An amazing splitter crack on the upper headwall, hard to miss walking up.

Climb the crack, build and anchor then rap a route in the hostess gully or walk off and downclimb into the Crack House.

Southern Rock Opera

One for Matt

Unknown

Get Your Fixe

Blind Pig

Twinkie

Fruit Filling

El Castleton

Zinger

Cup Cake

Earth Muffin

Das Boot

Slab Happy

Fruit Pie

Numbshull

Ho Ho

It Takes Two

Patina Atoll

Piece of Cake

Hot Sticky Bun (P1)

Red Rib

Three Bits

Between Heaven and Earth

Country Western Ballad

Honeymoon in Almo

This incredible and bizarre route starts with a ramp to an angled dihedral and then heads up to a lip edge where the fun begins.  Puzzle through a continuous series of fascinating crux moves along the lip of a left-leaning rib, figuring out when it's best to move on top of the lip and when it's best to hang below it.  This rib lip area has scattered patina plates with a lot of blank sections.  Standing above the lip tends to be blank for hands.  Near it's end, exit right and head up to an easy crack section and finish with a thin slab/face move.

An obvious crack feature that doesn't have many crack moves on it.  Stem and puzzle your way to the chains. Engaging!

Pitch 2 is bolted climbing.

The route feels like 5.9+ with no scary crux moves.

From the belay anchors at the start of 13b, stem up to the bolt line that starts deeper in the gully. Follow the bolt line to a really fun finish high on the wall.

Start on the large boulder for Honeymoon in Almo. The first crux (5.9/10) is pulling over the small roof at the second bolt. The route curves left until a second small roof, then moves back slightly right. A small cam is nice for protecting the roof move since you're 15 feet out from the last bolt; although the move isn't too difficult. Climb the smooth friction face above (5.10a) to a bolt and to the chains. Rope drag can be a bit of a problem. Sporty bolt placements. From the chains a 70 M rope will just make it to the starting boulder (with rope stretch). 60 M will require a little down climbing.

This route is located to the left of the start of Zinger.  The need for some trad gear makes this route interesting.  Follow a few bolts and place gear in the thin cracks until you hit an anchor.  A fun outing...

This is a 3rd pitch variation to Fruit Pie 5.8.  The crux is the face climbing before the crack.  The crack climbing is in the 5.8-5.9 range and leads to the top.  Gear may be needed for the top.  Rap Zinger with one rope to get down. An enjoyable route with some loose rock on easy terrian.

Find a way up to the lone bolt and start of the obvious left trending crack line.  The original line starts below the chockstone following a left trending line of good climbing up to the first bolt.  Alternatively, some people either start from the top of the chockstone and climb straight up on not so good rock or follow a line of unprotected edges coming in from the left.  After clipping the bolt, pull into the crack and follow it's elegant arching line until near the top where you jog up and a little right to the anchors.

Follow the bolt line through 2 overlaps (5.9) to a small stance about 2/3 the way up the wall.  Use the optional belay or continue up the bolt line (5.7) to the top anchors.

This route is located on the west side of Castle Rock and is the second bolted route on the west side gully.  The start is in a group of manhogany trees.

This route consists of three pitches of 5.7-5.8 face climbing that is well protected.  Nothing too exicting,  but a fun outing to the top of the formation.  Rap the route with a single 60M.

Fun climb on featured rock. Runout in places. Supplemental gear possible. Rap with 2 ropes. Pull rope from boulder away from cliff base

Early crux. Technical start to a roof pull, the rest of the route is probably 5.9. Long and similar quality to redtail.

Mixed route with two bolts near the ground then work your way up intermittent cracks keeping an eye out left for the last bolt on a nice looking face. Climb past the bolt to the anchors.

Follow the bolt line up the obvious slab, step across the top of the large flake and continue up steeper easy patina to the anchors.

This is one of the first routes on the west side gully on Castle Rock. There are 3 pitches with each being ~ 100 ft long. The 3rd pitch leads left to join the 3rd and last fixed anchor on Zinger. A harder variation for the 3rd pitch (Fruit Filling - 5.10c) goes straight up the bare granite face above the 2nd anchor and into a wee crack and leaning corner that require gear.

The first pitch angles up and right through two small roofs. The 2nd pitch is easy face climbing on granite.  The 3rd pitch arcs left from the 2nd anchor to join the 3rd and last anchor on Zinger.

Rap x3 with one 60M rope.

Next line left of Red Rib, chimney up to first bolt or climb up slab to the left and into gully below first bolt. Not as traveled as Red Rib but worth the while.

This route is located to the left of Zinger and Twinkie on the west side of Castle Rock.  Face climb straight up the face on thin crimps to the anchor.  You will see a small arch above you.  May be easy for the grade.

Excellent route well protected and recommended.  A wee-bit hairy getting to the first bolt so be careful and nothing bad about the climb unless you do it on a hot afternoon in the summer!

Pitch 1: Flakes and cracks for 120'.

Pitch 2: Crack in right-facing corner.

A safe route with a roof pull down low (on surprisingly tricky holds). Above is more fun, classic Hostess Gully goodness. Bolted anchor

Pitch 2 is a 12c I haven't attempted.

Red Rib is a long, beautiful, single pitch route (~200 feet--you'll need two ropes to descend safely) up the SW ridge of Castle Rock. Great position and good exposure are it's strongest points. The crux is right off the ground but the climbing remains interesting and in the 5.9/10- range for most of the first ~150'. From here, it's an easier romp to the anchors.

This route is a full 60 meter rope length.

The bolted line left of "Honeymoon in Almo." Fun and varied climbing with good rests in between moves.

A long sport climb just left of It Takes Two.

Start out with a couple easy slab moves to a small roof/bulge with a bolt. Continue straight up on perfect rock for another 100' to a bolted anchor. Rap with two ropes.

Arete climbing at its best!

This beautiful feature holds a series of cryptic edges and blunt arete pulling. Make your way up through some sequential crimps until you're forced up onto the juggy headwall and, bam, you're home free.

The route is the highest route in the gully on the west side of Castle Rock.  Approach from the south side trails.  This one is a real gem!!!

Follow a clean plate of patina with very thin edges.  Hard mantles, crimping, and high steps lead up and left to a set of anchors.  One of the best routes on the west side.

Southern Rock Opera

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Hostess Gully - West Corridor