This storied route was my nemesis and a labor of love, bringing me back to Jailhouse intermittently for 3 seasons after I moved to Denver in 2009. Originally a decent but not-sought-after 5.13b from the early Jailhouse days until a vital glue-reinforced fin broke off in the early 2000's, Slammer transformed into a notoriously elusive 5.13+ and repelled many a jailhouse hardman for years. Finally, I believe in 2007, during Alex Honnold's blitzkrieg at the House, he unlocked the new crux and called it one of the hardest 5.13's he'd sent. Bay area crusher and erudite psychologist Ethan Schwartz repeated it the next year after months of attempts rating it 5.13d. I'm convinced now after the many belays we shared that Ethan's jedi-mind tricks were responsible for the obsession that consumed me the entire next season even to the point that I considered delaying our family's move back to Denver just so I could have one more season to send Slammer. In the end I needed 2 full years of Front Range power before I finally had the tools to put this one away.

In all honesty, Slammer would easily be a 4star route and my objective favorite at Jailhouse were it not for the ledge at 25 feet just after you leave Common Thug. The climbing that follows is truly brilliant and much more cerebral than the usual burly thuggery one encounters here at this grade. There is only one obligatory knee bar at the eighth bolt which allows for vital recovery and reconnaissance before the treacherous crux--a V9 past-vertical face boulder problem on devious side pulls, a bottle-cap crimp, and sloping pinches capped by a powerful reach from a miserable undercling sloper. Another 15 feet of hero moves on steeper blocky terrain takes you to the fixed chain anchors where you can finally clip and get on with your life.

Slammer

Enemy Combatant

Lethal Injection

Texas Illegal Activity

Misdemeanor

Overhaul

Uhaul

Insecurity

Death Sentence

The Juice

Flight Risk

Iron Throne

Burrito Supreme

Straight Jacket

Minimum Burrito

Three Strikes And You're Out

Common Thug

The Warden

Mother Lode

Chain Gang

[Redacted]

Smooth Criminal

Birdman

Conjugal Visit

Cell Block

Cuckoo's Nest

Violated

Flower Power

Statute of Limitations

Lock-Off

Rhumb Line

Hang Time

Toe to Toe

Treason

Le Mens Sauce

Anemia

Forced Entry

Haul of Justice

Felon

Capitol Punishment

Strange Ways extension

Tower of Power

Iron Junkie

Electric Chair

Kingpin

Supreme Being

The Shield

Death Row

Whipping Boy

Green Mile

Minimum Security75

Life Sentence

Burning Down the House

Fugitive

Soap on a Rope

Texas Seven

Lobotomy (aka McDevitt Route)

Jailbait

Pardon

Pulp Friction

Assassin

Line Up

Early Release

Alcatraz

Lolita

The Governor

Strange Ways

Full House

Hard Time

Skid Row

Start up Texas Seven and break right in the roof. Sustained to the anchor. Although the rock quality might not be the best jailhouse has to offer, It climbs really well!

Climb up a white pillar and embark on the steepness! long moves on a steep and juggy wall lead to a jug rest, then a bouldery crux. Save some energy for the top, it aint over and the fun has just begun! Extension is Gas Chamber (13c). Gets wet early in the season.

Starts up by the tree. Clip a short draw for the crux off the ground.

A thin, technical, desperate column leads to a blocky roof then steep climbing on big holds with a big pump with a surprise right before the anchors. Recommended to stick-clip the second draw.

Second extension to Haul of Justice that tops out the crag

An excellent climb. After the column, a bouldery, dynamic start with big moves on decent holds leads to a mellower, 5.11 headwall turning this into one of the taller and classic routes on the left side of the cliff.

The extension to Life Sentence. Bring your 80 meter rope and knee-bar pads. If you don't top out, lower from the 2nd or 3rd to last bolt to reach the ground with an 80 meter rope.

5.13d or 5.14a? Big moves and big holds lead to a grand finale. Has been described as slightly harder than Jailbait

Another quality shorter route on the left side of the Jailhouse. A steep start with long reaches between surprisingly good holds gets you to a nice, juggy rest at the fourth bolt. Head up and right, encountering the crux near the fifth bolt: a tricky sequence using lousy holds between sinker pockets. Catch a final rest at the sixth bolt before cranking over the bulge on positive crimps.

Decent route, and one of the easier ones at the Jailhouse.

Clip the first bolt of the right warm-up, and head up and right on good crimps and edges. Great rests at the fourth and fifth bolt set you up for the awkward/powerful crux sequence getting up to, and passed, the obvious undercling rail. Mantle up and right past the sixth bolt, and follow the crack system past one more bolt to the anchors.

do the crux of minimum security and head up into the burrito supreme crux at the fourth bolt. a great link up that flows better than minimum security. fun.

Three Strikes And You're Out is the extension to The Governor (or the second and final extension to Electric Chair). Three Strikes extends the climbing on these routes up through the awesome and exposed orange headwall to the top of the cliff providing for an epic 50 meter mega pitch. Though the moves aren't as difficult as those on The Governor or Electric Chair, the climbing is continuous and resistant, and adds a significant challenge if you are climbing close to your limit on The Governor.

The technical crux of Three Strikes comes at the first bolt in the form of a boulder problem utilizing a small crimp and some sidepulls. Boulder it out and then continue up on better holds through three more bolts of pumpy, sustained climbing, culminating in what is likely the redpoint crux - a series of long reaches between decent holds to reach a thank-god jug. From here, two more bolts protect the final 20 feet of easier climbing to the top.

For the full Jailhouse summit experience - highly recommended if you just redpointed - top out, untie, and walk off.

If you're working the route or prefer to lower from the last bolt, a 100m rope will get you to the ground in one lower and an 80m will get you there in two (pull the rope at the anchor for The Governor and then lower to the ground from there).

This cerebral route is the type you'll either love or hate. After 20 feet of straightforward downpulling, "Common Thug" traverses hard left into an overhanging, left-facing corner. Powerful underclinging, technical footwork, and general skullduggery will see you through to the anchor. The climbing is quite sustained, though there are multiple opportunities for creative rest stances.

"Common Thug" might seem like a bit of sandbag on an onsight attempt, but is actually a popular warm up for hard-persons who have it wired.

One of the least popular 5.13 routes at the crag. Fun juggy and very steep climbing with a few knees and 2 hard cruxes thrown in. Main detraction is you have to start on a tree (shares start with Lock Off), so belaying this one is not very comfortable. I was told to rodeo clip from a double knee bar before the redpoint crux, but found it better to real in the draw with a stiffy.

Taller climbers can reach the first bolt from the tree. Start on a very high jug right of the 1st bolt and do a pull up. Climbing up and left past the 3rd bolt (still in the vertical section) is a very reachy and difficult crux after which point Texas Seven merges in as an alternative start. Keep monkeying right (Enemy Combatant goes up) though the roof jugs to a double knee rest. Hard left hand throw to a sloping shelf will prove to be the heartbreaker crux at the end of the roof section. Easy finish gets a little damp from seepage.

9 bolts - all fixed with draws. Stays dry when a lot of the routes are wet. However, watch out for all the bird poop and poison oak at the base!

Foot cuts. Crimps. Big moves. Bouldery power route which isn’t super kneebarry. It’s what you want!

Start off with easy moves up a pillar to a short horizontal roof. Pull over the roof and move right with some difficulty due to lack of feet. Sequential moves lead to the fourth bolt where you must traverse right. These bad holds are the crux and lead to V slot, jug and a possible knee bar. One more clip and a series of amazing jugs leads to the anchor.

Start up a short vertical pillar to pull a small capped bulge.  From here work your way up the overhanging corner system to the anchors.

A nice crack takes you up the column with a few off balance moves to reach the third bolt. You can step right to clip up and catch a no hands rest. Fire through the awkward roof, either with power or kneebars to a pair of good holds.

Make a large reach to a large block out right. Climb on progressively smaller crimps culminating with a difficult move to the "Pentagon"  hold. Work up and left on bigger holds to a good rest (left pad helpful).

Get it all back and start up on the final crux. Work through the "Football" and the "Baby's Butt" and finally make the bump to a glorious right hand jug.

From here rest up and execute some easier but long reaches to the top. The anchors can be hard to clip.

The extension, Birdman of Alcatraz, goes through the wild roof above and is supposed to be quite fun!

Journey through a sea of blocks. Awesome movement, but a little greasy.

Probably the second easiest route at Jailhouse.

Unsurprisingly, a little harder than its neighbor, Warm-up 5.11c.

Starts on the same column as Pulp Friction but splits right into harder terrain. After the column, a bouldery V4 sequence with a sweet dyno leads to an even harder and more technical V7 boulder involving tricky knee-bar and a little imagination to get to the chains. Originally graded 5.13a but modern consensus puts it at 5.13b.

At the top of the column, go left into the roof to ascend one of Jailhouse’s hardest lines. 5.14b???

The short version of Full House, skips the Uhaul extension. It's about 13b/c climbing into a poor rest, into a ~V9 boulder.

Starts on warden 13b and goes right eventually finished on enemy combatant.

Second to last route on the left side of the cliff, located just right of Chain Gang. Second bolt is composed of  two, one short and one long, black ropes with carabiners. From there make awkward and spaced movements to the third bolt then veer right to meet up with Pulp Friction to get to the chains.

Start in the left side of the cave and scamper up some loose climbing to the base of the horizontal roof. Decipher the weird crux boulder and climb easier ground to a nice rest. Keep your power endurance for the top and finish left if your feeling soft, or go straight up for a longer ride

It’s been called the easiest 5.13a at the House, some might disagree. Bring some strong shoulders, get ready to boulder on a rope!

One of the better ones in the cave!  Start off the tree via hard moves. In fact, getting off the tree may be the crux. Left hand undercling pinch and a bad right hand narrow pinch, then do a hard front lever to get your feet on. Fun moves all the way to the top.

One hard crux. Located between Insecurity and Whipping Boy. Can be fun.

Steep climbing leads to a sprint right before the anchors on big, powerful, burly moves. A power-endurance test-piece.

Neat route, especially if you are into thin face-climbing. One of easier 5.12+'s at the Jailhouse.

Begin with a few crack/undercling moves with poor feet, climbing up to a nice no-hands rest right of the third bolt. Traverse up and left on small holds, making a reachy or quite powerful 4th clip. Crank through a series of small crimps with the help of some technical footwork. Ooze over the bulge and catch another great rest, level with the seventh bolt. Fire through one more cool boulder problem (bigger moves, bigger holds this time), and slab your way to the anchors.

Starts between The Juice and Haul of Justice and shares anchor with the Juice. Grade is approximate.

2 bolt extension to strange ways. A compression boulder leads to a deadpoint to a jug slot at the chains. Not sure about any of the route history

Not sure whether or not Flower Power is 5.14b or not? Do the left extension.

Really fun route, and one of the easiest of the "main area" climbs at the Jailhouse. Start on a pillar just to the left of a bush with red flowers that lives about ten feet up the wall. The crux is a short but bouldery sequence around the fifth bolt. Sustained climbing through three more bulges gets you to the anchors. Most of the holds are jugs, but there are a few tricky moves mixed in here and there.

A good route to help build the endurance and knee-barring proficiency that are critical on the harder routes at the Jailhouse.

Thin climbing up the column leads to an ok rest below the first roof. Sequential moves to the left lead over the roof to a good series of jugs.

Romp up jugs for a few clips to the awkward sit down rest that gives this route its name.

From here the holds deteriorate and you are faced with a short boulder problem culminating at a good sidepull. Catch your breath and launch into an underclings that sets you up for the crux.

Fire deep for a jug, or use some kneebar trickery and hold on until the anchor. The reaches are long but the difficulty eases in a few moves.

Y0u can keep going into the extension aka The Governor if you want more climbing.

no knee bars. good steep crimping fun. moonboarding on a rope.

Supreme Being is a really fun, bouldery route - probably my favorite of the "moderates" on the left side of the Jailhouse. Not quite as awkward, but perhaps a touch more difficult, than it's evil, right-trending twin, Burrito Supreme.

Supreme Being shares the first four bolts of steep, juggy terrain with Burrito. From the excellent rest at the fourth bolt, head up and left toward an inviting rail and a casual clip. Crank through the crux via sequence of big and/or crimpy moves to a hidden jug near the sixth clip. While the business is over at this point, the final fifteen feet of climbing to the anchors is fairly technical, and definitely nontrivial when pumped.

12+ to a boulder problem. Great stone on this one!

Right variation of Skid Row that finishes on roughly the same holds as Fugitive finishes

An interesting "moderate" near the left side of the Jailhouse. Start up the heavily chalked column, pulling a roof at the second bolt. A few crimpy moves lead into the crux sequence at the fourth bolt. Find the jugs and catch a huge rest at the seventh bolt. Fire the second crux - a technical traverse up, right and back left - before cruising easier, though slightly run-out terrain to the anchors.

The hardest line on the wall. “It’s like doing Flower Power twice.” Do the right extension to Flower Power.

A pretty cool variation of Insecurity; also an under-appreciated route. Starts as for Insecurity but heads left after the short column.

If there's a route where you want to put your kneepads to use, look no further. You can easily find a dozen knee bars on Life Sentence, if you know where to look. 17 seems to be the known record. Steep, enduro climbing in the center of the cave.

Start standing on top the pillar to the right of Fugitive

This is a classic Jailhouse power endurance route and a popular first 13a for many people here. It incorporates a little bit of everything, from technical sequences to big power throws and a perplexing sloping layback finish.

Classic at the grade for the area.

A ten foot 5.8-5.9 crack leads into a juggy overhanging pumpfest.

Might be 4 stars if holds didn't need to be epoxied on to prevent breaking.

surprisingly fun and different climbing in the cave. underrated! and surprisingly not super kneebarry, if you can dig that. thuggy moves to start it.  stick clip first and possibly second bolt for safety. a little grungy rock near the anchor.

Probably the easiest and least steep route at Jailhouse! That being said, it still overhangs a tad.

Climb the collection of blocks through fixed draws to an anchor. Rests are relatively easy to find.

This is a full value endurance 13c which isn't over until you ring the anchor bells. Start on the right of 2 parallel pillars and dial up for ever-steepening technical and powerful moves utilizing a few helpful kneebars along the way. A break on jugs and kneebars at two-thirds heighth gives way to another powerful 30 feet of business with little chance to catch your breath until the anchors. A final stand-up vertical lunge into a blocky undercling usually yields multiple obligatory redpoint whippers as most people skip the last draw on redpoint.

Start off with a weird undercling traverse left. Pull the lip to a rest, then get ready for some bouldery moves that end in a sustained section of (relatively) easier climbing. Stiff for the grade

A really good line that sees less traffic than it deserves. Starts right of Rhumb Line on the same column as Violated but takes the left route via some sweet moves to a powerful crux at the 4th bolt before linking up with Rhumb Line to get to the anchors.

A fun, bouldery route near the left side of Jailhouse. Pull a small roof at the second bolt, and head up and right into the thin crux sequence at the fourth bolt. Catch a rest after a short traverse to the right, and pull the final bulge to the anchors.

A Jailhouse Classic. One if the best at the cliff and definitely the best for the grade. Excellent moves and knees on this steep, endurance test-piece.

The Governor is the first extension to Electric Chair. It tackles the wild and exposed roofs above Electric Chair and features awesome steep climbing, technical kneebarring, and difficult cruxes on good rock.

From the anchor for Electric Chair navigate a boulder problem on crimps and small slopers up to a good rest in the first big roof. Downright classic steep-climbing moves lead out the roof and into an intricate but not-all-that-bad sequence up to and past a pair of blocky crimps and finally to another good rest in the second big roof. Camp out here and contemplate the crux looming above, which can be executed at least two entirely distinct ways. Pick your preferred method and wrestle out the roof and up past the last bolt. A few long reaches between good holds lead up to the anchor, where you can lower to the ground with an 80m rope, or better yet, continue up to the summit on Three Strikes And You're Out.

This route is a classic at the grade for Jailhouse and should not be missed.

This neglected routes is actually one of the better 5.12- routes at the crag. Chimney and stem up the corner to an obvious roof at the third bolt. Turn this roof on its left side using a couple of neat underclings, and snatch the jugs by the fourth bolt. Campus/traverse up and right on good holds but poor feet to a nice rest at the fifth bolt. At this point, you're through the crux, but a long, pumpy sequence of underclings separates you from the anchor. Definitely not over until you clip the chains!

hard move at 3rd bolt then easier but pumpy to the top. left kneepad helpful to make 3rd clip.

Start is left of Fugitive and breaks left (going right is Death Row (13c/d). Fun route which was recently rebolted. Characterized by thuggy and crimpy cruxes and not very “crawly” for what it’s worth (Knee category 2 or 3 out of 5 ;)) Do the extension to the next anchor for an extra grade. This is called Skiz Row.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Jailhouse Rock