After the 5 minute traverse over from the base of Kinabalu on East Waterfall Dome, start climbing up the low angle slabs and aretes. This enjoyable romp in Bells Canyon was traditionally equipped. It is well protected without ever presenting very difficult climbing and generally follows a straight forward line of ascent as well as descent.

Pitch #1: Climb the slab passing a fixed piton to a two-bolt belay. 5.5, 50m.

Pitch #2: Climb straight up and over a small roof past a fixed piton and continue up a short right facing dihedral. More fun slab moves brings the climber past a new glue in rappel station (replacing the fallen tree...whoops:)) and a nice ledge just above it. 5.5, 35m.

Pitch #3: Continue up delightful patina on great rock. Pass a two-bolt rappel station and follow 6 more bolts to a ledge and two-bolt belay. 5.6, 50m.

Pitch #4: Go straight up past one bolt on the slab to a steep massive boulder protected by two bolts. Climb up the wondrous knobby jugs, turn the corner, and reach the two-bolt belay in short order. 5.7, 35m.

Pitch #5: A fun final pitch climbs chicken heads and stretch across a gap to more knobs and a mantle finale onto a table top two-bolt belay party summit. 5.5, 20m.

Great 360 degree views into Little Cottonwood Canyon, into the Salt Lake Valley, and of course down to the waterfall in Bells Canyon.

Rappel 7 times easily down the route with one 80m rope. It seems a 70m is adequate for some and insufficient for others. Some of the raps are rope stretchers, so tie knots in the ends of your ropes and take care.

For Whom the Bells Toll

Waterfall Route

The Bellagio

This is a fun route. Its not as steep as For Whom the Bells Toll and the rock isnt quite as good (it's a little grittier), but it's got some really neat and enjoyable climbing on it. The route is characterized by smooth slabs and chickenheads. Lots and lots of chickenheads.

Pitch 1:

Long pitch. Climb up some slabs that are interspersed with horizontal cracks (there are 2 bolts on the slabs). Do some mantling and then head up the corner to the right of the knobby roof (which looks like a roof from the ground but is really just a steeper section of rock). Make a reachy move out left to a massive chickenhead on the steep section, clip a bolt, and then follow the chickenhead ladder to a 2-bolt belay. 5.7-, 70m.

You can set up a gear belay using finger- and fist-sized pieces under the knobby roof if rope drag is too bad. If the knobby roof isnt to your liking, theres a gnarly flared 5.6++ chimney out right.

Pitch 2:

Climb up the slab with sweet vertical dikes and chickenheads past 3 bolts. Some shallow horizontals can fit a piece or two, sling a chickenhead, clip a bolt, and finish the pitch at the 2-bolt belay. 5.7-, 55m.

Pitch 3:

Climb up the fist-ish crack, sling a small bush, go up the face (1 bolt). The pitch then levels out a bit. Head up and right to the solitary bolt in the middle of pitch 4 on For Whom the Bell Tolls. Finish up that pitch (up the cool chickenhead headwall) and then climb the last short pitch of FWtBT (#5) to the summit of the formation.

Rappel down FWtBT with a single 70m rope (7 rappels, 2 of which are short).

Lost to the ages until NOW, this obscure adventure-route will certainly be the most go-for-broke 5.6 you've ever groveled on.

(start is same first two pitches as 'Old Goat' until traversing right at the bolt)

Pitch 1: Head out up flaring diagonal grooves until you kink left and gain a lower angle ramp and corner crack. Follow your instincts up crack systems, trending to the right until you've stretched your rope (70m) to a belay stance of your choice.

200-230 ft

Pitch 2: Finish the slab corner and gain the base of the headwall. From here head left, behind a detached feature and start piecing your way up the mixture of crack and slab climbing until you're within striking distance of THE bolt, an archaic star-drive. Build a belay 20-30 feet below the bolt.

120 ft

Pitch 3: Gain the bolt, clip it just for the hell of it and venture right across a chickenhead traverse. Remember that manky bolt? Pretty much your only pro for around 100 ft of traversing. I was able to plug a dubious #2 at one point but the "cracks" are all very flaring. So only two pieces in 100ish feet. Traverse until you gain the "double cracks"—again, really only flaring troughs. Surmount the righthand "crack" of the two and gain and little belay alcove up right.

150 ft, R

Pitch 4: From the alcove, head up horrid rock through a bush move and into a desperate shallow corner (for the 3rd time, NOT a crack but a flaring trough). Place gear/sling bush down low while you can because I had to literally DIG a mantle move into a shelf of soil at one point and the only pro was a hail-mary tri-cam juuuust barely clinging to a constriction. Get through the hectic stuff and slab up to a BIG mahogany tree, ledge and belay.

100 ft

Pitch 5: Above the tree, the right-facing corner system provides the most enjoyable climbing and the path of least resistance (which you've had enough of by now). Look for intrusive dikes or ledges to traverse across the slab with and follow your nose up until you find the top and rap anchors.

130-160 ft

Now was that so bad?

Either take the fairly good looking walkoff trail or rap 'The Bellagio' or 'For Whom the Bells Toll'

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Waterfall Dome