a region that is already renowned for its climbing.

*technically Tom did it first but we sent in rapid succession and the process certainly was a team effort. All depends on how you look at it

Another angle of Midnight Roses that helps you get the idea of how steep the boulder is at the start.  It ain't really over until you're standing on the holds above the lip.

One final photo of Tom on Midnight Roses.