The Scoop, 5.10c, 5 Pitches

Overview/Approach

The Scoop features one of the more interesting hanging chimney pitches at Red Rock.  As with many of the remote sandstone climbs at Red Rock, only the hardy need apply.  The FAer’s are grading this route 5.10c.  However, the 5.10 climbing is limited to three short problems throughout five pitches of climbing.  The first pitch begins below a “diving board” (the key objective to locate the start of the route- photo) and climbs a relatively chossy right facing corner through a chimney formed by the before mentioned diving board.  The second pitch is a “garbage” pitch to get you below the main, well varnished, wall above.  You are trending right as you work your way up to the next ledge system and looking for a right facing corner directly below the scoop (beta photo) that represents the namesake of the route and the 5^th and final (best) pitch.  

Where ever you chose to park, legally at Black Velvet’s trail head or improperly at Bonnie Springs (2018), you must make your way to the next lower flanking wall to the north of Mustang Cracks.  Mustang Cracks along with other routes in this alcove below Mustang Peak, represent the next climbing area of Red Rock NCA to the west of the Monument.  Parking at Black Velvet’s trail head, you circumvent the Monument to the northwest, staying low on the desert floor.  If you keep tracking the north face of Mustang Peak, you end up below Mustang Cracks.  For the Scoop, continue further west without ascending all the way to Mustang Cracks, and traverse the northern slopes to a more forward (north) wall at the very base of the northern end of the Mustang formation.  The scoop (beta photo) can be seen from the north on this wall.  The “diving board” (beta photo) becomes apparent when you get to the base of this wall.  The start is not obvious to access this corner that leads through the diving board.  There is a short, darkly varnished, closed corner just to the right below the diving board.  Climb this and traverse left into the obvious corner  There is a fixed rap station at the top of this corner (large ledge system).

Route Description

1st Pitch - 125’-5.8/ As before mentioned, start in the closed dark varnished corner below and to the right of the diving board.  Traverse left into the right facing corner with the diving board feature and climb to the top of this wall to a fixed rap. 

2nd Pitch- 150’-5th/ Scramble up to the next ledge system.  Angle up and right to below the right facing corner below the “scoop”. 

3rd Pitch- 75’-5.10/ Do not start in the obvious corner proper up and left.  Rather, start down and right via a cruxy move off the deck.  Protect with a wire in a thin mossy shallow left facing corner and make a high step move at the grade up to better fingers.  Continue trending up and left into a wide right facing corner that is mostly a C4#4 size crack (5.8-5.9).  Climb good rock (the first of the route) up to a small ledge with a fixed rap below a small roof.

4th Pitch- 100’- 5.9/ Pull the small roof on delicate holds via an athletic move and follow the wide corner (still of the C4#4 size) as it leads you into a bushy and loose alcove below the obvious hanging chimney that forms the left side of the “scoop”.  There is a tree (half dead) with a large stone that fell on it (2018) that makes for a belay.

5th Pitch- 115’-5.10/ What you came for.  Burrow up into the chimney.  Protect the wild exposed traverse out of the chimney by climbing up into the bowels and placing a bomber C4#1 at a constriction, one that can be reached once you pull out and start climbing the hands crack corner.  Lean your upper body against the outer wall and make a wild move or two up and left finding positive hands on a ramp.  Make a step up to a hands crack that passes the C4#1 to the outside.  Move it up and out of way of the rope (or the rope will walk your cam)  and continue up this corner crack with good hands which lead to face assisted C4#5 off width to a fixed hanging rap out right.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

The top fixed rap is set for double 60m ropes for the cleanest pull and most efficient descent.  However, we climbed it with a single 70m rope and slung the tree below the hanging chimney.  I have rapped off much worse, but many “modern” climbers would be appalled at rapping off this tree.  In either account, rap back to the fixed rap atop pitch three and then one single rope rap down from there to the large ledge.  Walk back skiers right and rap off a slung medium to small tree at the edge.  Single rope rap down to another bushy ledge, then bushwhack skiers left down to the top of pitch one and locate the fixed rap atop that pitch.  70m single just makes it down this rap.

Essential Gear

70m rope or doubles (see descent description).  Single rack to C4#5. A few small to medium wires for the third pitch.  If not experienced at the grade, double up from C4#2 through #5.  Helmets advised as this is a new sandstone route (2018).  Good shade in September allowing for a warm weather climb although the approach will be warm, at least for the millennial crowd.