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The Overlook
Note:
Route descriptions complements of Jason Chen and Walt Wehner.
Crag Description:
The "Overlook" is a 65 foot (mostly south-facing) basalt cliff with over 65 sport and
traditional routes. This area is White Rock's premier sport climbing and toproping crag (routes on the Overlook's popular south side have had
toproping bolts installed that can be reached from the rim). The area is
climbable year-round, due to the varied aspect of the cliff. Most people
come to the Overlook to sport climb; though many worthy cracks exist, they
are not on par with those of many other crags in the vicinity.
Getting There:
To get to the "Overlook," turn off NM 4 onto Rover, make an immediate left
onto Meadow Lane. Turn at the sign on Meadow Lane that announces "Overlook
Park." Follow this road due east until you get to its end. Park here, and walk
straight out. Just before you get to the Rio Grande "Overlook", turn left (north), and
walk to the end of a narrow ridge of rock. Climb down to the next level, which is the
top rope anchor level. Due north is the sport climbing area, and due east is the more
traditional (crack and bolted) top roping area. The Overlook top ropes are all set with bolts.
It is not always obvious that people are below...be careful! Get to
the cliff base by following a distinct trail on the south end of the main
cliff.
Crag location map.
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Photos with the routes delineated (suitable
for enhancing this guide) are requested. Please contact
Jan Studebaker to volunteer. |
The
Overlook South Side: (routes: listed from left to
right)
(QUALITY, ROUTE, NAME, GRADE, ROUTE, DESCRIPTION)
*** 1. Bosker Boskeroo 5.10d/11a 7 bolts, 2-bolt anchor The first route
you'll see when walking down the access trail. A steep arete/face on
extremely large pockets which slabs out at mid-height.
* 2. Squeeze Chimney 5.10d no bolts, use anchor for 1. A wide crack leads
up and left into a dihedral. Really more of a face problem.
** 3. Boy What Nice Fellows 5.11c no bolts, TR from 4. anchors Straight up
the face directly right of Squeeze Chimney, then trend right and join Boy
What Assholes. Contrived and height-dependent, but fun.
*** 4. Boy What Assholes 5.10b 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Up the slabby face
and trend left to finish up a layback crack.
? 5. ? 5.8 no bolts, use anchor for 4. The loose crack right of Boy What
Assholes. Dirty.
** 6. ? 5.11c/d 4 bolts, use anchor for 7 The short face to the right of
Boy What Assholes. Final bolt is hard to clip.
*** 7. Paul's Boutique 5.11b 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor A hard move at the
bottom of this arete leads to fun face climbing and arete slapping above.
** 8. Headwall Crack Left 5.8 no bolts, 2-bolt anchor An easy, but
excellent, stemming and jamming problem in the dihedral just to the right
of Paul's Boutique.
** 9. No Exit 5.12a 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor About 5.10 climbing up a slabby
face leads to a steep black bulge and the crux.
** 10. Headwall Crack Right 5.9 no bolts, use anchor for 11. Stemming and
jams up the left-facing dihedral right of No Exit.
*** 11. Double Vision 5.11b/10d 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Straight up the
steep face right of No Exit. If arete is used, route is 5.10d.
*** 12. Cholla Wall 5.10a/b no bolts, 2-bolt anchor Go up the pocketed
face without using the crack on the right. Protectable with gear, though
runout and scary.
** 13. Cholla Crack 5.9 no bolts, 2-bolt anchor Jam the finger/hand/offwidth
crack next to Cholla Wall. Fairly tricky.
****14. Holy Wall 5.9+/10a 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor A superb face climb
with thousands of pockets. If you use the crack on the left, this route is
a 5.9
* 15. Holy Crack 5.9+/10a no bolts, use anchor for 15. A loose fingercrack
just right of Holy Wall.
****16. Dave's Face 5.10c 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor An excellent thin face
climb up a steep slab. Sustained.
*** 17. Way Beyond Zebra 5.11a 8 bolts, 2-bolt anchor A long, fairly
sustained face climb around the corner from Dave's Face. 5.11b/c if you
top out to the second set of anchors.
*** 18. Polly's Crack 5.8+ no bolts, 2-bolt anchor An incredible
finger/hand crack up a long open book.
** 19. Thief in Time 5.12d 6 bolts, 2-bolt anchor The steep prow right of
Polly's Crack. Pumpy and thin, though somewhat contrived.
* 20. ? 5.8 no bolts, use anchor for 22. Up the gap between Thief in Time
and Narcissistic Dream, then follow crack up and right.
** 21. Narcissistic Dream 5.11a/b 2 bolts, use anchor for 22. Climb the choss to a fingercrack to a face. Requires some gear.
****22. Face Off 5.12a 6 bolts, 2-bolt anchor A sustained thin face which
overhangs slightly at the bottom.
* 23. ? 5.10a no bolts, TR anchor on rim Go up the crack/face just right
of Face off, then work up and right on the slab.
24. MC Epic 5.9 no bolts, TR anchor on rim Up the chossy, wide crack and
continue on easier ground to the top.
* 25. ? 5.10d/11a no bolts, TR anchor on rim Climb the crumbling face left
of Captain Smarmbag.
** 26. Captain Smarmbag 5.8+/9- no bolts, TR anchor on rim Climb the steep
crack to a huge jug, then up the 5.6 cracks to the top.
** 27. Donde Estan Mis Pantalones 5.11c 6 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Climb a
steep boulder problem, then straight up on easier slab climbing.
** 28. Box Overhang Left 5.8+/9- no bolts, TR anchor on rim Leftmost of
the 3 roof cracks.
** 29. Len's Roof 5.11b no bolts, TR anchor on rim Up the splitter
handcrack in the roof, then 5.7 to the top.
30. Overture 5.12b/c bolts w/o hangers. TR Pull the roof just right of
Len's without using either crack. Very contrived.
** 31. Box Overhang Right 5.8 no bolts, TR anchor on rim Up the rightmost
of the roof cracks on handjams and liebacking moves.
* 32. On Beyond Zebra 5.12c 6 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Up the face left of Thorazine Dream. Contrived and painful.
** 33. ? 5.9- no bolts, TR anchor on rim The crack in between On Beyond
Zebra and Thorazine Dream.
*****34. Thorazine Dream 5.11d 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Climb the clean
face on the far right side of the crag. Awesome!
35. The Toilet Bowl 3rd class Solo up the chimney/prow to gain the top of
the cliff. On the farthest right side.
** 36. ? 5.6 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor The slabby rightmost face on the lower
buttress.
* 37. ? 5.10b/c 4 bolts, use anchor for 38. Somewhat contrived face/arete
route left of #36.
*** 38. Photo-op 5.8+ 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor This is a good beginner sport
route on the left side of the lower buttress. It's also easy to climb down
next to the route with a camera for cool pictures.
** 39. ? V1+ Boulder problem (15 feet) A good boulder problem just around
the corner of the scramble down to reach Way Beyond Zebra. Straight up on
thin holds to easier ground.
** 40. ? V5 Boulder problem (10 feet) A chalk-covered boulder downhill and
left of the lower buttress. Sit start this problem and don't use either
arête.
The Overlook North Side (routes: listed from left
to right)
(QUALITY, ROUTE, NAME, GRADE, ROUTE, DESCRIPTION)
The Overlooks north side (all sport)
is most easily reached by simply walking across the base of the south side
and around the corner.
* 1. View With a Room 5.11b 3 bolts, 2-bolt anchor First route around the
corner. 3 bolts up a steep, 20-foot face.
** 2. Overlord 5.10d 4 bolts, use anchor for 3. Up the slab, pull over a
roof and up the left arete. Sharp but good.
** 3. Overlard 5.10a/b 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Straight up and pull a roof
on jugs, then trend slightly rightwards up the face.
* 4. ? 5.9- no bolts, use anchor for 3. Crack right of Overlard. Loose and
fairly wide, not a great route.
****5. Overripe Fresh-Squeezed - 5.11b/c 4 bolts, 2 slings, 2-bolt anchor
California Females Go up the pocketed face/arete right of Overlard. Start
may be more difficult for shorter people. An excellent route.
** 6. D'Antonio Approach 5.11d 4 bolts, use anchor for 5. A contived
boulder problem (don't grab the crack!) leads to fun 5.10+ face climbing
above.
*** 7. Huecos Rancheros 5.10b/c 3 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Fun moves up huge
jugs on a short, overhung wall.
** 7.5 Huecos Crack 5.9- no bolts, use #7 anchor
** 8. ? 5.11d 3 bolts, 2-bolt anchor The face right of Huecos Rancheros.
Easier if you grab the crack at the top.
? 8.5 Rick Smith route.
*** 9. Just Say No To Jugs 5.11a 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Big holds (which
become increasingly smaller) up an overhung wall.
** 10. Vascoconstrictor 5.12b/c 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Face 6 feet right
of Just Say No.
** 11. Sandy Pocket Crack 5.9- no bolts, use anchor for #10. Up the crack
between #10 and #12
** 12. Dangle Your Participle 5.10c 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Arete right of
Sandy Pocket Crack.
*** 13. Overlichen 5.11a 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Just around the corner
from a greenish, lichen covered face is a slightly overhung route with big
holds. Begins on a large ledge.
*** 14. Chocolate Thunder 5.11d 4 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Up the dirty arete
just right of Overlichen.
*** 15a Hammertime 5.12a 5 bolts 2-bolt anchor Thin technical face
* 15b Crack of Dirt 5.8 no bolts Use anchor for 15
? 16. Citizen of Time 5.11d/12a? ? ?
** 17. Crisis in Utopia 5.10b no bolts, use anchor for 17. The clean fingercrack right of Primal Scream.
* 18. Primal Scream 5.12a 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Shares start of Overkill,
then leftwards and up after 2nd bolt.
** 19. Overkill 5.11a/b 6 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Scramble up the choss, then
up the steep face.
? 20. Lubme 5.12a/b? ? ?
? 21. ? (shares start w/19?) ? ? ?
** 22. Putterman Gully Jump 5.9+/10a 5 bolts, 2-bolt anchor Clip first
bolt of Lubme, then rightwards and up the face. Not as bad as it's rumored
to be.
The Underlook
To reach the "Underlook", walk downhill and slightly right from Thorazine Dream for
approximately 75 yards. Click here
for Guido's guide to the "Underlook" (pdf file format).
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