Shake, Rattle, and Roll
5.8 PG13 trad · 3 pitches · 500 ft · ★☆☆☆
Route 5 of 19 from left to right on Solar Slab - Lower Tier, with Solar Flare on its left and Corona on its right. Solar Slab - Lower Tier has 19 routes, from 5.4 to 5.10b/c; 9 are harder, and 3 others are the same grade.
First ascent: Tom and Rick
Description
This is less of a spray to climb this route but more of a cautionary tale to avoid the rockfall debris from the May 2021 event. We found the objective danger to be manageable but I figured I would make this entry as a word of caution. From the pitch 5 anchor of Solar Flare, climb another 60 feet to yet another bolted anchor with tat on a big flat ledge. Look straight ahead and up and there is an attractive looking corner. At one time this was probably decent climbing but now it is covered in rockfall debris. P1 5.5: Climb to above mentioned corner and build an anchor right when the corner starts to get good (hand crack). Look up to see some death blocks peering down from the the top of the dihedral. P2 5.8 PG13: Instead of climbing the attractive corner, traverse straight right out onto the face towards the big scrub oak. Climb crispy slab with no pro until the difficulty eases way off. Climb past a second scrub oak and you will start to see the Going Nuts and Solar Slab area. Peak over to the top of the attractive corner to confirm that death would have been likely if you climbed to the top of that thing and pulled on the wrong block. Stop at a nice flat stance at the base of a finger crack and build a belay. (alternatively, instead of climbing the following described pitch, you can keep traversing to the top of going nuts; I did this many years ago and I remember it being hell. Not recommended at all) P3 5.8: This pitch is actually pretty good climbing. Climb up the finger crack (crux) and pull over into easier terrain. Follow the wide crack (no wide gear or wide technique required) until you reach a large flat ledge. You are now back on Sunspot Ridge. Why didn't you just climb Sunspot ridge instead? If the rockfall debris ever cleaned up, this would be an adventurous, ok variation but why with Sunspot right next to it?
Location
From the pitch 5 anchor of Solar Flare, climb another 60 feet to yet another bolted anchor with tat on a big flat ledge. Look straight ahead and up and there is an attractive looking corner. That's what you are aiming for.
Protection
nothing special
Access
The 13-mile Scenic Drive requires a timed-entry reservation October to May and has seasonal gate hours. Calico Basin and Kraft Mountain sit outside the Scenic Drive and need no reservation.
Wet rock: Aztec sandstone loses much of its strength when wet. Do not climb for at least 24 to 48 hours after rain or snowmelt, or holds break off and routes are permanently damaged.
More routes on Solar Slab - Lower Tier
- Some handcrack 5.7+
- Solar Slab Gully 5.4
- Tan Line 5.7
- Johnny Vegas 5.7
- Dubious Flirtations 5.10b/c
- Sandstone Overcast 5.8 C1
- Marble Madness 5.10 PG13
- Beulah's Book 5.9
- Corona 5.10a
- Frieda's Flake 5.9
- Certain Air 5.10b/c
- Some fingercrack 5.10
- Horndog 5.8
- Solar Flare 5.10-
- Beulah's Arete 5.7
- The Pamphlet 5.8
- Walking on Sunshine 5.10b
- Sunburn 5.7