Venom is one of my personal favorites at Owens.  It is a short little pitch but it packs a punch.  The climbing is very interesting (and at times awkward) and a fun departure from the more common enduro-pumpfest.

Begin on the south-facing wall just around the corner from the Sendero Luminoso arete.  This is the righthand of two lines that I believe share the same anchor.  Climb up the somewhat insecure, right-leaning wide crack to the first clip (a bit spicy) and then begin working up a series of flakes and corners past a definite crux at mid-height.

Venom

Supernova

Power

Black Capacitor

Static Cling

Snake Eyes

Flux Capacitor

Menace II Society

Black Hole

Sabado Gigante

Aberration

Morning Wood

Split Descison

Cobra

Flux Direct

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Focus

Sendero Luminoso

Intricate face moves off the ground and a thin crux yield to easier climbing and a merge with Venom higher up.  A bit squeezed in there.

Supernova climbs up a vertical, technical face with a crux near its fourth bolt on small crimpers.  After the fifth bolt an overhang is encountered.  Clip a sixth bolt above the roof, surmount it, and climb a crack up and left joining Focus for its final 2 bolts. Once you reach the main ledge, instead of clipping the anchor bolts for Focus to your left, continue straight up on big holds and very steep rock past 4 bolts to a small ledge. More technical face climbing past 3 bolts leads to a deceptive final sequence to reach the anchors.

A technical polished slab leads to a cool crux pulling the roof off an undercling.  The short upper headwall could be feisty if youre pumped.

This is a great variation involving the start of Black Hole and the finishing crux of Flux. Clip the first 11 bolts on Black Hole, then move right to an independent bolt.  A long span to the right brings you to the crux headwall of Flux (either clip a bolt on the right that causes drag or boulder up to the bolt above). Fight the pump to the anchor of Flux.

This is a great sustained route just left of Sendero Luminoso and right of Morning Wood.  It starts with steep juggy rock and slowly gets harder until steep technical face pulling past a small roof at the 7th and 8th bolts.  Just after the crux step left then continue up past easier but great climbing.

Flux Capacitor is the steep slightly harder route just right of Black Hole. Do the approach 10d arete or Flux Direct (12b) to get to the Flux Capacitor headwall. It can be identified with the one fixed chain to start the headwall climbing. Steep relentless jug haul moves with some cruxes will make your forearms melt.

Face climb to the right of Sabado Gigante, left of the via ferrata route. Scramble up to high first bolt above ledge, crux at 4th bolt.

Black Hole is a long, intimidating, and above all, pumpy route.  It begins on the west-facing wall just right of the main buttress of the Solarium at an obvious bolted crack on the face.  Climb up a weird little chimney and pull onto the face -- occasionally using the crack for the left hand but generally using face holds.  This section ends at a huge ledge with a two-bolt anchor making it a nice pitch in its own right, but it is definitely not easy for 5.10.  No bother, because you didn't come here to climb a vertical 5.10, you came here to climb a ridiculously steep 5.12.  Put a VERY long sling on the anchor (or skip or backclean this clip) and head up the overhanging headwall.  There is a tough section just past two round hueco-like holes where the climb steps up and left, then cuts back right (straight up is possible but very hard), but overall it's the pump that earns this climb the rating.

Long kinda chossy face leads to handcrack. This route will be great once it cleans up.

This takes the direct line under 'Sendero Luminoso' and shares the same anchor.

Start on the unprotected ramp as for 'Sendero Luminoso' (R, but easy) to the ledge/stance.  Climb just left of the crack to the high first bolt (5.7) past jugs and slopers to the cleaner wall above.  Bust through multiple cruxes to essential rests on good jugs.  Clip the last bolt up high and left from a mail-slot jug and traverse left towards the arete using pockets and edges.  Use the arete and pockets just to the right to make a few moves to the anchor (same as 'Sendero Luminoso).

Hard (and nicely slippery) from the start.  Gain the arete moving right to left, then straight up.  Defined cruxes (11a-, 10d) are interspersed with easier and fun moves.  Finishes w/ a worthy crack.

Can descend w/ one rope in two raps if you swing left and utilize the anchors for Split Decision. Or rap 115' from the Sendero Luminoso anchors.

Starts on the face, quickly gaining the arete proper. Technical moves get you through this short route. This is the lower half of "Morning Wood" Clip the chains out left on the face, or keep going up to complete Morning Wood.

A reachy crux leads to a strenuous dihedral.

This is the direct burly start to flux capacitor that shares the anchor with the 10d arete climb to the right. You will identify the route by the giant horn at the bottom of the route that you must mantle over on the first few moves.

Do a bouldery start to a stance and clip a high bolt. start into an ever steepening face with some gritty grey rock with shallow pockets. A distinctive crux exists where 2 bolts are close together. The top section is enduro fun pumpy climbing to the anchor below Flux Capacitor.

This pitch goes on and on, so if you like long pitches give it a go.  Never see anyone on this route but it is  something new to do when you are thinking about doing another lap on a route you have done 100 times. With a bit of love there is potential but the bolting is also a tad sporty and loose in places so climb with caution. Belayer may want a helmet.

A technical polished slab leads to a small roof, then a long move right to a crack and easier ground.

This fun arete climb offers great position and a challenging surprise at the end.  It takes the main arete of the Solarium buttress.  Climb an easy and completely unprotected ramp up and left towards the arete, or head up the direct start (which has one bolt) at 5.10b.  The direct start is nicer but it forces your belayer to stand in an annoyingly loose slope of scree.  Exercise caution making the first clip if doing the direct start, and falling before clipping the next bolt, from either start, would be very, very bad.  But don't worry; the climbing is easy.  Continue up the face just right of the arete until you move left around the arete to start climbing the fun slab where the climb changes character unexpectedly!

Description

Protection

Routes in Solarium