The corner that runs up between the steep and the slab wall seems to have seen some climbing in an ancient time. I sent it on toprope while checking it out but it is hard to know if it ever led free. It was filthy and choked with vegetation when I found it but if someone had given it some time it could have gone free a while back. if anyone has any info about the history let me know and I will update this. For now the first half is clean and will remain so as it is used in the first half of Natural Born Killers. 

Mystery Crack

Natural Born Killers

Kestral

Lifeblood

Kissing and Killing

Flight of the Escobird

Shriek

Shrike

Bound to be a classic, it might be hard to get to the top of this route without a wide grin across your face. A wonderful variety of climbing styles that bounce back and forth between aesthetic challenge and purely fun movement. Add to that a stunning position and beautiful stone. Go see for yourself. Oh and it can stay dry in a light rain!Make a couple of moves up and left past the first bolt situated on the left side of the slab wall. Make moves into the crack and follow this layback crack for about 40 ft. This climbing is fun and aesthetic but not too challenging. About halfway up the wall you will see the bolts heading up the steep orange wall. Exiting the layback onto the steep face is one of the cruxes of the route. A very thin and long move is rewarded with hero jugs to make your clip and establish yourself on the face. Follow cracks until the bolts direct you once to exit the known and quest into the final crux. Crimp your way to the anchor at the top of the cliff and lower off while taking in the spectacular surroundings. 

This was the first sport route climbed at The Nest. A mix of climbing on edges and incuts, features, and a little bit of thin face/friction. Route-finding will prove to be much of the challenge. The line zigs and zags and eventually, just after pulling the technical crux, pulls through a small roof to an upper slab and the pigtail anchor. This and the left hand line, Shrike, climb very differently but both back a really fun punch. 

Anyone who gazes upon this section of rock will find it beautiful and intriguing. Lifeblood is  technical, powerful and puzzling all in equal measure. It holds some of my favorite face climbing moves I’ve ever done. It was a great test of my route development skill set and it wasn’t so easy to climb once I had it equipped either. Please enjoy it. It is one of my favorite routes at Russell. The majority of the route climbs a stunning 15 degree overhanging orange wall. Some difficult (to figure out and to execute) moves between bolts 2 and 4 get you in the mode. There is a notch-ledge to the left about halfway through the steep climbing which offers either a good shake or a no hand rest depending on how you play it. I went with a full ledge rest on the FA so don’t be shy to milk it if you need it. After resting up move down and over to the right into an undercling and tackle the rest of the steep climbing. After an absolutely excellent sequence of moves it will become apparent that you need to move left to the arete… but where to do it? Once on the arete climb along it reaching over right to clip one last bolt on the face before committing to, and continuing up, the slab for a short way to the anchor. 

Devilishly tricky and deceptively steep. You might not want to judge this one by initial appearances. I mean, it is a slab but when I first looked at it I was thinking super casual, maybe 5.8 and instead it makes you earn your 5.10. After stick clipping the first bolt puzzle your way through a minefield of balance, smears, hidden holds and other pitfalls. it really isn't over until you reach the top. Have fun!

Stick clip recommended for the first bolt. Then climb up to the stance below the first bolt before clipping the second bolt and making a cruxy traverse to the right gaining the arete proper. The crux continues for a few moves up the arete. At the 3rd bolt the climbing mellows a little but stays interesting right to the anchor. I thought it was a hard 5.8 but a few people have suggested 5.9 so vote if you climb it so we can come to a consensus.

After climbing Shrike clip a long runner to the anchor and pull a few powerful and delicate moves over the roof and onto a nice cruise to the upper anchor. A full value addition to the lower slab. Do it if you think you've got the gas in your tank. 

The queen slab line of the crag. This is the left of the two routes up the main slab wall. Pretty straight forward in one way, following the bolts. And pretty darn tricky in another way, figuring out the puzzle that connects them. Shrike finishes at the anchor below the roof for anyone who isn't in the mood for getting steep. But for the full experience continue up the extension, Shriek. 

This is a delightful little nook that is about 100 ft above the east gully trail and about 100 ft below the right end of the Alchemy Wall. It's perhaps a little inconvenient to get to or perhaps a nice way to get away from the masses... For now. I fully expect this out of the way hidey-hole to become quite popular. There are a handful of routes open right now, a hard closed project and room for a couple more lines at some point. Slabs and steeps with grades from 5.9 to 5.11+ (though the project will kick that up considerably when it goes).Care should be taken concerning a few things. The access, either rappelling in from Alchemy or ascending the dirt gully require skills that might not be in every sport climber's repertoire. Be careful out there and seek instruction if needed. When leaving The Nest, rappelling the fixed line is rerecommended. Also, as the Alchemy Wall sees more traffic there is a danger of items falling from above, down into The Nest. Might want to wear a helmet. 

 

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Location

Protection

Routes in The Nest