Short and tricky. Think hard before launching above the horizontal toward the first bolt; careless advance makes it very (very, very) difficult to safely clip the key bolt. If you do not get a solid stance, take the fall on your gear in the horizontal. Don't try pulling and clipping here, or you will meet the deck.   The climbing is brief but quite engaging; were it twice (or more) the height, it would be a classic.

Baby Steps

Riprovando

Animal Charm

Stutter Steps

Escalator to Heaven

Crazy Lace

Chesty Puller

Firecracker

Tourist Trap

The Clash

Jammer

Ambulance Chaser

Provando

Straighten Up

Fireworks

Jug, Tug, & Jam

Action Steps

Stand Your Ground

Losing Streak

Reproof

Crack of Dawn

The Gash

SMASH!

Ape X

The Slash

Blueberry Pie

Lil Jam

Goosesteps

Animal Farm

Blueberry Jam

STaT

Slightly longer and more aesthetic than its sister route, Baby Steps, this line manages independence between that and On the Fence to its left.   Traverse along the foot ledge to just past a rounded, right-facing, right-leaning corner. Climb good knobs to a horizontal (the only trad gear needed goes here), then up past 3 bolts to the tree anchor on a brushy ledge.

After reaching the diagonal crack, foot- or hand-traverse up this (crux #1) to a stance in a flaring, short chimney. Climb up a few feet before tip-toeing rightward on initially tenuous friction that eases considerably after a few moves. Continue working up and right, crossing a couple horizontal cracks and utilizing knobs on the steepening face above them, to a final, no-hands crux friction move reaching another horizontal crack. Up onto this and move right to top out.   The route could be TR'd, but a few directionals would be necessary.   We hoped to link this route with the nice line directly above it ( Reproof ), but the intervening 30' cliff is harder than it looks. The face to the right of Provando's second pitch is tricky 5.10 friction or even trickier 5.11 friction, and would require at least two, perhaps 3 bolts for just 20' of real climbing.   We ended up calling these two different names, Reproof for the line on the Jammer Wall. This one's name is Italian for "to prove again", a reference to the motto of the defunct Italian Royal (Science) Society.

Unprotected, but relatively easy face moves lead to the horizontal, where a 3" or 4" cam protects a delicate move up the ensuing face, past a bolt, to a sloping ledge, then move right below an overhang to reach the start of a notch stepping up right. Climb up the notch to a left-slanting crack breaking across the steep face and take that crack (crux) to a reach a ledge just right of a spruce tree. A strange move goes straight up the face ahead to reach a horizontal crack. Mantle up and slightly right, then up and slightly left to reach the top.   The crux involves a difficult left hand placement; you may want to tape up. Gear is good but tricky and strenuous at that point.

Possibly not awful if thoroughly scrubbed; it unfortunately follows the dirty, damp left edge of this wall.   Climb corner using either the wide crack or the face on the left to a stance on top of the corner block. Climb slab on the main face, up and left along an upward-pointing flake, facilitating pro placement in the right-facing corner above. Move up into this corner, to its end at the left side of an overhang. Step right and make the first crux move through the overhang, then climb face to a right-rising, small overhang. Climb the crack beneath it up and right, joining Action Steps for the last few meters to its anchor.

The ramp is the standard "walk-up" to reach the highest crags in the area. The crux is getting off the ground and, depending on where you choose to start, is as easy as 5.0 or as hard as 5.4. While the upper last feet are exposed and a bit run-out for leaders at this level, shifting left to the walk-up line is always an option.

Difficult moves through both overhangs; the traverse along the tips crack is more mentally challenging than difficult.   Climb up to the left-facing corner where the crack reaches it. Through the initial overhang, then follow the crack up and right. It swings horizontal; follow it. After 12', it swings upward again, through an overhang. Follow it through the overhang to a good stance (escape possible to the right), then traverse left 10' along a tips crack to its end (.3 C4 here). Climb unprotected, but easy knobs to another stance, then follow a right-rising crack to a fixed anchor on an oak tree near the top of the cliff.

Great fun route with lots of thought-provoking moves. Named for the most decorated US Marine in history.   Make a tricky move up onto the ledge and through the left-rising overhang (bolt), then up the face to good stance below another small overhang. A difficult move getting over this (bolt) to reach a short, right-rising handhold (bolt) and a wild lunge to get over the bulge above. The climbing settles down after this, joining the right-rising crack of The Slash.

Getting started is strenuous, and it isn't over: several easier, but challenging moves lie along the way. Climb the crack to a stance (shared with Jammer), then follow the left-leaning crack to another stance. Climb the short, bomb-bay chimney to a wide crack and up to its top. Step right, up, then up and left to reach one final right-rising crack to the top.

We attempted to sneak an easy, "first-look" line across the steep face where pitch one lies. Our first try ended in ignominy; our second try succeeded, but confirmed a solid "R" pro rating. A couple bolts reduce this to "PG". 

P1: From the point where the ramp drops down, reach directly out right (1 3/4" cam protects this initial move) to a flake, pull over to it, then up to a horizontal crack. Move right along this to a patch of knobs allowing ascent to another horizontal crack. Follow the crack right, until it fades, then make a committing move up and right to reach the good edge of a diminutive, right-facing corner/ramp rising leftward. Follow the ramp to its top, make another move to reach up and right to a thin horizontal crack, then follow that crack right to its end. Sketchy moves right and slightly down gain a foot rail, which in turn obtains a stance below a vertical set of 3 knobs just left of a shallow groove. Up the knobs and groove, onto a large, sloping ledge. 

P2: At the back of the ledge is a notch formed by a right-facing corner on the left, and a hanging boulder on the right. Climb up this notch and go left along a brushy ledge, following a crack in the main wall that leads left and up. You will cross two other cracks which rise rightward; you can take either of these as an optional finish, or continue as originally done, moving up and left on the face to reach a large flake on a final ledge just below the top. Climb up the right-facing corner formed by this flake and the main wall to reach the top.

Named for the contrast between the initial jugs and the ensuing crimpage.   Ape up the jugs to a stance on the wide horizontal crack barely left of a small, short right-facing flake. Crimpy moves up, left, up, then right reach easing, but still engaging, movement up the face to the bottom of a diminutive, left-rising, right-facing corner/ramp. Up this to its top, then step right and go up through an obscure, rounded corner/notch to the large sloping ledge.

The crux is the opening handcrack. Feet are pretty sketchy; you've got to make good use of what little there is, and crank the jams.   Jam up the crack to its end at a small overhang. Move left to the stance shared with Firecracker. climb the right-rising, flaring wide crack in the slab to a horizontal break. Work up a shallow vertical crack to another horizontal, then (V1) step left 5' to a right-rising vertical crack. Take it to the ledge. 

V1 Jammer Direct 5.9+: Step up and right onto the ramp below the bolt of Blueberry Jam and finish as for that route.

Excellent hard climbing. Admittedly, getting off the ground is significantly harder than 5.9 (especially if you are under 6'1"), but you can cheat this by walking a bit farther right and railing back left along the ledge's edge.   Make a very difficult move to reach/get ahold of the ledge, then mantle up and into the right-facing corner. Climb this to its end at a horizontal crack. Traverse right 2m around a small, right-facing corner onto a smooth, steep slab. The next few moves are difficult and require a small cam or large microcam to protect. There is only one available slot, while good, it's a big reach to plug it in. Difficult friction reaches a good horizontal with a short chimney above it. Climb the chimney or the block on its right side to a fixed tree anchor.

One of the few routes to combine pitches on the short wall between the Provando Wall and the Jammer Wall, this line takes the dead vertical crack on the left edge of the Provando Wall to the path ledge as its first pitch (~70', 5.7), then climbs the right-leaning vertical crack for its second, 30' pitch (5.7). The final pitch climbs either the vertical crack that leans rightward (5.5) or the steeper, wider crack to its right (5.7) to a final challenging face (5.6) to a fixed tree anchor.

Some years back, Todd Paris and I dragged his new rope up for an exploratory, "alpine" ascent along the then-remote South Corner Cliffs. Our line ran out of pro after a beautiful crack below a steep face, degenerating into a wandering mess. With some fixed gear in place, this is the "direct" version that we wanted to do.   Climb the short face onto the lower ramp, then step right onto a block and make an awkward mantle onto the next ramp (if you are tall enough, you can reach that ramp directly). Walk down 12' to the gorgeous vertical handcrack and climb it to its end at a small stance. Climb the knobs and plates above (passing 3 bolts) to easier ground and finish up at a fixed anchor. Alternatively, clamber up the brushy ledge to the next wall and climb something there.   It is possible - and much easier - to access the vertical crack by climbing directly up along the upper, narrow ramp. We chose to ascend as per the original Paris-Harrison alpine route, which is more interesting.   It is also more challenging (5.9, and the original means of ascent) to climb up the plates directly; but one can use holds to the left to gain a meter or two and thus avoid the initial lift-off crimps.

The initial OH move is hard, particularly if your footwork is below par, but a #2 C4 provides bomber pro. Once ensconced on the ramp, ride it up to a ledge with an oak tree. Heady friction moves lead up the slab beyond, then head diagonally up and right to a horizontal below the final steep headwall. Climb up knobs and head right to an arête, thankfully protected by 3 bolts to get you to the top. Last move is dicey!   This route tops out right below the 3rd class scramble to the Jammer Wall; a good link-up is to head directly to Firecracker there and continue climbing.

Begin with gymnastic moves onto a bulge under the main overhang, then jam and pull your way over that obstacle. Head up the easy slab via a right-rising crack, to a ledge under a steep face. Climb the face utilizing a maze of horizontals and shallow vertical cracks, to a sloping top-out.   Somewhat marred by the intermediate slab, and a bit wedged-in to its start (one could more easily climb through the notch to the left), this is nevertheless an interesting route.   Be careful about gear on the upper headwall. Don't pass up opportunities, or you may find yourself in trouble higher up. This is not a good beginning leader route.

This route has the same start as "Stand Your Ground". Climb 8 feet to small ledge then traverse left. Climb on following the bolt line keeping bolts on your right. 3 Horizontals take gear well. After the 3rd horizontal, step right of the bolt line to the top. 

 Variation 1 

  Variation FA by Tom Lane.   Starts 4 feet right of wide crack in a right facing corner, 15 feet left of Stand Your Ground. Look for the only knee level toe hold on the blank face.   5.9 PG13   Key placement under lip of overhang.   Belay must be on the ball as second bolt clip could ground fall.

Climb the crack to a stance at 8' (you can begin here), then go up a left-facing flake/corner rising right, which soon swings to vertical. It peters out at 70'; climb the face past two bolts to a final few easy moves to reach an anchor straight up. Note that there is a lower anchor to climber's left; this is for Action Steps.   A 60m rope will just suffice to rappel/TR from this anchor.

Cleaned - and with a few fixed placements installed - this would be a worthwhile route to climb. Don't pass up the few pro options along the way. Your belayer should be capable and prepared to reel in should you fall at the upper crux.   Climb friable edges and rounded holds in water streak, passing a few horizontal cracks along the way, until the holds evaporate; at which point climb knobs (2nd crux) on the left verge of the water streak to a good stance, then up scruffy rock directly to the bolt anchor.

Cruxes occur near the start (a no-hands mantle) and midway; both are bolt-protected. This route has several sweet moves; it was discovered when we rappelled after climbing another route nearby. Too nice to pass up, we found fixed gear for the run-outs and added it.

Excellent position on the upper pitches. Starting pitch runs up a nasty vertical crack; 5.7. Second pitch climbs a vertical crack in a low-angle face. The mantle getting started is a bit awkward. At the end of the crack, step left, make a tricky move to an overhang, grab its left edge and pull up onto the final slab. Third pitch is short, looks unlikely, but goes at 5.7. The second pitch tops out at the base of a left-rising ramp; scramble up/around a short wall to gain a higher left-rising ramp, then walk left to its end, just left of a thin vertical crack leading to an A-frame overhang (the route Ape-X ). Climb up a right-leaning vertical crack using face holds to the left, to a horizontal crack rising leftward. Reach above the crack to good holds, then foot-traverse left along the lower crack until reaching a thin right-leaning diagonal crack. Take it, moving right around an overhanging flake, to a stance under a ceiling.  Last pitch ( same as for Ape-X )heads right through the only easy break in the roof guarding the top-out; it can, with careful rope management, be combined with the previous pitch.

Begin between two blocks at the base of the slab below the gaping crack system. Work up and right to the bottom-most crack, then climb up and left along it to reach the gaping crack system. Follow it as it swings around the face and leads up to the fixed tree anchor.

High-quality face climbing; a good stepping stone to some of the harder routes. 

  Hard moves right off the ground: step up into a waist-high horizontal, then go up the face to a horizontal crack. Continue up the steepening wave of rock to a crux where the angle changes back to slab. Up the slab to a spacious ledge and a fixed anchor on the back wall. 

  The crux involves a deadpoint off a sloper-pinch.

Climb the vertical crack (great finger locks and jams) to the overhang. Clever body language gets you up the left-rising crack to the apex of the overhang and a welcome hand jam. Still a tad tricky getting through the obstacle, but a solid cam overhead relieves some anxiety.   Follow the crack up and left to a gear belay under the roof to finish P1.   For P2, walk right to a block providing access above the roof. Climb the hand crack to a horizontal, step right and follow a thin crack to a brushy notch to reach the top.   The direct finish, through the left-rising crack breaking the roof, has yet to be led. I've seen one person TR it successfully; he states it is somewhat deeply into 5.11 territory.

Rigorously challenging until you get through the bulge. After establishing yourself on the blockpile ledge beneath the overhang, climb over it (5.10a), make a couple easier steps on steep rock, quickly running into more challenging terrain to reach a pod below the bulge. The crack narrows and flares a tad above this, the footholds get tiny. Exhilarating moves get around the bulge to a welcome no-hands stance - there's a perfect #5 Hex placement here if you like. The rest of the line is easy but pleasant climbing along the crack to an anchor on a tree to the left, near the top of the face.   NOTE that the pro, while bomber, is not trivial. This is not a plug'n'play crack; its lower parts open up inside and often have fragile fringes. There, your gear must be placed carefully, deeper than the edges but not so deep it slides down and out. At the bulge, the crack is "flarey", but you can install good .5 cams and run it out, or fiddle with big stoppers higher. Once you've reached the high pod, it is difficult getting a good nut in place without moving your hand. In short, this is a great route for challenging both your climbing and trad placement skills.

Climb up to horizontal, then move left along a broken vertical, left-leaning crack. At a horizontal crack beneath a small overhang, move up and right to another vertical, left-leaning crack, and climb it to a stance on the left edge of a left-facing corner. Step up and right onto the face, up to a perch beside a small spruce tree, with a dead white birch to the left.   The route follows cracks between large, chocked blocks. While they seem solid enough now (and have been this way for over 20 years), it would not be surprising to hear they've fallen.   The climbing is good, though not very clean, and while the finish is adequate, it would be nice if the route continued to the very top of the cliff, rather than ending as it does, at that ledge.

I've been told the rating is sandbagged, that this is much harder than 5.9. Seemed on the easy side of that grade the day we sent it - which involved creating a makeshift "rack", since neither of us brought one. A couple bolt hangers, some resident stones, and a knotted cord or two sufficed.   Directions are simple: climb the crack. The top-out is the mental, and perhaps physical, crux.

The crux is the face moves halfway up. These are well-protected by bolts, but getting here requires trad gear, as does most of the remaining cliff afterward. Short climbers may want to protect the final moves leading to the crux bolt, which a crack off left will provide.   Once you've deciphered the sequence, the moves are not particularly strenuous. It is the challenge of coming up with the correct sequence that precipitates the most falls.

Begin as for Jammer; but at the end of the opening handcrack, hand-traverse right along the horizontal to a right-rising crack. This second crux accesses a bit of easy slab climbing, up and left to a face with twin short cracks. Climb up the cracks and face to a left-slanting horizontal, step up and slightly left on a sloping ramp beneath a steepening face. One bolt leads the way on the final crux section to a short horizontal, where a delicate step right achieves a left-rising, flaring crack (this is also the top of the Gray-Soiinto variation of the Gray-Harrison).   A bit contrived, with its shared start and finish, but this route links a bunch of interesting, and otherwise-ignored features.

This route follows the left-leaning open book/corner right of Ambulance Chaser and left of The Gash.   Climb up into the corner, either taking the 5.9 direct start up a crack beneath it or shuffling up and in from the right (easier). A long series of ridiculous tip-toe invisi-dimples, a serious lack of handholds, and a bewildering array of pushes, clutches, ludicrous underclings, and desperate clips leads around left to easier (5.10ish) terrain. Run it up to join the last few feet of Ambulance Chaser or The Gash to the anchor on an oak tree.

The Upper South Corner Cliffs sit high on the South East flank of Crane, and have become quite developed since 2013. The various outcrops on the cliff now have different designations to help people find and figure out where they are. Where previously only adventurous, "alpine-style" routes wandered, there are now clusters of well-defined, lovingly scrubbed routes. A herd path branches off the East Path near the Height-of-Land Wall to reach the most popular crags up here. 

  Of particular note, the Jammer Wall has the highest concentration of established and well-cleaned routes, currently 13 and counting. These range from 30' to 70' tall; from 5.2 to 5.11a. It is quick to dry, receives a lot of sunshine well into the afternoon, and boasts some of the finest collection of cracks on the mountain.  

  Above the Jammer Wall lies another 80' cliff, which is steeper and less developed. Animal Charm, 5.10c, is the route of note on it, though the Gray-Harrison, and one of its variation pitches, also runs up it.  

  Below the Jammer Wall (actually, below the short cliff just below the Jammer Wall), the Provando Wall holds 3 lines: Provando, Riprovando, and Fireworks. Provando is the only "official" multi-pitch route in this area, since it has the only official pitch that runs through the short wall separating this cliff from the Jammer Wall. Its bottom and middle pitches are often wet; its uppermost pitch lies on the Jammer Wall and sees a lot of traffic, in part because of its moderate grade and good trad gear. Riprovando, at 5.10b, is a difficult single pitch option. Fireworks is hard 5.7, and makes a decent "companion" pitch to Firecracker up on the Jammer Wall.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Upper South Corner Cliffs