Closer To God is a high-quality route with an intriguing boulder problem crux at the top.  Start on Animal Magnetism and clip 8 bolts before heading up and right toward a large roof.  There's a good rest out right before launching into a leftward traverse under the roof.  A very difficult sequence surmounts the roof, followed by a last-move crux on imaginary holds.  There are two drilled underclings under the roof.  I take no credit for finding the line (nice work Mark), bolting it, or chipping it. This route was an open project known as Animal Antagonizer.

Closer To God

Sundog

Krakatoa

Cujo Tranquilizer

Animal Magnetism

Animal Instinct

The Fifth World

Pit Bull Prowser

The Fifth Destiny

New Beginnings

Blame it on a Rush of Blood to the Head

Hands of Destiny

Evolution Revolution

Global Gorilla

This is a very fun line on upper Animal World.  There is a low crux followed by sustained liebacking/underclinging up a left-leaning, left-facing corner.  The route starts on the left end of a ledge in the middle of upper Animal World, just left of Animal Antagonism.

Global Gorilla

is the next route left, but it starts from the ground.  This is one of the best sport pitches of 5.11 in the area.  Let me just say that a lot of the ratings (including this one) in this area are a little soft.  If this were in Eldo, it would be about 10d/11a or so.  Either way, this route is well worth doing.

This is located between

Animal Instinct

and

Evolution Revolution

at upper AW.  It features unstrenuous, technical slab and arete work. There are cruxes by bolts 4 & 6.

Rolofson rates it 12a, Rossiter 11d.  I find it overall about as difficult as

Animal Magnetism

(11c), though a different sort of climbing.

This is a long crack pitch on the left side of the

Hands of Destiny

area. It has some suspect and/or dirty rock, but otherwise it is very fun. If you like desert towers and that sort of thing, you'll enjoy this route.

Moderate climbing leads to a bulging, left-trending crack and flake system out of an alcove. (If you clip the bolt on the neighboring route before starting this section, use a long sling to reduce rope drag.) My PG-13 rating comes from the fact that you have to place gear behind some big blocks in this section. They seem solid, but you never know. When the angle eased, we stepped right, around a little prow, and face-climbed to the bolted anchor on the

Fifth World

. This was fun and added a brief second crux. P1 is 90'.

We did not do the 5.9 second pitch.

The pitch has two distinct sections: a desperate bulge from bolts 2-4 and a slab/face/arete the rest of the way. The first section seems a lot harder than most (all?) Boulder Canyon 12a's I have done -- might be rated 12a in Eldo.  The rest of the climb is a long stretch of continuously engaging (5.10 to easy 5.11) climbing on the slab/face with a couple of moves back and forth across the arete.  The upper part is quite good on its own, worth pulling on the 3rd and 4th bolts to get to (as I did). Note for those allergic to pegmatite, the upper section contains some sections thereof. The route leans to the right, so the lower off ends up well uphill of the start, at the start of Cujo Tranquilizer, alleviating any worries about descending with a 60 meter rope. The anchors are shared with Cujo Traquilizer pitch 1, creating top rope possibilities.

This climb is on what is described here as the Upper Animal Wall.  If you approach from the Lower Animal Wall the climb comes into view right away as the left side of the bolted arete.  A good winter or evening route which sees its share of sunshine. The route starts upon a ledge 20' off the ground.  To reach the ledge, you can clip the first bolt of

Sun Dog

with a long runner, or scramble up 5.8ish.  Thin liebacks will take you through the first 3 bolts, to the first 5.12 crux.  A ledge is then reached, which provides little rest before more sustained climbing using the arete on the right.  The climbing eases slightly in the last 15' to the 2 bolt anchor.  70'   This sustained route is a hard to redpoint (I haven't).  The position is excellent.

The Fifth World starts just left of "Hands of Destiny" on the eastside of Animal World Rock. Climb up some short corners using gear to reach the first bolt. Make a move right and then up passing the first and second bolt to a series of technical moves up small, thin seams. Clip the third bolt and reach a good hold. Angle left and up into a V-slot. Climb out of the slot and follow a tedious crack up a vertical wall to the anchors. Great climbing on excellent rock. One of the best routes at the crag.

This is a link-up that combines the lower crux of '

The Fifth World

' into the crux of '

Hands of Destiny

'.

Climb the first 4 bolts of '

Fifth

' to the end of the crux, then traverse right along the ledge to the 4th bolt of 'Hands' and continue through the crux of '

Hands

' and on to the top.

A few long slings in spots will help with rope drag.

New Beginnings is the farthest right route on Upper Animal World starting just right of Pitbull Prowser.  There is a tricky move getting to the second bolt, followed by the crux in the vicinity of the fifth bolt and one more mantle move near the top.  Clipping the anchors is more difficult than any other clip on the pitch. A worthy line if the other routes are occupied.  A little soft on the grade I thought, but who knows anyways?  At least there are no cracks with bolts next to them on this one.

This route begins on the far east side of Animal World Rock. Follow the trail around the rock to the far east side of the cliff. Locate two bolts on a steep short face.

Pitch One:  Climb past the bolts with hard, tricky moves on devious holds. Gain a ledge and move past the third and fourth bolts to the belay ledge.

Pitch Two: Climb up a shallow corner past bolts tending to the left at the top of the corner. Place some gear and gain a ledge below a blank-looking, blunt arete. Crank up the arete on small, insecure holds (crux) climbing to the anchor.

Rap the route to the ground.

This very excellent route permits you to climb in two pitches the very nice East face of the Animal World in Boulder Canyon. You may begin to climb by first getting up an easy ledge to the start of the climb. After only about 10 meters, there is the most difficult part to climb. After this, it is mostly 5.11 to arrive at the end of pitch number 1. The next section is very nice to climb at the 5.10 grade, and it has quite fine bolting for protection. For one whole week, I have trained for this route using the 4-plan. For me, to climb Hands of Destiny was to climb one of the best routes in Boulder Canyon.

This was originally climbed traditionally. It was retrobolted by Bob Horan who also added a second pitch.

Evolution Revolution climbs up to and over the imposing roof to the left of '

Global Gorilla

.'  A couple of 5.11 slab cruxes down low will keep your mind occupied and will keep you from constantly staring at the roof above.  A no hands rest half way up allows a full recovery before heading up the final slab to the base of the roof.  It's steeper than it looks!  After a few strenuous moves and a tough clip, pull over the roof and you're home-free!

Global Gorilla climbs up a prominent arete on the Upper Animal World cliff. As you are walking from the left side of the cliff to the right, the route lies on the second arete on the wall.

It starts by climbing up a thin seam in a small dihedral before moving up and right to the arete. This route is absolutely fantastic. Well-bolted on fantastic high-quality rock, every inch is enjoyable. The first [section] (often done alone without continuing on the second and third [sections]) is solid 5.11b and is a great lead. Some tricky sequences and delicate moves up an arete are sure to leave you smiling. The second and third [sections] weigh in at 5.12b/c and 5.12b respectively, and require some powerful moves up an overhanging face. If you're feeling really strong, try linking all 3 [sections] for a burly 160 feet 5.12c!  Just make sure you have 2 60m ropes to get down with.

Description

Protection

Routes in Upper Animal World