Better be strong at the grade; it's stiff, bouldery 11b on sharp pockets right off the ground. Hard climbing to the first bolt and a little bold to the second. It eases off a bit up to a roof which you pull via a good edge and a long throw - try not to stem on the left.

Per

Andrew Iltis

: The crux is right off the ground moving through some bad pockets to a monster jug. As with most of these routes, the crux is height-dependent and will be much harder for anyone who cannot bypass the smaller holds through the first crux...or reach the good holds over the finishing roof. In the great words of Bruce Hornsby, "That's just the way it is." -really fun, interesting climbing, and possibly good onsight potential.

Eds. Note: this is a combination of 2 submissions into 1 for organization purposes.

Village Idiot

Berlin Wall

Castrator

Unknown

Bad Brains

Pedestrian Gene Pool

Swinging Chimps

Matilda

No Vacancy (submitted as No Math Required)

Barney

Maximum Security

Helter Skelter

Red Rocket

Freeform

The Sharp, The Bad, and The Thugly

Laughing Lab

Solitary Confinement

Habitually Human

Partners in Crime

Take

Onomatopoeia

Minimum Security

Don't Think Twice

GOBs

Supermax

Bourgeois Belay Dogs

New World

Helium Boys

Cyborg

Guilty By Association

Cougar

Karma Mechanic

Cyborg is another pumpy Sand Gulch 11 between

Village Idiot

and

Pedestrian Gene Pool

.  The crux comes at the end pulling around the ever steepening moves, around a small bulge to the anchors.  The nice moves as the holds keep coming, just make them before your forearms give out. 'Strenuous' says the verbose quidebook author, I say pumpy and fun!

A very-high first bolt and an antiquated anchor are two likely reasons this gem has seen little action. However, with a recent anchor upgrade, climbers now have only one reason to stay off it, but the climbing to the first bolt isn't difficult and is on good, sharp rock.

Scramble up the fourth class ramp of sharp, dark rock for nearly 30 feet to the first bolt. Climb past the second bolt to another ledge in the choss band just below the third bolt. Use caution clipping the third bolt because a fall going to the third bolt would result in a nasty, ankle-shattering ledge encounter.

Breathe a sigh of relief after clipping the third bolt and move into the route's crux...getting established on a clean face of quality rock and climbing past the fourth bolt. Enjoy engaging arete climbing with great position past two more bolts before moving back left onto the face for two more bolts and the anchor.

Follow bolts up a finger crack in a left-facing corner, past a flake (crux), and more finger crack leads out a small roof to the chains. If you're interested, you could trad lead this easily and safely with small cams, nuts and a few mid size cams for the flake.

Per

Ivan Rezucha

: Layback the flake (crux) and make some tenuous moves (also crux?) to another flake. You can rest with a foot jam after surmounting the first flake. Some easy moves lead to a fun roof and the anchors.

Eds. Note: this is a combination of 2 submissions combined into one for organization purposes.

Climb some loose looking blocks to the first high bolt.  The majority of the climb involves some fun, power, lieback moves following a crack system with a low roof.  Most of the moves are on good holds, and it tests you ability to power through to the next bolt.  It is a welcome change to the standard face climbing at Shelf.

This is a one move wonder, but the rest of the climbing is pretty fun, too.

To locate this route, hike up the Sand Gulch Canyon to the Freefrom Wall.  At the left end of the wall is a yawning chimney with red home made hangers.  This is "

Barney

(5.9)".

Just to the right of this route is a bolted line that goes through a funky pod.  This route is Bad Brains.

The crux comes on this one real early.  With an open mind and some creativity, it goes somewhat easily (for the grade).  After you have solved the crux, continue upwards on fun moves that are probably 5.9ish.  Keep heading up and slightly right to the anchors on "

Helter Skelter

".

This is two bolt lines left of

Village Idiot

. The middle line (11a-c) looks stupid and contrived. This route, however, is very high quality. Knapp calls it contrived, but he must have it confused. This line begins up the left side of a rough-looking flake, surmounts it and then works up another five bolts over awesome pockets and smooth limestone. Finish over a devious bulge.

This is a boulder problem on a rope, fun for those who have simian tendancies.  It is located about 200 feet prior to the

Village Idiot

/

Karma Mechanic

area, and about 150 feet after

Minimum Security

.  Locate a juggy roof start on the left side of a blunt arete, with a thin short bolted face to the right (

Onomatopoeia

, 5.12a).  Clip the first bolt and yard your way to the second, it's cake from there.

This route is just left of

Partners in Crime

on the Freeform Wall in Sand Gulch. It is just right of a shallow dihedral/crack.

The route is identified by six glue-in bolts, with washers behind the hangers.  The hangers, Kong-Bonati, have "Italy" stamped on the face. A seventh bolt was apparently added later, at the bottom, by an unknown party and has a home-made hanger. The anchors are 1/2 x 4" sleeve bolts with Metolius hangers and quicklinks/chain.

History - the FA party felt the line was a bit squeezed by standards of the day, so they called it "No Vacancy." Glue-ins are messy, so a rag was used to keep things clean. A female climber came by, most curious about the route construction and especially the old pair of underwear used to tidy things up and dubbed the new route, "Tighty Whities."

This is bolts to chains along a hand crack. It is a crowded and popular route along a so-so bolted crack. You could trad lead it, but the crack appeared manky.

This is pretty steep with good holds. The crux is 3/4 the way up moving to and off the sidepulls. It is fun, easy climbing & a good warmup route.

Another fine line at one of the better walls at Shelf.  This route used to be 12b in Van Horn's old book, but has been slightly downrated.  Perhaps (much like the Mutant on Incredible Hulk boulder) the traffic over the years has taken the edge off of a few holds.  God knows there are a few routes at Shelf where the crux is taking the pain.

To find this route, hike up the Sand Gulch canyon to the Freeform Wall.  Towards the left end of the wall is a bolted chimney with red homemade hangers.  This is Barney (5.9).  Two bolted lines to the right is Helter Skelter.  There is a very slight V-notch near the second bolt.

This is another route that can really sap your strength, especially if you don't stand up on your feet.

Crank past 7 bolts worth of very nice moves.  If the razor crimp near the top is still hones, you will be the first to know.  Have fun.

This is a good climb with most of the business at the first and second bolt. It begins with typical, shallow, Shelf pockets down low and relents slightly towards the top with flakes. Veer slighty right at the fourth bolt. It also shares the same last bolt and anchors with

Laughing Lab

to the right.

An exceptional route that will demand strength, technique, and innovation.  This is a Shelf Road top 10 (IMHO).

To find this route, hike up to the Free Form Wall in the Sand Gulch canyon.  Towards the far left end of this wall is a yawning chimney with red home made hangers.  This bolted chimney is "Barney (5.9)".  to the left of this is "Freeform".  It is noticeable by the steep, somewhat left-leaning arete-like prow at the top.

Chalk up, load yer guns, and keep the children off the street.

Cruise upwards past the first 4 bolts on fun face moves.  Be sure to save most of your ammo for the top.  Milk the rest at the beginning of the business (if you need to).  Fire up through the last 4 bolts on crimps and little pockets.  It is a wee bit steep through here, so do whatever you can to help your arms out.  This part begs for technical footwork and body position.  Good luck!

This route starts up an overhanging arete then moves into crux #1 - this section through bolt 3 is small and engaging with poor feet as you work past the 3rd clip to the pincushion. Work up to the 4th bolt on big holds. After the no hands rest, work the crack on the left to reach #5. Pick your way through the less-than-perfect rock to a nice stance below the bulge. Go straight up through magnificent rock (crux#2) sprinkled with pockets sidepulls and crimps to the anchors.

This is the easier version of its neighbor to the left. It shares the same last bolt and anchor with

Red Rocket

.

Climb the arete past sharp holds then up blocky terrain to a rest ledge.  Tread lightly on the blocky rock above the 4th bolt.  Clip the 2 bolts at the bottom of the headwall (the lower bolt keeping the rope out of the way).  Make hard moves onto the headwall, then face climb up pockets/edges to the top of the headwall.  May be slightly easier for taller climbers.  Finish up at the anchors at the nice ledge.  Lower or rap 80 feet.

Caveat Emptor:

While I did clean the loose rock in the area around and above the 4th bolt and nothing has come off while climbing it, there is still the potential for stuff to come off.  Packs, dogs, kids,

etc.

should be kept out of the alcove at the bottom of the route....

Start just left of

Castrator

climbing through a seam/face to the anchor on the right. One can continue up and left of the first anchor through a short roof to a second anchor.

!Lots of loose rock! We found it best to start up

Castrator

then go left onto the big platform to clip the first bolt. This route feels runout towards the top, and if you want the first anchor after the 4th bolt, you will find sketchy, audible knocking, and downturned flakes - tread lightly.

This has a height-dependent start. Find the perfect round hole in the face, then look up for the next hold. This will test your ape index and probably fry your forearms. It is a bit sporty to the second bolt and the climbing is hard, so beware. Find superb flakes, sidepulls, and pockets all the way to the top.

Per

Matt Richardson

: start on sharp pockets (as all climbs on this wall seem to). Move to a good pocket to the left of the first bolt. From here is the first and most technical crux of the route (no groundfall potential with a good belayer). There are several options, but all involve moving off a shallow, two finger (one if you have big hands) pocket to some bomber pockets to the right. I make this in one static slow move (I am 6'2"), but smaller folks will want to find an intermediate. The rest of the route is thin with some good rests. A final, thin crux is found immediately below the bulge at the top of the route. You will be fighting the pump at the anchors.

This is a combination of two descriptions submitted for the same route.

I am not sure how this route is supposed to go. You are either sucked three feet to the left of the bolt line or three feet to the right. The left is a corner crack, and all the bolts are still within arms reach. This goes about hard 5.10. If you trend to the right, it is about easy 5.11. Following the bolt line straight up does not seem to be reasonable. It is definitely not 12a as the guide suggests, maybe something broke? Again, I am not sure what the route developers had in mind. Any input would be great.

The route punches through the steep lower section on good holds (great chance to try out the muscles that Morrison has given you).  after you clear the lip a short section of technical face will lead you to the anchors.

One note of caution: you don't want to fall into the tree directly behind the route.  Also, be careful lowering your partner (

i.e.

don't penalty slack him into the tree).

Have a good one.

Minimum Security is a classic, exposed arete.  Start with thin moves past the first three bolts on the technical slab.  Clip the next bolts just prior to the business from secure but slightly loose terrain.  Catch a rest before launching up the steep arete.  The crux is nicely exposed adding to the heady moves. The chains were not equalized well and kinked up the rope.  A must do!

This is a fun and sharp shortie. It has big pulls between big holds. The anchor situation is not ideal. It consists of 2 bolts nearly vertically placed on top of each other. Downclimbing may be the best idea for cleaning.

So named for the pump you'll feel at the top....

Start at a layback crack for 2 bolts.  Trend right at the 3rd bolt, then go up and back left past 2 more bolts to a rest stance below the corner. Sustained, pumpy climbing through tricky laybacks and underclings takes you to the anchors at the nice ledge. It gets a little sharp at the top. Lower or rap 80 feet.

Be wary of loose rock at the top and the midway rest.  As with

Solitary Confinement

, packs, dogs, kids, etc. should be kept out of the alcove at the bottom of the route....

Start just left of a blocky, offwidth corner. Do a bouldery start to a thin face move off a sidepull, then easier climbing leads to a bulge that is surmounted via steep, but positive, liebacking.

The D'Antonio 2010 guidebook says, "climb the steep slab right of

Onomatopoeia

past three bolts."

To the right of

Onomatopoeia

just off to the right of the crack, you will find one lone bolt serving no purpose. Maybe it is for a trad route not listed? Anyway, UFO is just right of that.

New World is the 2nd bolt line left of

Castrator

.  Begin by scrambling up dangerously loose choss to an awkwardly high first bolt.  If you are not 6'6", you'll have to climb a few moves before being able to hang the draw.  Climb up and left, then right then left a bit passing two more hard to clip bolts.  A final rightward traverse brings you to a two bolt anchor and a newfound understanding of bad rock climbing at Shelf Road.

Climb the pillar to the right of

Bourgeois Belay Dogs

on great stone (minus the rock covered ledge at 20 feet). Due to the looseness of the ledge (loose pebbles, nothing very large in my opinion), the belayer and climber should be attentive.

To find this route, hike into the Sand Gulch Canyon and up to the Freeform Wall. Approximately 150 feet to the right (south) of the right edge of the Freeform Wall proper is a fairly short route with two bolts. There is a pair of pockets about 15 feet up that kind of look like eyes.

Cruise up through moderate rock, past two bolts to anchors. From the ground, it is kind of intimidating due to the number of bolts. However, the climbing is pretty positive (some interesting jugs), and the crux is decently protected.

Eds. In 2016, a 3rd bolt was added.

This is an awesome highball line up the right side of the boulder. Stand start on or around the rightmost ledge and use big holds on the arete to stand on the ledge. Use small holds and sketchy feet to reach out left to a two finger pocket and cross to jugs all the way to the finish.

Starts just behind a tree. Long throw from the initial pocket and another bouldery start to the first bolt. More sustained than the 10 a/b next door; awkward stemming moves through a groove at the top are the business.

Per

Matt Richardson

: Nice consistent climb for the grade. You will have a nice pump by the time you reach the top of this route.

Eds. Note: this is a combination of 2 submissions combined into 1 for organization purposes.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Free Form Wall