Lizard King Arete is located left of Somewhere East of Fresno and Uff Da-hedral, look for the striking arete with bolts directly left of a very blank face.  Easy opening moves on bolts and gear lead to a 5.10 crack system.  Climb onto the arete and be the Lizard King.........

Lizard King Arete

Rocking Raspberries

Somewhere East of Fresno

Top Rope Slab

Not Yo-stemite

Paradise Lost

Middle of the Road

Cheap Seeking Missle

Weather or Not

R.I.P. Diagonal

Pre-Summer Special

Carl's Bad Caverns

Left Face of Eve

Dog Days of Summer

Tooty Fruity

Mohawk Overlooked

Original Sin

Uff-Da-Hedral

Mohawk Overdrive

Frosted Red Raspberry Pop Tarts

Bad Apples and Raspberries

Awk-Wierd Raspberries

Indian Summer

Pressure Drop

The Chameleons

Awesome mixed line to the left of the Lizard King Arete. Climb the blocky start to gain a double crack system that will lead you up to the bolt line.

This route is about 60 yards left (east) of the giant "free standing flake".  There is a very prominent buttress near the center of "Weather Watchers Wall".  A beautiful off-width and left facing corner pierce the center of the above mentioned buttress.  The crack feature is actually the route known as "Uff Da-Hedral" (beautiful crack and corner. "Rockin Raspberries" is on the right arete 15 feet right of "Uff Da-Hedral. 

  Locate a medium sized boulder below the right arete on the above mentioned buttress and belay there.  There will be a wide crack starting in the small chasm behind the belay boulder.  Some climbers enjoy this wide dirty crack.  Most others opt for the unprotected 5.8 one move wonder on the slab to the right of the grungy wideness.  The move is low-down and a larger cam can be placed as one moves up and leftward across the wide crack.  The first gear I generally place are a couple of wired nuts in opposition along a horizontal fracture just left of the wide crack about 30' up.  The gear in this section is your call. 

  Having dealt with the starting difficulties the climbing becomes more direct as you follow a thinner crack to the arete.  Upon gaining the arete a bolt and pin plus two more bolts protect the arete above.  There are some solid gear placements above the last bolt that are a bit difficult too place but will ease the mind once clipped into.  Rap or belay from the two bolt anchor at the top of the arete.  It is possible to climb onto any of several options for a second pitch to the summit.

In my opinion this is the finest single pitch Raspberry Rocks has to offer. I have climbed this pitch over 50 times myself. Locate a hand crack about 20' left of Pressure Drop. Climb this handcrack into a "V Slot" then start clipping bolts, move over the roof and start the finger tip liebacking alternating with some stemming. After the seventh bolt move right into an incipient finger and handcrack. At about 80' you will find the anchors. It is possible to climb the second pitch of Weather or Not (5.8 to the summit from this point.

This route ascends the slab just to the right of Not Yo-stemite. The arete to the left is on route.

Ten feet right of Somewhere East of Fresno is a short left facing dihedral with a bolt not far from the ground. Stem up this corner and test your ability to trust the brass. Move left at ledge to join Somewhere East of Fresno to finish. This route makes a nice top rope if you don't trust the brass.

I really enjoyed this Route!! Gear is bomber! No single stopper Crux just Sustained 9+ climbing through multiple roofs. Fingers to hands then back to small fingers.   Be wary of a hollow "flake" hold after the crack ends- not necessary to use to get to anchors.

Locate the large free standing flake just left of Weather or Not. There is a deep left facing dihedral behind this flake. Climb the hand and finger crack up the corner thru the bulge. Move into the finger crack on the right wall and follow to the summit. Rappel from the Weather or Not anchors (one 60m rope).

As you look up and left from "Original Sin" it is hard not to miss the giant inverted "V" formation. The right side has been bolted and is lower 5.12. This project is also known as "The Lieback From Hell". I have not tried it since 1993. I am planning on working it out this year. Needs some cleaning again. Very pumpy for granite. If you choose to try it prepare for an ass kicking of monsterous proportions.

There is a thin hands splitter in a shallow left facing corner about ten feet left of Somewhere East of Fresno. Climb this crack to the roof then move left onto the ledge. Continue up the right facing dihedral past the old bolts to a set of Metolius rap hangers (S.E.o.F. anchors). Hang a belay at this stance. The second pitch climbs the wider crack directly above then moves over a roof and follows a series of seams to the summit. There are bolted rap anchors at the top of this pitch located on a spike just below the summit. This is the finest 5.9 at Raspberry Rocks.

Climb the first pitch of Weather or Not to the ledge with a single bolt and hang a belay there.  RP Diagonal climbs the leftward diagonalling finger tip crack from this ledge to a set of anchor bolts. Rappel with two ropes to ground from anchors. The protection is difficult but solid on this route.

This route is just left of "Dog Days of Summer" and just right of "Indian Summer". Start up an open book between the above mentioned routes. After passing several bolts the left hand will find itself glued to the arete on the left. When the arete disappears a finger crack will appear. Follow the crack to another arete. Follow the bolted arete to the "Toaster Ledge".

Start the route by climbing up and around a large flake above the bolt line for Awk-Wierd Raspberries, past a tree, and down to a right facing dihedral with a hand/fist crack. Climb up this crack until near the end. Climb out left to the face on jugs and up to the anchors for pitch one. For pitch two head up and shoot for the gap in the roof above. Enter the cave and walk to the back. Chimney up through the cave to the top. The anchors are to the left as your facing the wall or to the north. The climb can be done in one pitch with lots of rope drag as both pitches wander a bit. The climbing is very easy at the top so it isn't a huge problem.

Great finger locks bring you to a stout roof!(crux)Short sling your pro under/at roof to avoid rope drag. It's not over yet!! After you pull the roof  work through the delicate finger tips crack to the anchor.

This route is the first route you will encounter as you hike the boulderfield to the east, below Weather Watchers Wall.  This route is located about 150' left of the southwest corner of Weather Watchers Wall. Locate a large ledge known as "The Toaster", about 80' up from the base of the wall. There are three one pitch routes leading to The Toaster Ledge. This route is the right most. There are a number of bolts on this pitch. The opening moves are quite attention getting up a smooth fin. Make sure to ditch the 2" cam for your first gear, clip the 1st bolt, then place more gear, then clip another bolt, once again place gear, then clip more bolts as you near The Toaster. There are a couple sets of anchors on The Toaster. As with many routes at Raspberry Rocks this one offers great diversity plus offering some very interesting liebacking and face climbing. The overall visual appearance of this climb is quite deceiving and somewhat non-descript for this symetric cleaved crag. A must do pitch. It is possible to climb a second pitch from The Toaster Ledge to the summit.

This is the line of bolts immediately left of Cheap Seeking Missile. A compression start goes into a decent rest before the crux. Stem up as high as possible between two seams then pounce to the jug. Easier face climbing trends out left, finishing on 'Endless Days of Summer'. Ending mantle is a little spooky because we didn't want to retro the other route. Clipping bolts 2 and 3 can be hard.

Technical crux is at the horizontal finger crack leading to straight on dehideral climbing. A large stopper protects this move. Physical crux is having the stamina to get through layback at top.

A short distance left of "Middle of the Road" is a left facing dihedral. Just left of this dihedral is a beautiful straight in finger crack in a very shallow left facing corner that begins about 15' above the talus. Pitch 1, 5.9:  Climb this finger crack until it disappears. Now you will find a thin hand crack just to the right. Continue to a set of anchors at the bottom of the second pitch. Pitch 2, 5.10d: Move up and right along a hand crack that pierces the tiered roof. Rappel from the "Weather or Not" anchors (two-90'rappels). The first pitch is very worthy. The second pitch is quite strenous and very airy.

I believe this is one of the best routes on the wall, and definitely one of the top 2 pitch routes in the hills. If you are in the area get on it! You will not be disappointed. Great exposure. 

 Pitch 1 (90')***: Climb the hands/offwidth crack that runs dead vertical. Be sure you have your stacks down for this one. You can also get away with bringing less large gear and getting protection deep in the crack. Bolted Anchor.

 Pitch 2 (95')****: From the ledge climb up on top of a large sharp flake and begin this amazing steep hand crack dihedral. Tons of rests and great gear. Bolted Anchor.

 Descent: Rappel route.

Climb up the crack passing the roof on the right side as you enter the hanging dihedral. Stem, lieback and jam up the thin crack (crux) in the corner. Continue up the crack to a ledge. Bear hug your way past a couple of bolts to the summit. Be prepared to test your gear placing skills while under pressure.

This is the second pitch above Dog Days of Summer. Start by face climbing past a couple of bolts into a finger crack. Lieback this bottoming crack past some bolts to a roof. Move up to a bolt and follow flakes to the summit. Jim Schlicter claims this to be one of the best routes in the Black Hills. "Get U Some!"

This route follows a leftward trending (doglegged) finger crack in a corner just left of "Middle of the Road". This route can be a variation to the first pitch of "Original Sin". The pitch ends at the anchors for the first pitch of "Original Sin". A nice pitch.

To locate this route wander to the east along the base of Weather Watchers Wall through the talus past the "large free standing flake" just below and left of Weather or Not. Continue moving east about 50 yards until a short bolted seam line appears.  This route starts just right of a shallow right facing dihedral.  The climbing begins directly out of the talus.  The route consists of difficult liebacking plus offers iron cross type movement.  Move left a bit at the fourth bolt for the 5.11 variation which is the more popular version on this route.  There is a direct variation that can be climbed between the fourth and fifth bolts and checks in around 5.12a/b.  Unfortunatly the crux foothold on the direct seems to get smaller every year.  The direct version was the way the first ascentionist originally redpointed the route.  The finishing moves will keep your attention.  Short but worthy.

This route has a more disinctive appearance than Dog Days of Summer and can be located about 12' to the left. Look for shallow left facing corners with a couple of bolts up higher. Start by liebacking up the right side of the flake moving left to a ramp then back right into the first left facing dihedral. I plan on adding a bolt on the ramp as I have never gotten solid gear to protect this section (5.7). Likewise other climbers have commented about the danger getting to the point where good gear can be placed. Be certain to make every placement count on this climb (pg-13). This route offers the standard fare of diversity offered on most climbs here.

About 15' left of Indian Summer is a left facing dihedral that leads to The Toaster. The route may be a bit loose and dirty. Thr climbing consists mainly of stemming and finger crack.

This wall is the main wall at Raspberry Rocks. It faces west/northwest. There is a substantial boulder field below this wall. Near the center of this wall is a giant tiered overhang. This wall is home to the majority of the routes at Raspberry Rocks. This is one of the steepest and longest walls we have in the Black Hills. There are a number of corners, aretes, cracks and overhangs on this wall. There are no other cliffs in the Black Hills that are so symmetrically cleaved. This area is similar to Index Town Walls in Washington State or many of the crags in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. Most routes have fixed anchors for rappel purposes. This cliff is in the shade in the morning and gets sunshine after 2:00PM during the summer. Several routes not to be missed are Rocking Raspberries 5.9, Somewhere East of Fresno 5.10c, Indian Summer 5.10c, Frosted Red Raspberry Pop Tarts 5.10d, Left Face of Eve 5.11b and The Horn Route 5.10b.

Description

Protection

Routes in Weather Watchers Wall