This is the newest addition to the strenuous, brilliantly fun, and run-out sport climbs on Gibraltar. Like its neighbors, Broken Mirror and The Jabberwocky, The Shard climbs the beautiful swooping features of Gibraltar's left-hand face, beginning from an incredibly exposed stance belay (my favorite anywhere), and then following a slabby dihedral that will make you want to vomitunless, of course, you figure out the beta. After the dihedral crux, perform a powerful "slab-dyno" about six feet left, and join the fourth bolt of Broken Mirror, and finish on Self Reflection.

Get ready: this line is significantly harder and better than Broken Mirror and The Jabberwockyno small order, considering the caliber of those routes. In case the "R" rating scares you, this route differs from its neighbors in that ALL the hard moves are at or below bolts. The runout section is only 5.6/5.7 or so.

The Shard

Inner Tube Toes

Variation of the Mid-face

Sea of Holes

Crank Start

Any Minute Now

The Ladder

Klingon

Mid-Face

Broken Mirror

Self Reflection

T-Crack

Jabberwocky

The Nose

Broken Mirror is a free variation to Mirror in the Bathroom, which was put up as an aid-route sometime in the 80's. Put simply: clean, fascinating, and exceptionally devious face-climbing with some pretty thrilling run-outs.

Long (for SB), sustained, and beautiful.

TR from the bench just off the road, down the hill from the east face approach trail.

This route begins at The Ladder, but when you get to a big ledge you shoot off left and go straight up a zig-zaggy crack. Then traverse left and straight up to the anchors.  Definitely bring some slings to reduce rope drag.

This route climbs the pocketed face directly below the "Peanut Gallery" ledge commonly used as a belay area for T-Crack. Can be toproped off the anchors for T-Crack with a 60M rope and using the old directional bolt. One could also set up a TR using the two bolts on Peanut Gallery ledge proper. Some very large, potentially loose undercling flakes exist on the lower 1/3 of the route before transitioning into awesome 1-to-4 finger shallow pockets. A great alternative to running endless laps on T-Crack.

An overhanging, powerful, and sequential face climb.  This route rises from the wreckage of rusted vehicles in the gully below Gibraltar rock's main south face.

A reachy and bouldery start (crux?) leads to the first of four bolts.  A stick-clip is advised, or maybe just a really good spotter to keep you from tumbling down the hillside if you blow it.  Sustained, pumpy climbing with big moves between good holds leads to the anchor.

Due to the location of the anchor, I don't think this route is easily top-roped.

Classic hand traverse to a left facing corner.

Start on Peanut Gallery ledge, and hand traverse right across the horizontal crack that splits the west face of Gibraltar Rock. Instant exposure. Crack takes gear from 1-3 inches. Enter the alcove at the bottom of the left facing corner, and stem and climb your way up the corner, which takes smaller gear. Towards the top of the corner, the crack gets about 6" wide. Face holds help to keep the difficulty down through the OW section. A 2-bolt belay is conveniently located atop the corner, and can be seen in the photo.

An optional first pitch can be added by climbing the loose blocky slabs below and to the left of 'The Nose'. Climb up and left following the path of least resistance to Peanut Gallery ledge.

Not exactly the most flattering name; nonetheless, a good route.  The Ladder follows the obvious system of cracks on the right-hand side of the main Gibralter formation.

Step up onto the face, 5 feet right of an obvious crack.  Climb up a few moves before traversing left to join the crack.  Follow the crack until reaching an alcove and a large overhang.  Traverse right or left around the roof using a decent ledge for your feet (5.4) OR pull directly up the right side of the overhang using insecure jams in the off-width crack (5.6/5.7).  Either way, follow the crack to the top.

This route pulls through the large alcove and overhang on the left-hand side of the main Gibraltar formation.

Start next to "the Nose."  Climb a crack to a large alcove.  The crux of the route climbs the steep face left of the corner.  The corner itself is very off-width and very hard.  Pull the roof on the left side for full-value or bypass the roof to the right.

The middle of the route is marked by a large ledge.  A second crux is pulling up off of the ledge onto tiny face holds (5.8/5.9).  From here, runout face climbing (5.6) leads to the top of the formation.

When top-roping, be very careful.  The route is almost exactly 100 feet long and the base of the cliff falls away on one side.

There are a number of different variations, all of which climb the large face left of "The Ladder" and right of "Klingon."

As a lead, the route is seriously runout.  Most climbers simply top-rope the route off of two bolts and a solid nut at the top of the route.

This route is very sustained and provides a great introduction to Central Coast sandstone slab climbing.  Run laps in order to acclimate yourself to the surface.

A bit of mid-route bushwhacking opens the door to some fine thin face climbing from a very scenic and exposed ledge.

Start in T-Crack and veer right into an alcove with a bush hanging from it. Now, throw a piece in the corner and start tree-hugging (keep your feet on the lower ledge) to afford a three bolt anchor (This whole route could be done in one 60M rope length, but is not recommended due to rope drag and communication issues).

Pitch two is a 3-bolt thin, near-vertical face with a plethora of hold types; dime edges, mono-digits, sharp incuts and oyster nubbins.  Aesthetic and powerful climbing awaits. And conveniently, the cruxes  are  located with the bolts about waist high. After the third clip, make sure you head out right for full value.

Good jams to a angry mantel. Pro is at one's feet for the mantel, making it a spicy lead. Approach from above, nothing to be gained by scrambling around the base. Once on top, walk across the top to the west and then down a few feet to a ledge.

Mid way down on the east side is a nice ledge for abusing the climber by throwing stones or taking pictures.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

(from "The Jabberwocky", by Lewis Carroll)

Indeed. This fine addition to Gibraltar climbs a variant passage to Broken Mirror, but still feels like an independent line. The crux possesses thrilling deadpoints, barely-positive open-hand crimps, cryptic footwork, and, should you fall, gut-stoppingbut totally safeairtime.

Start Broken Mirror from the hanging belay, mantle the hole, clip the 2nd bolt, and cast off under the roof. Once you surmount the  difficulties and catch the massive jug, reach way out left and clip a bolt (at this point, Broken Mirror goes right. Don't clip the 3rd bolt of Broken Mirror, as it will just create rope-drag). I won't spoil the experience with beta, but the crux begins here. After the crux, climb up and through the belay ledge for Self Reflection and finish on SF's four bolts.

A short section of steep hand jamming gives way to moderate (5.6) face climbing. Certainly the steepest jams within 100 miles.  When toproping, avoid falling early in the roof or potentially swing into the spike.

Approach: Hike down to the bottom of the main block and curve around towards the west slightly.  You'll know it when you see it.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Gibraltar Rock