This short and steep face climb begins as an overhanging traverse in from the right on polished rock above water, gains a ledge, then continues climbing straight up the very steep face overhanging the pool below that is part of Morro Creek. It is a bouldery sequence and about 10 to 11 moves up sharp crimps, sloping edges, and a few jugs plus some easier initial moves up to bolt 1. The holds at the top of the route tend to get a bit dirty, so you may want to clean them beforehand.

Although short, this climb is in great setting above a pool of Morro Creek fed by a short waterfall, with the limestone cave nearby and riparian habitat surrounding the area. Hwy 41 is close by but the waterfall keeps intermittent traffic noise from detracting too much from the setting. The rock is a very hard, sharp, and rather brittle type of igneous rock (if you know the type, chime in). There are ferns that have established root systems in the horizontal seams and crevices and they sprout out leaves seasonally then dry up. If dead leaves are covering the large sloping ledge about half-way up, it's OK to remove them; they will grow back next season from the root systems.

During the time the idea of this climb was coming about, I used to frequent this area as a retreat from the stress of being overwhelmed with life. My wife's mother was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and my wife quit her job to become her care-taker along with her sister. I had began hand-drilling the rappel anchors at the top (there were originally 3 but the third one turned out to be in bad rock) and completed the task over several visits. I didn't have a power-drill at the time, but it was OK; banging away with the hammer on the hand drill for hours seemed a good way to take my mind off things. They took quite a while in the very hard rock and the required holes were rather large. Adela died shortly after her diagnoses, less than 3 months later. That's where the route name comes from. She was a beautiful person and lived a beautiful self-less life, growing up in rural Mexico in an agrarian lifestyle with no running water or electricity and eventually immigrating to the U.S., establishing a successfully business with her husband, and raising 4 children to their own successful lives. When I remember her, I like to think not about the tragedy but of the happiness and beauty she exuded. Visiting this beautiful little area close to home brings it back, the coolness of descending into the grotto, shade from the cliffs and trees, listening to the rush of the waterfall, seeing the ferns sprouting out of the rock, and doing some fun climbing to relax the mind.

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Routes in Morro Creek Karst