When approaching the Bear Hug Spire, turn to your right to view a checkerboard wall. Arete climbs the bolted line to the two bolt anchor. Bring a sling for a horn and/or a medium hex for after the last bolt. Or just try your luck and run it out.

Arete

Higher Learning

Unknown 7

Unknown 8

Unknown 14

Unknown 4

Unknown 6

Unknown 9

Unknown 10

Bride

Unknown 2

Groom

Unknown 5

Unknown 12

Lion's Mane

Bear Hug

Unknown 11

Offwidth

Katie's Corner

Hole in the Wall

Unknown 3

Unknown 1

This climb seemed reminiscent of

Monastic Groove

at the Outer Gates. It has steep climbing on good holds.

This is a nice, thin, slabby route up the SE face of Barnacle Rock, just uphill from Bride and Groom on Wedding Rock. Scramble up on the ledge, and tiptoe to the first bolt. The rock has very interesting texture, featured with many tiny bumps.  Higher up you'll climb just to the left of the wild quartz 'barnacles.'

This has lots of fun climbing on big holds. Just keep climbing up looking for jugs!

This is a steep arete climb on sharp holds. The bolt spacing is probably not for the budding leader, but it's all there. Fun!

This short route climbs on sharp holds and the edge of the arete past 2 bolts where the difficulty eases somewhat.  Three more bolts lead to the anchors.

Thought provoking climbing leads to the crux at the third bolt. More interesting route finding lead past two more bolts to the top.

This is a moderately steep line on smaller holds with two distinct cruxes - one being a bit above the first bolt and the next at the third bolt. This route climbs a lot like

Headstones

in The Catacomb.

This route has steep climbing on big holds with a crux around the 3rd bolt as you climb up and right to gain the arete. Pass the "Eye of the Needle" around the second bolt.

Clip the fist bolt from the slab, then step down and hop on. Crimps, edges, and steep climbing on compact, fine grained rock make this a beatiful route.  It shares the last bolt and anchors with

Groom

(5.9) to the right. It is pumpy and steep for the grade. Watch out for a few loose flakes and holds at the start.

The crux of this route is found just above the rappel anchor mid-pitch where some very interesting rock is encountered.

Start immediately east of the huge flake wedged between wedding rock and the short fin to the south.

Large flakes diminish and yield to thin crimps as you approach the second bolt. This is the crux. Sustained and vertical climbing eventually eases as the route merges with Bride. Cruise to the anchors, and enjoy the view!

This route climbs an interesting protrusion at the start past two bolts and then joins the route

Unknown 4

near its third bolt. To start, traverse in from the left or go up directly(a bit more difficult) to reach the first bolt. It's a long way between the second and third bolts (which looks like it was added after the FA), but the terrain is not difficult.

It's too bad this route didn't follow an independent line up the right side of the arete. The climbing over there looks fun.

Good climbing on positive holds leads to a crux between the fourth and fifth bolts. Those not comfortable at this grade might find this route a bit runout.

Facing the Bearhug is a narrow pillar with a bolted line up the checkered face. Lion's Mane climbs the flakey hand crack on the left side.

Bearhug climbs a gently overhaning prow - a nice looking line and well worth doing.  Located uphill from Wedding and Barnacle rocks and just downhill from Lion's Mane.  Climb up the easy slab on the left to the first bolt, followed by some easy 5.10 climbing. The climbing on the prow proper is fun, pumpy and balancy. Well bolted, great moves, and decent rock, I just wish it were longer.

This has no definitive crux, just fun, enjoyable climbing up the arete.

Simply titled, "Offwidth," this climb is to the right of (and shares the anchors with) the simply titled, "Arete." According to Gillet's guidebook, the crux is face climbing alongside the offwidth. Fist-jam until holds can be utilized on either face that the crack splits.

This is a finely featured gem and a great moderate route. Downhill from Hole in the Wall, find a bushy gully with scrambling hinting of the climb to come. KC ascends the well protected highly featured face on solid rock. I felt this would make a great beginner's lead.

A small natural rock arch graces the belay at the top of this route. You can easily walk off this route to the right (NNE - or on to set a toprope). A decent route too, an optional nut placement just off the deck leads to the first bolt. From here either climb the groove to the left or the fin to the right of the bolts.  You'll find a very easy 15-20 foot runout from the last bolt to the anchor.

This is a fun arete climb with a steep crux at the 4th bolt. The rock in this area of the Lion's Den is very crystalline and sharp. Wear and tear on your finger tips may vary.

The hardest moves are climbing past the first bolt.  After that, the difficulty decreases dramatically, but it's still fun climbing to the anchors.

Description

Protection

Routes in The Lion's Den