Page Type: | Route |
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Lat/Lon: | 31.87117°N / 109.99443°W |
Route Type: | Trad Climbing |
Season: | Spring, Fall, Winter |
Time Required: | Half a day |
Rock Difficulty: | 5.10 (YDS) |
Number of Pitches: | 2 |
Barnyard Wall is the northwest facing wall of Sheepshead. It towers above the conventional gully descent of Sheepshead and therefore allows one to easily add a few pitches more of climbing to any of the longer west facing Sheepshead routes. Bruise the Rooster, 5.10-**, is a good starter of this group. Its first pitch leaves something to be desired, but the bolted 2nd pitch follows a cool arcing closed corner via excellent rock and neat movement.
When descending (or ascending) the gully between Sheepshead and Muttonhead, the routes start, left to right, fairly immediate on descent with Animal Husbandry, 5.10*, and Bruise the Rooster running parallel to each other. Further down the gully you find three longer routes, but still just two pitches apiece: Bantam of the Opera, 5.10+**, Great Pig in the Sky, 5.11-**, and Poultry Emulsion, 5.10**.
1st/ 2nd Pitches- 190’-5.10-/ Most competent leaders at the grade would combine these pitches but there is some rope drag if you do that as you climb through the crux near the top. The first pitch climbs a small right facing corner and flake system, placing gear until your first clip (crux of the pitch) which involves transitioning out of the corner to face climbing. Land a ledge above and fight a bush to continue up two bolts on an arete. Climb to the right of them and eventually finish up another right facing corner to the fixed rap. Continue up the bolts directly above (8 bolts) which lead into a closed slightly overhanging corner (crux of the route). Climb this steep section with fun rock and movement to the fixed rap.
Make two single rope raps to the ground.
60m rope. Single from #.1 to #2. Approximately 14 mix of draws and shoulder length slings to lead it as one pitch. NW facing.