Alloy Madness is the fourth bolted route from the left. It is comprised of a short 50' pitch and a longer crux pitch, or a single route. The first pitch is also good just by itself.

Fire up through a bouldery overhang past 2 bolts 5.9 continue over a small lid to the anchors. Belay or continue...

Follow a thin seam 5.9 until the bolts veer right. Traverse right under a small roof with a long reach (10d) leave a long sling, and regain the seam. Climb balancy moves (5.10) up until the angle eases off. Belay at the anchors.

Rap 90' to the mid anchors, or use 2 ropes and go to the ground.

Alloy Madness

Slab-a-dab-a-doo

Double Hung

High Seas

Welcome to Dystopia

Fire Widow aka Gypsies in the Palace

Walk the Plank

Void Where Prohibited

Maiden Head

Port Side

Repeat Offender

High Seas starts off of the upper ledge, right next to a lone tree.  Moderate 5.10 moves lead to the steeper headwall.  The second half of the route is charaterizated by high steps, thin holds, and difficult to read crux moves.

You can rap 100 feet to the 4th class ledge system.

Not a bomb... but not a star....

To the right of the main section of the Ironsides exists a moderate route with some weird slab moves. The route can be climbed with just the bolts, but a few placements make it safe, and make the crux more comfy.

Climb the slab past 2 roofs with a couple moves of 9 around the first roof, and move of 10- past the second. I remember placing a good piece at the second crux. Clip one last bolt, and veer right to the anchor.

80' rap.

This is a nice moderate route on good rock right of the trad route that is right of Slab-a-dab-a-doo. It makes a good warmup for the harder climbs, being steeper than

Gypsies in the Palace

(the first pitch of

Fire Widow

), and it would fit in well with a day of moderate pitches including the 6 trad at the far left,

Gypsies in the Palace

and the first pitch of

Alloy Madness

.

The climb starts just left of the gully and angles gently left over several bulges. There's one particular hard move about half way up. Seemed harder than the 5.8

Gypsies in the Palace

and seemed harder to me than the 5.9 first pitch of

Alloy Madness

(whose crux overhang off the ground seems easy for me). So 5.9 seems about right.

This is the next route right from

Fire Widow

. Begin climbing from the ledge, and pull a bouldery move past the first bolts (5.9). continue up the slab with a thin seam to the headwall. Climb past two 5.10 sections on the headwall, and belay at the anchors.

Rappel with two ropes, or swing to the right 85' to reach the anchors on

Alloy Madness

.  A single 60m will JUST barely make it to the ledge that you can downclimb.  If you forget knots, you will get hurt!

This is the 2nd farthest left bolted route on the Ironsides. According to the Gillett guidebook, it was originally bolted as Gypsies in the Palace, which is the 5.8 section up to the first anchors. It was finished by a later party to the top of the wall. As with the other routes on this wall, the bolts are sparse but where you need them. Bring 2 ropes or rap to the mid-anchors, approximately 150 feet total.

The first "pitch" takes you up the low angled slab until the overlap. This is slightly run out 5.8. A few small pieces can be placed to relieve stress.

Pull up onto the hanging headwall on thin holds 5.10, and fire up through the crux (10c) on underclings and crimps (height helps). I climbed this prior to the guidebook coming out and recorded it in my notes as being a little harder.

This is a newer route, on the left side of the cliff, left of

Port Side

.  It has brown hangers.  It ascends a short, steeper start, then it slabs out.  The crux is probably in the upper parts around the 5th bolt or so.  It might feel a bit runout for the 5.7 leader.

This is the furthest right route on Ironsides and is actually detached from the main Ironsides formation. It ascends the slightly overhanging wall to the right of "

Unknown Right of Slab-a-dab-a-doo

". I recall 5 bolts, but the third is missing its hanger and the second is a thin-threaded spinner (hence the PG-13). I used a 3" cam for the missing hanger, and its placement was adequate (so I understand why someone removed it).

The Gillett guide rates this 11a, but I would say 10c (it didn't feel like 11 to me). I only posted this route due to the big spinner and the missing hanger - also, it feels overrated, so give it a go!

Start on a little ledge above and left the rest of the wall, climb through easy holds with occasional smaller feet.

This is a thin crack with plenty of face holds around it.

Bouldery start is more difficult for shorter folks. A bit of runout from the last bolt to the anchors on friction moves.

Description

Protection

Routes in Ironsides