Though provoking, technical climbing on beautiful rock. Start on small holds, work to the right and crimp up the weakness to the chains.

Safety Goggle Sexy

Backflip

Turbo Science

Beerless

Lichen the Roof

The Swamp Princess

Jacob's Ladder

Hard Case

The Great Eye

Kangaroo Courts

Gone Commando

B Job

Fearless

Fall Mixture

Pancakes and Syrup

This is the middle route on a wall that looks very similar to the Dead Dog wall at Sams Throne. Begin on thin crimps, work right and then back left following the weakness to the chains.

Easy dihedral steepens to a roof, head right and lower off the chains on Beerless.

A direct start to the glorious finger crack splitter on fearless. Two bolts protect the tricky start, but both of these are original 1.4 inch bolts and need to be replaced.

Excellent face climbing leads you to a tricky crux before a ledge. Mantle the ledge and clip the chains.

Layback a shallow 5.8 dihedral to chicken heads on a lichen covered face. Climb up to a ledge, plug a cam into the roof crack and make a big reach to a good hold, and use a horizontal hand jam to pull the crux mantle before the chains.

Start the route by hoping onto the blunt arete a bit left of the low first bolt and hand traverse right into a mantle up into the gulley.  Pull the roof and climb the face on plates and beware anything damp looking to the left. A good warmup.

Pull an overhanging jug/heel-hook start to low stance. Newer leaders can pre-clip the bolt on Hard Case for to protect the start if desired. Using hand jams and face holds work up the crack to a ledge and bolted anchors. Good pro is available throughout.

Heel-hook jug crux start leads to enjoyable jug hauling. Shares anchor with Jacob's Ladder.

Tough move off of the deck, reachy move through the crux, then dirty sloping top-out to anchors.

Stick-clip the first bolt and launch into a leftward angling boulder problem for the first 15' feet of the route then cruise fun edges to a sloping ledge with one more bolt above the small roof and a move or two to the anchors.

Step off the boulder and work up the flake. Fire up the face on smears and jugs (crux?) to reach the base of the roof and a good rest. Then go commando to the chains.

 Not sure of difficulty, reachy getting to the notch.

This short crack features powerful laybacking, a tough undercling traverse, and 10+ fingers. In my opinion this is the best route at Tombstone. Layback a left-facing dihedral to a roof, move left to a rest, and pull into the short sectionn of fingers.

Start in the low dihedral and climb up and right out onto a black plate covered face with a few breaks. Not equipped for lowering, but you can grab your gear from the top on your way out. Punchier climbing than it looks.

 From the last bolt straight up to the chains might be low 5.10, avoid this by moving to the left then back right to the chains.

Sustained climbing on a gently overhanging wall. Start on delicate crimps and pull past the second bolt. Crimp through one more difficult section up to the chains.

The Tombstone is the most remote and obscure crag in the Cowell Region. It is perfect for those trying to escape the masses at HCR or Sams. The name comes from a small cemetery that is located near the parking area above the cliffs. Until recently, most of the routes were traditional climbs established in the early 1990’s. Now there are several new sport and trad lines that make Tombstone a great area for a small group or a weekend trip. Also note, a high clearance vehicle is needed to access this area or you would have to hike approximately 2 miles from the invasion campground.  

  The Tombstone is located on a rocky peninsula that points almost due North (with climbing on the east and west sides), so you can chase the sun or shade depending upon the time of year. To those with small children and dogs, the standard approach involves down climbing or rappelling, so use the fearless approach.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Tombstone