Back in the olden days, a couple of ex-Valley trads decided to check out the new-fangled sportclimbing craze at Shelf Road.  Unfamiliar with the proper style and etiquette of this new flavor of convenience climbing when they stumbled upon a fine thin crack, they pulled out the gear and started at the bottom.  The result was "Welcome to Yosemite", an ironic commentary on the new trends.

Bob and Carrie Robertson came along shortly thereafter and sprayed a line of bolts alongside the crack.  Their creation, identical in all respects to the original route except for the protection system, was recorded in the guidebooks as "Welcome to Shelf Road".

Call it what you will, today's climber has a choice: place gear or clip bolts.  If you want that extra spice and pump from rigging your protection, do it in the style of the original ascent.  If all you want is another convenient tick, clip the bolts and think about what it would be like without them.

Wherever you stand on the issue of bolting up trad lines after the fact, please leave the fixed protection on this route fixed.  But let's stick with the original name and let it be food for thought.

Welcome to Yosemite

Fire It Up

Family Jewels

14 Carats

Potato Chipper

Pubic Zirconium

Ministry of the Almighty Crimp

Splitting the Stone

Stinger

Make It Rain

Sonic Youth -  to be deleted

My Testosterone Poisoned Friend

Tryptophan

Chip Off the Block

Easy Money

Illusions

Enola Gay

Jewel Of The Wild

Breakfast in Bhopal

Traditional Trickery

Jewel of Denial

Stress Rehearsal

Pocket Change

Pennies From Heaven

The Gem

Smoldering Horse Flesh

Sunrise Arete

Holiday In Cambodia

Lucy in the Sky

Handyman

Follow Me Tuolumne

Tottering into Antiquity

Ewetopia

What's the Combo?

Precious Stone

Flight Stimulator

Topaz

Q. What do you get when a couple of old-school trad climbers start setting routes at a sport climbing area? A. Traditional Trickery.  The "Traditional" comes from the on-sight, ground-up approach, while the "Trickery" comes from the use of a Hilti powertool.  Look for a bolt on the wall about 20' right of "Handyman" and 20' left of "Welcome to Yosemite".  Climb past the bolt, supplementing the protection system with an assortment of gear in whatever features you find.

Head up the decent hand crack to a good ledge.  The initial crack opens up a little bit above the ledge, signaling that it's time to start moving onto, up, and over the left wall.  A good stem off to the left will help here.

Congratulate yourself, as you've found the payoff on this route.  Fun moves up the finger crack to the top.

Family Jewels is an old-school classic that is unfortunately marred by the 2002 addition of a new squeezejob to the right.  It's hard to feel like you're not cheating when your foot is 2 inches from one of the neighboring route's bolts.

Begin up a slabby prow on stellar rock clipping homemade angle-iron hangers.  Some tricky moves at the top of the slab lead to a rest at the horizontal break.  Move right onto the face where thin crimping and the occasional pocket lead to a clean, rippled panel.  A thin two-finger pocket and a big dyno gain a sickled-shaped ripple that offers some marginal crimps.  Move quickly with poor feet to the anchor.

14 Carats climbs an obvious, clean white wall through a low roof just at the point that the Gem wall faces north. Some moderate but steep pockets through a roof lead to the business, a seemingly never-ending series of thin and not so thin edges. It looks slabby but it's not. The guidebook lists this as 12a/b, but unless I really missed something it felt solid 12b.

An excellent, new addition to Shelf, this route is only slightly squeezed in (as compared to other routes of this era).

Begin just right of

Precious Stone

, climbing up to the ledge and the first bolt.  Traverse right to the rounded arete, presumably avoiding the big column out right.  Head up the prow with some difficult slaps to a great rest at mid-height.  A massive pocket provides some good underclinging possibilities, and sequential pockets and a mono head up to easier ground and the anchors.  This route is a bit contrived.  One could probably stem to the right wall at numerous spots, but if you put on your 'Shelf blinders' this is a great route on perfect rock.

It is harder than it looks. There are some thin edges at the top before the anchors. Start just left of the corner start of

Stinger

. You can pass the low bolt to reach a jug at the second clip. Continue up the scoop keeping right of the crack and climb gently overhanging face to the finish.

This route starts off the ledge (5.5 scramble) just right of

Flight Simulator

, and left of

Jewel of the Wild

. It takes the white, blank panel straight up past multiple hidden pockets.  The start is relativly easy, to a tricky, flexible, double undercling move, to a big, chipped, right hand pocket.  From here, it's enormous lockoffs with no feet past 5 more chipped monos and pockets, to a 5.11 section to the top.  I personly felt this route was chipped poorly, leaving you feeling like your doing a tweaky campus board workout.  The name has nothing to do with the route style, but if you like pulling on pockets, and want a 13a onsight, here's your route....

This route climbs the obvious overhanging flake system that splits a clean prow of rock right of

Jewel of the Wild

. Steep, awkward laybacks lead to a short traverse right and a last crux. It is short but pumpy.

Another generic Shelf 5.10, that is bolted like a sport route but climbs like a trad route.  This route has nothing that detracts from it, but it's not particularly memorable either.  Begin on the far, right end of the Gem Wall.  It's possible to clip the first bolt of PZ, but the easiest rock is a few feet to the right.  Head up and right along a sinuous, crack feature with awkward sidepulls.  Near the top the bolt line forces you right, away from the crack (crux), where a brief, easy roof leads to the anchor.

Steep pockets lead to a sequence-dependent first crux. Scramble up to the roof and catch your breath. Large holds and cryptic feet through the second crux guard entrance to the finger crack above. Follow easier but fun and featured rock past the last couple of bolts.

Excellent & airy face climbing up the left side of an arete takes you to an exposed stance below the crux bulge. Get a good rest & crank past the sharp finishing holds to the anchor.

An excellent warm-up option, this route is one of the better routes of its grade at Shelf.  Begin on big holds left of the dihedral, climbing to an ominous roof.  Surmount the roof on good flake jugs and perhaps a hand jam to a good stance below and on the ledge.  A difficult reach clearing the ledge leads to a beautiful molasses headwall of big jugs.

From the ground, this excellent line looks like just another Cactus Cliff-style bolted crack squeeze job.  There is no doubt this line encroaches on its ultra-classic neighbor "

Family Jewels

".  However, the climbing is surprisingly good and the rock is excellent, making it a worthy addition.

Begin with some easy scrambling past two widely spaced bolts.  As the wall steepens, long cranks between large, flat edges lead to a slight bulge and a splitter crack.  The great thing about this line is that you can climb the business like a crack, with bomber jamsd and fingerlocks, or you can face climb right over the crack, with cool sidepull moves, great crimps and sinker pockets.  A final bulge appears above a good ledge, just below the last bolt, where a hidden hold allows easy passage.

Per

Rick Thompson

: A trophy for the grade - pristine stone, cool moves and surprisingly exposed position combine to create one of Shelf's most fun-packed and high quality 9s. Start in a small, left-facing corner at the right edge of the inset panel and boulder the initial puzzle to gain a stance. Continue up, moving right when possible along a series of right-facing flakes to a finely positioned climax just shy of the anchors.

This is handy if you want to set up a TR on

The Gem

.

This stout line offers a brief but intense 35 feet of pocket cranking on beautiful rock.  Begin up unprotected 5th class ledges to a big ledge and a belay bolt.  There is no reason to belay up here, so clip this with a long sling. Difficult cranks between big, sloping crimps lead up the bulge right off the ledge.  In the middle, a few, big pockets offer some respite before reaching a horizontal break with some small sharp crimps, and a lot of blank stone above.  A super-long crank to a decent, 3-finger pocket is the key to this blank stretch.  Bigger hand holds but scarce feet lead to the anchor.

As you  come into The Vault, there will be a short uphill stretch of trail with a dead tree lying across the path. The big, dark dihedral above the tree contains a neat line that may never see the sun, and this is Illusions. Good moves on excellent stone make Illusions a kick and a good warm up for the harder climbs found in The Vault. Illusions is a tad past vertical so it tends to be a bit pumpy, but never harder than moderate 5.11.

This route lies just around the corner to the left of "Holiday in Cambodia", about 200 yards east of "T.B.".  Follow an obvious trad crack/flake system to the rim.

About 150' right of

Illusions

is an arete and corner system that just precedes the inset wall hosting The Gem. Jewel of The Wild takes the bulging face just right of the blunt arete. While pulling through the bulge is probably the crux, this route just seemed to ratchet up in difficulty the higher one climbed. Expect more edges and side-pulls than pockets. Jewel is just that, and comes with excellent stone, tricky sequences, and powerful climbing. I'll stick with two stars since it is usually listed that way in the guides, however, for the variety of moves, continuity, and great stone, it ticks in as one of my favorites in The Vault (three stars in my notes). Jewel is also lots less fingery than The Gem. If you are here, give it burn, you won't be disappointed!

Thin continuous climbing runs up the middle of the left wall of the alcove, just right of "Holiday in Cambodia".

This is the direct line out the double tiered roof system in the middle of the wall.

Climb the first 3 bolts of

Eweoptia

, get into the pod and relax, then head straight up to clear the roofs. I saw this route when on

Ew...

and thought it looked hard and intimidating, then I read the comments on that route's page where it is listed as 12d/13a. I got on it last weekend, and the whole time I was wondering where is the next set of cruxes after the boulder problem beginning? The second roof on the route has one or two tricky moves, some awesome holds, and good air. The last few bolts of the route are just the right amount of runout and easy but engaging. The route climbs almost to the top of the wall, climbing the final black overhang of the wall (also easier than it looks...).

I honestly think this route is better than its two neighbors as a whole - steeper, more fun moves, more committing, and yet barely harder, 12b? Let me know what you think! This thing definitely deserves more traffic!

This is a fun route with a high crux.  The Sharp End guide says it's "gently overhanging," although I seem to recall most of it being slightly less than vertical.  A bulge right at the crux, however, makes what would ordinarily be a somewhat technical right sidepull to a questionable pocket fairly burly.

Pocket Change ascends the beaultiful, white face left of the "

Illusions

" arete.  The rock is excellent, but the route lacks a clearly defined line, which detracts from the quality of the experience.  Begin with easy climbing past the first bolt to an easy mantle onto the large ledge.  The crux comes above the second bolt, with desperate liebacks & arete slaps.  A fall near the 3rd bolt would not be pretty, with the ledge only a few feet below the second bolt.  Above the 3rd bolt, the climbing remains difficult as the route wanders far to each side of the bolt line.

Follow 2 bolts to a large terrace. A high bolt keeps you off the ledge as the climbing kicks into full gear. Employ all of your arete and thin crack sidepulling skills as you muscle past 4 more bolts near the right-hand arete.

The Sharp End guide says "perfect rock, perfect pockets, perfectly difficult", and I agree.

Follow pockets up to a small, left-facing corner to some awesome "cranking" over a small bulge. Finish with a really cool sequence at the second larger bulge. The anchors are over the second bulge.

Smoldering Horse Flesh is your typical old-school Shelf Road sport climb: runout, burly & excellent.  The climb is marred somewhat by the temptation to stem out right just above the crux, but if taken directly, this is one of the best lines at The Vault and worth every bit of the 12a grade.

Make moderate moves up the steep, dark slab, past a long runout to an easy stance in the obvious scoop.  Get psyched for big, committing moves over the steep bulge.  Thin pockets & sharp crimps head up the rounded prow, working left eventually to the anchor.

It's hard to think of anything to recommend about this contrived, choss-plagued route, but if you're looking for some afternoon shade on easy terrain, you might check this out after you've climbed all the other .10s at the Vault.

Climb up a distinct rib of rock, weaving from the chimney on the left to the chimney on the right to avoid the featureless rock on the bolt line.  At the obvious bulge at mid-height the route offers the only meaningful entertainment moving directly up the bulge with long cranks between good holds.  Above the bulge an easy slab on spikey, grey rock leads to the strangely-positioned anchor.

From the 2150 Wall, walk east across a drainage, then continue east along the south-facing wall.  This (and nearby routes) lie in an alcove on the corner where the wall turns up the drainage separating the Vault from Cactus Cliff (about 100' left of "Illusions").  Climb the arete forming the left edge of the left wall of the alcove.  Clip the last bolt on "Breakfast in Bhopal" with a long sling and finish on the same anchors.

This line is substantially better than it sounds in the Sharp End Guide.  With good rock and fun, entry-level arete moves, this route would make a good warm-up.  Begin below the rounded prow left of 14 Carats.  Bear-hug up the rounded prow, moving slightly left around the 4th bolt to a good ledge-rest.  Pass the rooflet on the right, and follow easier terrain to the anchor.

This fine line remains shrouded in obscurity insofar as it doesn't sport a line of bolts next to the jams.  Look for an obvious handcrack back in the corner of the alcove right of "Breakfast in Bhopal".  Plug jams and cams to the rim.

This beautiful, pink wall unfortunately doesn't climb anywhere near as good as it looks.

Begin on the tier just right og the big, pine tree.  Head up and left up ledges, and be sure to clip the approach bolt--the moves are harder than they look.  Once on the big ledge, head up the corner on sandy pockets over a bulge until it's possible to break right onto the face.  Fun, sequential pockets lead up and right to a thin crux on sharp, side pulls.

This route really has two variations, but they are considered different routes using the same bolts. The harder variation goes straight up on thin holds and is rated at solid 5.12.  The route associated with the name "Tottering into Antiquity" goes right at the sixth bolt and attempts to maintain a contrived line that allows you to clip the bolts, but it does NOT go into the route "

Chip Off the Block

". These efforts alone afford the 5.10 rating.  The only saving grace for this route is that the rock quality is high.  You might as well just do "

Chip Off the Block

" though.  The 5.12 variation looks HARD.

This route has a hard start, some cool roof moves and then the business begins.

What's the Combo? is an enjoyable, sustained climb on a beautiful panel of white limestone.  The movement is excellent & engaging, but some spooky rock and mild contrivance detract somewhat from the experience.

Begin up on a good ledge 3 feet off the ground.  Easy scrambling along a detached flake leads to the business, 4-5 bolts of intense crimping & route finding, ending in a good shake at the obvious 6" undercling/flake.  This section can be made easier (5.11) by using the left arete, but the climb is far more aesthetic & challenging without it.

Above the rest, 5.11- enduro crimps zig zag up the excellent headwall.

Precious Stone is an old-school sport route in every sense.  The bolts are well-spaced (for Shelf), the grade is stout, and the climbing is thin & technical.  Begin by scrambling up the coral block at the base of the beautiful wall.  A vertical, intermittent crack-like feature leads to a pair of crimps in a horizontal break.  Move left towards the small tree.  Climb awkwardly around the tree, clip up, and get a shake before the crux.  Long cranks between thin, sharp pockets with virtually no feet lead to some better pockets and detached flake below another good horizontal break.  Rest up here for one last devious, hard move below the anchor.

Begin in a short corner below the left side of a large ledge.  Gain the ledge and move straight up on thin edges and a vague crack finishing on monster flakes.

Topaz has fun, easy climbing up grey, water-sculpted rock to a ledge. More fun, thoughtful climbing leads up the face/arête (crux) to the anchors.

There is more than one way to climb the upper face and arête....

Description

Protection

Routes in The Vault