Second Sun is a full-value 5.9 that gets a well-deserved three stars in the DCA.  Occasionally strenuous stances for placing pro mean you better be solid at the grade to lead this route. 

  A somewhat slabby start moves into a short, shallow dihedral, then to thin moves over a bulge.  Continue up to a small roof; pull the roof move and follow another dihedral to a more juggy finish.

Second Sun

Liberty Bell

Sudden Journey

Escape from Ventura

Terminal Impatience

Walk in the Park

Black Magic

Armadillo

Pancake Flake

Little Pearl

Pigs in Space

Space Flaps

Optical Delusions

Anteater

Wind Walker

Jug Mania

Airy Arete

Sinsophrenia

Chipmunk Arete

Squirrel Crack

Decoy Buckets

Afternoon Delight

Direct Afraid

Lizard Pie

Dodge City

Train Time Direct

Battle Above the Clouds

Temple of Doom

Silent Runner

Confederate Arete

Lichen or Not

Blonde Ambition

Armadillo’s Revenge

Dreamway

Bountiful Barnacles

Southern Fried Possum

Divinity Crack

Fear and Whisky

Facts Of Strife

The Cobbler

Train Time

Afternoon Walk

Airbrush

Skunk Fritter

Jenga Direct

Agrippa

Squeeze Box

Whistler's Mother

Northwest Conversion

Nicki's Climb 5.4

Aerial Aviation

Mercenary Territory

Sunset Sonata

Unnamed Dihedral Flake

Anteater Direct

Jenga Tower

Jugular Vein

Mama Raccoon

Back Street Revelations

Work your way up and left across the face to vertical crack system, past a pine tree, over flakes, pulling a small overhang and up to the anchors

Similar to neighboring Wind Walker, Liberty Bell is an excellent long route on great rock.  The bouldery start (tougher than the similar moves on Wind Walker) is the crux. 

  A tough and awkward overhanging start leads to well-protected easier face climbing through a crack system, past a pine tree, to the top.

Clamber up easy ground to the start of the vertical crack. Who's Crying Now? Things get steep and sustained once you start up the crack. Be Good to Yourself and take advantage of the many opportunities to place protection Any Way You Want It. Don't Stop Believin' as you keep Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' great finger locks and jams all the way to the top of the crack. Continue up easier ground above to where bolted anchors await you with Open Arms.

Pass a small roof, wiggling a small cam in horizontal pocket from a decent stance. Continue up a steep face past two well placed bolts.  Stay left of crack on thin face and friction moves to finish on Agrippa anchors.

Climb up toward the left facing corner, passing it on the left. Crunch up through some lichen to the overhang, and pull through it at the crack. Continue to a tree belay at the top of the cliff.

From the ledge, face climb to a left-facing corner, then up to the shallow roof below a wide crack.  Follow the big crack to the top. 

First pitch- Up through overhanging blocks split by a crack. I bypassed all this nonsense by jug hauling to the right. Next part of the pitch is very dirty. 

  Second Pitch- From bolted anchors up and right over a roof on tough finger locks. I never saw a pin anywhere. Up blank face and under a perfect hand crack splitting a big roof. Jam and then jug haul to the top. 

  The second pitch is what you're doing this route for. Dont be detered by the dirty first pitch.

This is an area we've dubbed the RoadKill Buttress, it's a tasty buffet filled with a whole heaping helping of easy to moderate southern-fried sandstone.  Fill up on wide cracks mixed with incut plates, face climbing and all around fun moves with good protection. Belly up if you're hankering for some easier climbing without the usual sandbags attached.

 On the starting ledge towards the middle of the face, look up to see a wider crack that passes a big blob of moss and a small tree.  Follow this obvious crack and then a bit of chimney as you make your way to the top.

Grunt up a slot to the obvious 3-4" "Pancake" flake.   Lieback and jam through fun, albeit somewhat dirty moves. 

Tucked away in a little alcove near the end of the Black Magic Buttress section, Little Pearl is a short but fun route.  It doesn't get much traffic, probably because of the excellent neighboring lines in the Treasure Chest section, but it's definitely worth doing if you're in the area.  Little Pearl is also a good way to get to the top of climbs like Dodge City or Sinsophrenia and set up a toprope if you're not up to leading them. 

  Starting in the shady alcove, follow the left-facing corner up to a right-leaning flake.  Layback the big flake, then on to the top.

This is the obvious splitter on the right side of "Pigs Buttress"--the next formation right of Celebrity Flake. 

  Sweet overhanging jams at the top.  Classic. 

Wander up lichen covered rock passing left facing dihedral and tree midway.  Pull through bulges onto excellent face climbing to exit crack.

A thought provoking thin and shallow crack with some small face holds, that somehow also houses a lone undercling (crux) Lead up to a jug rail about 25' high. Get another good piece in and crank through a few more good long horizontals until you can get underneath the hand crack. Make a committing but solid hero move into the crack and appreciate the smooth lichened wall while you shuffle up to a nice seat overlooking the valley. 

Another stop on the Sunset sandbag tour. This is probably the best 5.6 in the state. Just be ready for that section of 5.9... 

  Climb a wide crack in a corner up to a large ledge. From the ledge, two cracks lead up the left face. The right crack is in a corner, and seems like it might be old-school, grovely 5.6. The left crack leads off from the edge of the ledge and splits the face. 

  Guidebooks seem to indicate you're supposed to take the left crack, and we went that way because it looked awesome. The good news: it was awesome. The bad news: it goes at about 5.9. 

  Either way you go, you'll eventually arrive up and left at a nice ledge with an L-shaped tree on it. You could stop there, but why not go all the way? Move up and right on the exposed face and top out on the arete.

This is one of Sunset's truly outstanding routes.  It has a little of everything: roofs to pull, crack climbing, face climbing.  It's a long line on beautiful, well-protected rock. 

  A bouldery start powers you through a blocky roof to a ledge.  Follow a crack system to another roof about midway; after pulling the roof, continue with face climbing to the top.  Make generous use of runners to avoid rope drag.  A 60-meter rope is just enough to make the rap.

Climb...yes...you guessed it "Jugs" following the path of least resistance, working your way to the left and right of the rounded arete.

Climb the lower face located to the right side of the arete to a ledge.  From the ledge, work up both sides of the arete past horizontals, getting gear where you can until a nice rest on a big ledge, below a roof/bulge, before finishing up the last few feet via one of two ways:  step right and up a crack or straight up over the bulge.

Work through a bulge down low and then to finger crack up high. 

  There are several good climbs in this little nook. Don't miss Golden Years.

Face climb on great incut holds using both sides of the rounded arete. At ledge when faced with a pair of cracks, follow the right crack system to top.  

Follow crack system into a short dihedral, then exit through a crack in a small bulge and follow chimney to top.

Although most guidebooks have this climb listed as a 5.9, I don't know anyone who has climbed it who thinks it's that hard. If you can climb 5.8 elsewhere at Sunset, this one shouldn't give you any problems. 

  Climb some right-facing flakes up to a small overhang with a small tree above it. Pull over and head left of the tree toward a right-facing corner above. The corner is capped by another overhang, and above that good holds will lead you upward to an exit crack at the top of the cliff.

Afternoon Delight isn't as well known as Blonde Ambition, but it's one of the great moderates at Sunset nevertheless.  Pumpy for the grade, it has plentiful protection and makes a nice warmup for the harder lines in the Celebrity Flake area. 

  Starting just right of the Jug Mania arete, move up the face through sometimes-slopy holds to a bulge.  Climb through the bulge using one of two cracks, then continue up to a prominent crack system.  Follow the crack to the top.

Climb moderate (5.10) terrain to the base of the roof and plug some gear. Get psyched for puzzling feet first sequences as you boulder out the roof. Once established on the face, more 5.10 climbing takes you up good holds and a lichen covered face to the top.

Start on lower bench to reach starting jugs, boulder over cruxy bulge to access crack system and follow to top passing small pine midway up the face.  

 *Alternate start 10 ft to the right behind tree. Climb to horizontal jugs and move left to access vertical crack.

Dodge City climbs a nice corner/hand crack, located in the alcove, right of Sinsophrenia.  Be warned there is a pebbly section.

Do you like thin cracks? Do you like thin gear that's solid, but hard to place? Good, then this is your climb. Start about 5 feet right of Train Time and head straight up to the thin crack/ right facing corner. Build a nest of cams below the first crux because it comes at you fast and placing additional gear would be difficult. After this is the next and hardest crux. Dink in some small wires and a black alien and get moving. Punch through this section and get pro later. Meet up with Train Time to the anchors.  

Just left of the second pitch of Black Magic.  Follow shallow, flaring, pebbly, somewhat painful crack to upper face climbing and mantle onto the top.

Stiff moves off the ground lead to better purchase once you gain good jams as well as stems on the opposite wall. Continue up the sweet handcrack until upward progress becomes impossible (you'll know when you get there). Traverse/squirm/thrutch right fighting claustrophobia until you can get gear just before you pop out of the squeeze a couple of body lengths before the anchors on Backstreet Revelations.

A great climb with multiple cruxes, a variety of climbing and great gear.  Climb the very thin start, through some bulges, up a short finger crack, a few delicate moves lead to a stance before the final roof move.

Pull an overhang and climb a blunt, rounded arete, continue just right of arete to two-bolt anchor.

We were a little confused as to where to start this one. There are two cracks splitting the bulging wall at the start. I'll provide directions for both. 

  P1-the easy way: Take the right crack, which leads up to a substantial tree about 30 feet up. This is the same start as Northwest Conversion. When you get in the neighborhood of the tree, start angling left and up. There's a pine tree underneath the arete that marks the left end of the upper headwall. That's generally where you're headed. (60 feet, 5.6) 

  P1-the hard way: Take the left crack. Struggle through the bulge on disappointing holds. Once things ease off, continue up and slightly left toward the pine tree mentioned in the "easy way" description above. (50 feet, 5.10) 

  P2-the main event: Start off a big block/ledge, maybe 20 feet right of the pine tree. Monkey your way up and slightly right through a series of overhangs. Surmounting the last overhang deposits you on a flat, vertical white face sprinkled with lichen. A hand crack almost immediately closes down to a finger crack that drifts in and out of existence as it works its way up the face. Fight the urge to chicken out to the Northwest Conversion crack 15 feet to your right. 25 feet of technical and sustained climbing leads you up the face. Finish on easier ground through a large flared crack loaded with dinner plate jugs, about 10 feet left of the Northwest Conversion anchors. (70 feet, 5.10)

This sustained moderate is a three-star classic, with solid protection and fun moves all the way.  One of the best for the grade at Sunset -- don't miss it!Start with face climbing to a small overhang, then follow a crack system to the top.

Same start as Armadillo. On the ledge above the wide crack, traverse right about ten feet into a flake system and follow it to top.

Start at the triangular shaped opening. Climb to the apex of the triangle into an awkward right facing corner (crux). Get some gear in while feeling like this seems awful hard for 5.8, then head up to a small cave. Go around the block to the right and then bust left to the anchors.

Second climb on the Bunny Buttress. Climb the dusty and crusty arête.  Should clean up with some use.  Trend right to a tree anchor.

Face climb on incut plates to access a right facing dihedral and pull this short, slightly spicy crux. Above, when faced with a pair of cracks, follow the left one.  Steeper pocketed horizontals guard the top.

This one is worth a trip up the hill. 

  Pull an overhanging boulder problem off the ground to get established in the crack, which soon turns into an offwidth in a right-facing corner. The corner is capped by a roof. Watch the crack at the lip of the roof, it can be a rope pincher. 

  Above the roof, a hand crack eventually widens into a chimney that ends by a tree on a ledge. From here, continue up easy ground on the right to a larger tree at the top of the cliff.

Powerful boulder start stays right of overgrown crack. (Similar to but more difficult than opening moves on Liberty Bell or Wind Walker.)  Good stance above to catch your breath then follow hand crack to short left facing dihedral. Second crux is double hand jam to pull through overhang next to large pine tree. Easy crack climbing above widening from hands to fists then off-width to top.

Climb trough a low roof with excellent holds over the lip (crux) then move left to gain a crack with excellent jams to the anchors

Start as for Dodge City.  Step right to a ledge.  Climb the conglomerated-rock-full-of-pebble hand crack.  Continue up to the anchors.

Climb a steep face to a right-arching shallow corner.  Follow the arch to its end, then move right to more thin face climbing and fire for the top.  Very fun!

Great route! If you love awesome moves, this is the route for you. Good moves below roof lead to jugs above roof. Start just right of Afternoon Delight. Climb the face past a bolt below roof. Pull the small roof and countinue up the face with jugs.

One of Sunset's few true novice leads, Airbrush is a great choice for a new trad leader.  Protection is ample, so sew it up.  Also a good toprope for beginners. 

  Scramble up past ledges, then climb some easy crack/flake systems, finishing on a slabby section to the top.

Right facing dihedral at the far right end of RoadKill Buttress.  Follow crack in corner passing right of newly trimmed tree to follow crack features on lichened face that widen into sloped elephant's ass finish. 

Third climb on the Bunny Buttress.  Climb up the overhanging left side of the cave wall.  Pull a bulge to the ledge and join Jenga Tower.

Conquer a small roof using undercling and hidden crimp, get a short rest in a perfect fingers deep hand jam.  Proceed upward to right side of cave and anchors overhead. Sustained and pumpy.

Aptly named, Squeeze Box will test your skills in tight chimney climbing -- or at least getting into the chimney. 

  Starting in the alcove under the obvious wide roof crack, climb blocky ground to a narrow notch.  Worm through the notch, then prepare for the business:  finding a way into the bombay chimney above.  After the resulting thrash, continue up through easier ground on a dirty slab to the top.

Climb the blocks on the left side of the vertical gully.  Master a bulge (crux) and move up to a very thin and completely runout face (2nd crux) for the last 20 feet or so.  Unprotected jug haul for the last 5-10 feet.  Very heady lead.  Clean path through lichen on both sides shows the way.

One of the least climbed routes here. The first pitch doesn't register on the fun factor scale, but the second pitch is super fun, exposed, great holds and excellent protection. To start, climb past a large pine tree to a ledge. Follow right-facing dihedral and step left to a belay 50 feet. Pitch 2, Follow steep crack in lichened wall. At bulge step left and follow short crack 60 feet. There is a direct finish 10b. Rather than stepping left, finish directly over the bulge at the top of pitch two.

Leftmost on the Bunny Buttress, climb a 25' juggy chimney to a spacious ledge with a tree.  Place a directional and proceed up a steeper 15 face on the right to a tree anchor. Great first lead.

Follow a thin crack and steep left facing corner.

45 right of Silent Runner. Look for the obvious gap in the roof with a small tree in it. Crux is pulling through the gap in the roof while fighting with the tree.

Experienced leaders have gotten a rude awakening on Sunset Sonata, which gets an old-school 5.8 rating in the DCA.  Sparse footholds for stemming make the dihedral a real workout. 

  Start in a blocky, overhung corner.  Move up to a ledge then right to a right-facing dihedral with a handcrack.  Climb the dihedral to the top.

Shallow, left facing dihedral at the far right end of this section of wall. Large detached flake wedged in place leads to obtuse dihedral guarded by hollow sounding flake.  Stem through corner to low angle bulge capped by pocketed easy roof. Lichened crack leads straight up or move left to ledge and up short headwall to trees.

 Because of dubious rock quality, this gem was top-roped by walking from previous route.

 Below this corner, down a tall step and through a foliage wormhole leads to Beauty and the Beast, Divinity Crack and the Deck Party area.

Alternate start to Anteater. Follow broken crack system in the face to the large ledge, finish on upper half of Anteater.

Rightmost climb on the Bunny Buttress.  Climb up the right side of the cave wall, then trend left to a ledge. Continue up through a notch to the top of Bountiful Barnacles.  Dont pull out the loose rocks!

Stem your way through a beautiful right facing dihedral and a leaning crack above. Great beginner leader route!

A bouldery start with very little protection makes the start of this climb interesting.  Boulder up past thin holds to a good horizontal.  Put in a bomber piece and breathe.  Continue up and right past horizontals and crimpy flakes to the base of a crack.  Jam and layback this pumpy crack to the top.

This section tends to have less crowds, but some of the finest routes at Sunset.  Don't miss Wind Walker (5.9), Blonde Ambition (5.7) and Train Time (5.10a).

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Protection

Routes in Sunset South