Arcane Shift

Center Tap Corner

Sunset Arete

Irish Goodbye

Chief Oxenreider

Yes, it is very short.  This is Not the reason to come to Dream Canyon; however, it is a nice line, it has easy pro, and it's a terrific pitch to do at the start or end of your day.  It's ideal for beginning leaders, and I would certainly do it again.

Scramble past trees and deadfall to the base of Thunder Point. Go up the right side to a big tree below a huge right-facing corner.

You can anchor the belay at this tree, 20 feet before the crack, then climb up the rock/bush section to the start.  Once you gain the block, climb up the huge corner.  You have two cracks for pro and some neat stemming.

You can also TR Sunset Arete (11d), but I found that the anchor placement meant the rope was sawing over the arete, which was disconcerting.

This is a decent line, though the climbing employs more face and slab technique than arete.  This climb which is visible from the fence trail follows nine bolts up a broad arete past a couple of roofs.  There is a hard move getting to the 2nd roof though the crux comes after the roof when the bolts switch to the right side of the arete.

Beta alert:  even though the final three bolts, those above the 2nd roof, are on the right side of the arete, the holds are on the left.

Start at the base near the trail looking up at the obvious bolt line of

Sunset Arete

. Scramble/climb up the ramp/open dihedral. Head left of the first bolt of

Sunset Arete

, which can be clipped with a long sling, or wait and get a #4-ish Camalot in the big, horizontal break above. Climb the obvious corner left of

Sunset Arete

. Stemming and the odd hand or fist jam takes you all the way to the top, and passing a couple of bulges keeps the route sustained. It eats gear including each Camalot from #0.75-#4 and large wires. At the top, there are 3 options: make an anchor with gear; reach over, and clip a long sling into the bolts for

Sunset Arete

; or head higher up, and use a small tree.

To descend, you can rap from the bolts (a bit awkward) or scramble/walk left back to the trail.

.

Scramble up to the base of an intimidating roof. Well-protected 3D climbing at 5.6 gets you through it.

Then, an easier featured ramp brings you to a large comfortable ledge.

Build a gear anchor or sling two stacked boulders to belay from above.

Walk off left.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Thunder Point