Easy slab climbing gains a large dish with a small vertical section. The crux is pulling out of the dish and is well-protected. Continue up through easy slab climbing and lots of flakes to a bolted anchor. The crux can (unfortunately) be all too easily bypassed by climbing the right edge of the dish. Rappel to descend.

Edit: The topo sign at Big Rock no longer exists. The Park felt it created a liability issue. Brian Courtney has produced great laminated guides to Big Rock, Helios Boulder, L-Slab, ...

Kwanku Dai

Crater Maker (aka Dark Side of the Moon)

Extra Sanction

African Flake

Beanstalk

Jolly Green Giant

The Trough

Dark Angel (aka The Ghost)

Rat Crack

Unknown

New Route

Donatello

Boogaloo

Slabbergasted

Sponsor a Bolt, Save a Life

The Virgin

The Shroud

Boogaloo Direct

Rat Crack Variation

Welcome to Big Rock

Edger Sanction

Slabtacular

Raw Deal

Sierra Club Direct

Mind Bender

Puppy Dog

Pudnurtle

The Hard Trough

English Hanging Gardens

Wedunett

Man on the Moon

Raging Slab

Puppy Chow

Giant Step

Northwest Passage

Out of Sight Out of Mind

Headwall

The Roof

Last Drain to Clarksville

Frontal Lobotomy

Toprope Problem

This route climbs the obvious water trough near the far right side of Big Rock. Start up the Puppy Dog-like line of patina and follow the trough to bolted anchors.

The first bolt is about 20 feet off the deck but you can start the climb on the large flake to the right, traversing up and left to the first clip, for a more comfortable start. There's a little spice up high, just short of the third bolt, well above the second clip.

This route doesn't seem to see much action but is one of the best moderates at Big Rock. Descent is made by way of one rappel.

This is the first route left of

The Trough

, and climbs sporty face past three bolts to a 3 bolt belay below Cheap Thrills; as an alternative you can cut left at the top and belay at the base of Mad Dogs.

The climbing isn't bad but this isn't a good choice for the 5.7 leader. It's more often used as an approach pitch to the more difficult pitches above.

Delicate slab that moves leftwards for two bolts and then back right to shared anchors.

Located just right of

The Trough

(5.5), and despite it's proximity to that route, the climbing is vastly different on rough, orange-colored crystalline rock that provides excellent friction.

While it's possible to cut right after the second bolt to belay bolts it's preferable to climb the route in one long pitch and belay at anchors atop the face. An easy descent exists down the left side of the face via slabs and then a trail.

The Route starts directly to the left of English Hanging Gardens.  Look for the 3 bolts heading up and to the right.  Aid the three bolts on the featureless overhang.  Once on top of EHG free climb and follow the flake up and to the right.  Head to the sundeck to finish off the route.

Start right of Raw Deal and paddle up the slab to a high first bolt. Climb friction, small edges, and great patina plates past four more bolts.

At the center of the larger portion of the Big Rock face, lies a water streak. The Trough runs straight up this, via nine bolts (ten, if you clip to intermediate anchor). Picnic tables for the area sit directly underneath. Crux comes after the first bolt, with the balance of the route having copious amounts of hand and feet holds. Generous bolts protect this fun climb.

Start at the bottom of the dark streak known as "The Ghost" and climb up to a seam (can be done direct or you can traverse in from the left), follow the seam up and cross a blank section to a bolt kind of run-out (crux because of risk of decking). From there it's pretty much straight up to the left side of the ghost's head and on the way you can traverse a ledge and clip one of the bolts for

The Roof

be sure to use a long runner then put a cam in when you get to the head and follow the left edge of the head up to the last bolt for

The Roof

and up the anchors.

This is the obvious hand crack on the leftmost, lower section of Big Rock.  While considerably short of being a classic, its steep start with relatively positive jams provide for some fleeting excitement.  Kind of a bad landing if one doesn't wait to get pro in higher.

Two routes to the right of Puppy Dog with thinner features. It felt a little run out and I was kinda worried about decking before the second bolt. Not too unusual to feel that way at Big Rock, but I figured it’s worth mentioning.

Crux is down low between the first and second bolt.

Any FA info?

Starts from among boulders at the base and climbs somewhat generic slab on good quality rock.

"Drain Pipe" (aka Donatello) ascends the polished water groove/seam at the far right (south) end of the Main Slab. Pull over the overlap on sharp edges and polished foot holds. Once established above the overlap continue pulling on sharp, but positive edges past 4 bolts up and across a vegetated water chute to the anchors on the upper slab.

This face route is left of Wedunett, and starts up a bulge using a polished incipient vertical seam. Moving through this is the crux. One bolt protects this section with four other bolts leading through some easier terrain. The bolts are where they are needed, but Boogaloo may be considered runout even for Big Rock. Belay/rap on bolted belay for "Let It Bleed. " From there one can continue up one of four second pitches: Easy Crack, Let It Bleed, or either of the Flakes.

Climbs the thin slab using numerous tiny edges which tend to be more solid than appearances suggest, as well as the odd dark intrustion. It's a good idea to clip the last bolt on

Toprope Problem

for a directional when toproping this route.

Step up on a wide flake to clip the 1st bolt. Pull onto the face using friction and minuscule edges. Continue on larger edges and inclusions past two more bolts to a bulge. Pull the bulge on large black inclusions to the anchor.

This seldom done climb is among the harder offerings at Big Rock but is an unknown obscurity to most. Despite it's rating the climbing is mostly moderate in difficulty with a brief and reasonably well protected crux.

Starts at the base of

The Trough

and follows an obvious diagonal weakness up and left as it slashes across the main face of Big Rock. Reasonably well protected, with the crux smears coming near the end, at a steep section where it joins the route Giant Step. Once past the crux continue up past the last bolt of Giant Step to anchors. An easy walk-off exists down the left margin of the face.

Variation climbs a distinct line midway between Boogaloo and the water marks that define the body of the Dark Angel.  It is a fairly straight-forward and sustained climb on thin holds that eases up considerably after surmounting the right shoulder of the Angel.  Belay from the anchors at the start of Let it Bleed.  Climbers can then continue up Let it Bleed, the Left Flake or Right Flake.  A 60m rope gets you close enough to the ground on rappel but a 70m is needed for top-rope.

Start up the

Rat Crack

until it is possible to gain a stance and clip a bolt on the right. Venture right onto the face and proceed to the top via two more bolts.

Excellent friction and small edges lead up the face to a broad shallow groove and a bulge. Move right and pull the bulge on positive holds. Continue climbing on knobs and flakes to the anchor above a raised dike. Welcome to Big Rock has its own anchor somewhat higher than those on either side.

True to it's name this quality route features fairly continuous thin edge climbing for most of it's length and is stout for the grade.

Boulder directly up to a high first bolt (or traverse from the left via some easier moves) then make the crux moves on the way to the 2nd bolt after which the size of the holds increase and it eases off in difficulty.

The thinnest of the bunch, this tackles the bulging slab just left of

Edger Sanction

on marginal smears and crimps. It's a good idea to clip the last bolt on

Edger Sanction

for a directional when toproping this route.

Start up as for

Jolly Green Giant

but cut left before that route's first bolt as you aim for a prominent undercling flake which slants up and right. Make tenuous friction moves along the flake and finish with progressively easier face as the rock slabs out at the top.

This quality route is one of the more difficult ones in the area and consequently sees far less traffic than most of the others, but if climbing at the grade is a recommended route.

Years ago when the original bolts were replaced a pin driven upwards into the flake was replaced with a bolt making this a better protected and safer endeavor.

This route is the next one to the right of Puppy Dog. It goes up similar but thinner inclusions.

Crux is down low and climbing eases up higher.

This route is right of Frontal Lobotomy, and is the middle route of three short routes enroute to multiple bolted belays about 40 feet up.  This route involves clipping a bolt and making a thin face move or two to reach for a hand-sized hole in the wall.  Grab this and make another move before clipping a second bolt.

This is the bolted face route to the right of Pudnurtle . This part of the rock is festooned with brown spots of good rock, of which this line rides the middle of, leading left a very dense area of brown (some loose in this area) midway up. Fun route, well protected.

This is the bolted face climb to the right of Mind Bender.  It is rightmost of the three bolted routes that end at one of two bolted belays (with chains) about 40 feet up.

This bolted route runs up the leftmost dark water streak right of the Rat Crack.  Its start is very hard, with the first bolt coming after some serious moves.  It was initially rated 11b and considered a sandbag.  It rarely sees action mostly because of the nature of Big Rock's clientele, and the tough start.

Start just left of

Crater Maker

, and two routes left of

The Trough

, and climb past three bolts to a three bolt anchor at the base of Mad Dogs. Rap off or continue straight up Mad Dogs or head left to the Right Flake (5.7).

The protection on this route is fairly good and as such makes it enjoyable on it's own or as an approach pitch to the upper climbs.

Pull on small sharp, friable flakes and edges up the face twenty feet right of the Headwall. Climb the face past four bolts to the anchor, passing one bulge or steep section with a bolt, just before the anchor.

Follow the minimal bolts over easy slab and flakes to the right-slanting ramp up to the bolted anchor.

Like Puppy Dog, this is another good warm-up climb when the main section of Big Rock is locked down with top-ropes.

Squeezed between Pudnurdal on the left and Puppy Dog on the right, this route climbs up a mixture of standard Big Rock slab and brown spots.  The climb is oddly bolted; the first seems to have been placed only because it was about time to place a bolt and the next bolt is a fairly heady run out from the first, with the crux well in between.  The natural line seems to follow just right of the bolts.  Climbing straight up or slightly to the left between these bolts yields a more dicey lead, smearing with little edges for the hands, and makes the climb more like 5.9.  After the second bolt, the climb eases up considerably, passing one very new bolt and sharing the same anchor as the first pitch of Puppy Dog.  Rappel to descent or climb the second pitch of Puppy Dog.

Three bolt route to the left of Northwest Passage.

Best to use the first bolt of Jolly Green Giant to avoid long runout.

This fun but poorly protected climb moves through the left side of the obvious overhang about 40 feet to the left of The Trough. The crux is moving through the roof. Not for the faint of heart.

Out of Sight Out of Mind is a upward trending left to right traverse beginning on Edger Sanction and ending in the bucket at the top of P2 of The Trough.

Although not a true sport climb, the crux is well-protected and after that it's bolted well enough. The climb gets its name from the vertical start, involving some delicate moves on thin holds to reach the first bolt. The bolt protects a similar sequence of moves. Above this, the route goes very easy on low angle slab with plenty of flakes for the hands and feet.

Due to the nature of this climb, one star out of four. But it is well worth doing for the dicey opening moves. Rappel to descend.

This line follows the left side of the Angel and surmounts the right side of the arching roof.  It starts about 6 to the right of Northwest Passage.  Thin climbing on slippery dark rock leads to the crux  pulling the roof.  Although there is a bolt just below the roof, many a lead climber has taken a nasty fall from the crux.  Be sure to wear your helmet on this one!  Once above the roof, easy slab climbing leads past one more bolt to the anchor at the start of Let it Bleed.  From here you can rap (a 60m is just long enough) or continue up Let it Bleed or one of the Flakes.  Due to the slippery nature of the black rock, many teams choose to start up Northwest Passage and traverse up and right below the roof to gain the crux.

Fun, moderate, well protected climbing typifies Last Drain to Clarksville. Climb the brown water stained slab between Surface Tension & Man On the Moon. Use sharp positive edges to pull onto the face and past the 1st bolt. Above, edging yields to stemming the features on the sides of the smooth polished watercourse past a dark blocky horizontal dike between the 3rd & 4th bolts. Continue stemming up the polished brown watercourse as the angle eases to the double ring Fixe anchor.

Just right of African Flake is this route.  It is the leftmost of three short routes that share one of two anchors 40 feet up.  Thin face moves characterize this route.

Despite the name this route is bolted and leadable although the runout nature of the climbing keeps it a toprope for most. The route features thin edge climbing with the slightly thinner crux about midway between the two bolts.

Perhaps not quite an R rated route but it is a heads-up lead and falling at the crux might land you on the lower-angled bit below the first bolt - which wouldn't be good for your ankles.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Main Slab - Lower