This route is a "sporty" lead and quite a historical benchmark for Rushmore. Bolts are well spaced.This route follows an orange streak to a six-inch bulge. Cooler temps may help. It is said that Todd Skinner climbed this route on a mid 50 degree day.

Lizzy Beams Desire

Wrinkled Rock 5.8 Variation

Double Chin

A Wrinkle In Time

Meat and Taters

Located on the north side of the west face.  Climb over Schist and up an easy crack system to a nice big ledge.  Directly to the right is a flake with a funky slightly dirty crack that starts at the top.

On the right edge of the large low overhang that has Tomcat Tracer, but left of Atomic Slap project.  Scamper up to get under the right side of the overhang, clip bolt on right then reach out right and clip again (might be wise to put a long runner on the first bolt), rest, pull over the jut, take a rest, then, following the vein, bravely search out the few crystals that aren't facing completely the wrong way .  Take another rest, then up to the left, sling horn above.  This climb was extra pumpy.  Yeah!  Thanks, Curt.

Must do classic! A well engineered route that is not your typical plumb line climbing. Follow the left to right rising squiggly dike for about 35'. Traverse is somewhat tricky. Then pulling onto the slab will test your granite skills. Straight up from here, crossing several more dikes, bring finger size gear for a couple spots (do-able without, but nice to have). At least for sure one .5 camalot, I think.

This is an old school, blue collar route that does not involve loose rock or run out face climbing.  It is well protected crack climbing on the first pitch with the second pitch involving some easy face climbing that is also protectable.  Start on the NW corner of Wrinkled Rock at the base of the huge dihedral.  Climb a crack through a small bulge above a medium sized pine tree to gain the upper ramp.  Continue to the upper wide crack in the dihedral which is the crux of the climb.  From below it appears to be off width size but is really more of a hand crack once you start up it.  However it does make you appreciate what a 5.6 crack is all about especially if you are used to pinching crystals and clipping bolts.  We belayed at the top of the wide crack to minimize rope drag then moved the belay 30' to the left to start the second pitch.  There appear to be a number of options for the second pitch but we climbed up over a bulge that was about as far to the left as you could reasonably go.  The other options were more direct but appeared from below to be harder.  The second pitch ends on the ridgeline from where it is an easy scramble to the actual summit.

Wrinkled Rock is the big hump of granite on the right as you walk up the Chopping Block approach trail.  This is the hardman crag at Rushmore - just about everything is hard, with the difficulty topping out on Lizzy Beam's Desire, a Todd Skinner 13d/14a.   

  Wrinkled Rock is named for the dykes lacing the face of this hulk.  A Wrinkle in Time in particular follows a beautiful dyke that wanders across an otherwise blank piece of granite.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Wrinkled Rock