Autumn is a wonderful time of year and we were really rewarded with this route in the fall of 2013.  Start up the same featured, water-polished slab of Stray Capacitance but head up the face to the right instead of going up to the corner.  Commit to the face on hard-to-see, but great, holds.  Climb through tricky moves through the crux to gain the upper part of the face and amazing huecos above. Pull a tricky move to get into the upper dihedral and climb to the anchors.

Autumnal Bliss

The Color of Optimism

Stray Capacitance

Babies in the House

Schwing!

Crucial Taunt

Lightbulb Not Included

The Seashells Shall Shine

Cruise up the same water-polished, featured slab start as Crucial Taunt and continue up the corner clipping bolts on the right. When it feels natural, commit to the face on the right and head into the impressive huecos above. At the fourth bolt, move right and into the upper part of Autumnal Bliss. A tricky move gets you into the upper dihedral and the anchors.

Wear your optimistic-colored clothing for this one. For me that's orange. Follow a line of three-finger pockets up to a nice flake by the second bolt. Climb hard moves well out left via the "piranha" hold to a big hole and the third clip.    Make a big span move to a sharp-edged hold out up and right then punch it up to a nice dish and the fourth bolt. Engaging, lower-angle climbing goes up and then out right to the arête. Slap up the edge of the arête through one more surprisingly tricky section enjoying the fine, airy position to the anchors.

In early October 2013, the United States federal government shutdown when the house and senate of Congress could not reach an agreement on the federal budget. This shutdown allowed many federal workers extra time to climb. This route was established in the midst of the silliness.  

  Start up the corner clipping bolts on the left in fantastic water-polished rock. Move left onto the face at the third bolt into some neat features, including a tufa-like rail, to the anchors.  

  The route can be climbed right of the bolt line most of the way but will result in some hard clips and less enjoyable climbing.

Schwing! is the four-bolt direct start to Crucial Taunt, naturally.  

  Start directly below the anchors for Crucial Taunt and climb up a small pillar to a nice stance on top of the pillar. Get psyched for the fun V4 boulder problem crux above. Crank up past a superb pocket to difficult moves to a sloper on the right. Keep it going for a few more tricky and difficult moves to the fourth bolt and then easier climbing on the steep finish of Crucial Taunt. The crux boulder problem favors taller climbers and is more difficult for shorter climbers.  

  There are two bolts out left after the fourth bolt that allow one to finish on Lightbulb Not Included instead if Crucial Taunt is occupied.

Party on, Wayne. Rock out on this little number that starts up a ramp of great, water-polished rock to a corner. Climb the corner and clip bolts on the left until it feels natural to leave the corner and bust out left onto the face. Featured rock and a couple of wonderful how-did-these-get-here pockets take you through the steep roof and finish to the anchors.    The rock up high is a bit gritty but climbs well.  

 

A lightbulb gave the Easy Bake Oven its power but it's not power, but technique (and a touch of faith), that will get you to the top of this line.   Start as for Babies in the House but clip bolts on the blunt arête to the right. After the third bolt leave the security of the corner with a tricky, blind reach to the arête. Engaging climbing leads up to gigantic holds through the roof and steep finish.

Tricky and balancy moves from the start lead to a killer hueco on the arête. Then thin and sequential moves lie ahead. The climbing gets easier as you get higher ending on giant jugs through a roof and the anchors.

Facing due south, sheltered from the wind and way up above the river, the Easy Bake Alcove gets its name from the Easy-Bake Oven as the area tends to bake even on the coldest winter days.  The area is definitely best as a winter crag but fall and spring are reasonable especially if the day is cloudy. Summer evenings are also quite nice.  

  You'll likely be climbing in t-shirts on sunny, calm winter days even if the temperature at the parking area is well below freezing.

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Location

Protection

Routes in Easy Bake Alcove