Big Bird

“Big Bird” (5.10+) is a link up of Sesame Street and Demian, via a 5.10 traverse, that tops out the Hanging Gardens wall. This is a beautiful pitch, on nice textured basalt and up great hand and finger cracks.

Pitch 1: 5.8-5.11a Start out on any of the climbs from Hanging Gardens (5.8) to Fun in the Mud (5.10c). My preferred start is up Fun in the Mud, then cut left after the roof, and climb the From Something to Nothing crux, and go left along dirty ledges to the Bolt/Piton belay at the top of Mr. Potato head, just below the Sesame Street ledge.

Pitch 2: 5.10+ From the piton belay, climb up the left crack of the triangular block that starts Sesame Street, near the top of Sesame Street, climb up and right along the arete (don’t stop at Sesame Street’s top anchor’s ledge) until you reach a nice hold at the confluence of the arete and the roof. Clip the lone bolt and traverse right until you reach the roof at the crux of Damien, and continue up this amazing forgotten gem of a handcrack. This pitch is strenuous, slightly overhanging, and has an awesome old school trad feel with some of the best positioning at Broughton Bluff.

It is possible to climb it all in 1 pitch with a 70m, however be aware of the ledge fall potential with rope stretch while climbing through upper Sesame Street. Long slings and strategic placements would be needed to mitigate ledge fall hazard and rope drag.

We replaced the old anchors at the top of Damien, which had been rusted out and unusable. There are now 2 ASCA ½ inch bolts with mussy hooks, which allows a quick lower off to the ground. It takes a FULL 70m rope to have both ends on the ground. You can also do the climb as a walk-off, by clipping the anchors and continuing to the set of 4 (1 is a spinner) sport rappelling bolts 10 ft back from the edge of the cliff. If climbing with a 60m you will either need to walk off, or lower to the Sesame Street ledge, then rappel.

100' feet up on the upper walls of Hanging Gardens. If you hike up the trail to the split to go to Hanging Gardens or Red Wall, and look up, it is the highest, most impressive face that goes to the top of the wall.

Gear .3-2, doubles in .5-1 recommended, up to 8 quickdraws depending on your start pitch