Once an obscure, rarely done route, the addition of bolts and chains increased its popularity astronomically. Despite having taken a beating from heavy traffic, water, and gastronomically challenged birds in recent years, it's still worth a visit. A tricky start leads to easy climbing and a bouldery crux. Named after a tree that used to reside on the route but has since departed. The "direct start" is 11a/b.

Tree Route

FAMP

Castles Made of Sand

Right Face

Dirty Shower

T'nA

Dirt is Cheap.

The Horse Pasture

Mountaineers' Route

Human Alien Being

Center Face

New Age

Psychotic Reaction

Gruntarrific

Nasty Vicar

War Child

Love it to Death

Born to Hang

Get Up That Crack YP

Prime Rib

Flakes a Lot

Welcome to Billings

Bumblie with a Drill

Disintegration

Mr Chips

The Bishop

Legends of the Fall

Excuse Abuse

Peanut Brittle

Dauber

Funhouse

Bloody Murder

The Gauntlet

The Girl Inbetween

Elephant's Memory

Dig It

Brown Sugar

Elephant's  Slipper

Tenacious

Eating Paisley

BeBop Deluxe

The End Guy

Bullies on the Corner

Barney Rubble

Full Sail

Fat Pussycat Direct

Billings  Radio

Shark Sandwich

Conspiracy Theory

Inconceivable

The Gem

Blue in the Face

Reuben

Chimney

Rockchuck Arete

Faster Pussycat

Roof Right

Betty Rubble

Reuben's Brother

Slabarrific

Dragonfly

I Don't Care

Punks on the Rims

Assassin

Walkup

St. Brigid's Cross

Black Crack

Its all There

The Bulge

Pickpocket

Fat Cat

Silver Surfer

Easy Street

Sapsucker

Cliffs of Insanity

Unknown Sport

Decade of Decay

Next to the Last Best Route in Billings

Big Bill's Big Roof

MimBB

Ringling

Old School

Last Best aka The Last Best Route in Billings

Johnny Utah

The Mayor

Obscure.  Approach from Tree Route or go direct.

The crack in the chimney to the left of Psychotic Reaction has been climbed. FA bitd by some crazed glory seeker.

Start on Sapsucker but head out left on small pockets and then head straight up. Will need cleaning as it's never climbed.

Easily climb to the obviously manufactured holds and a slick bouldery crux. Sustained climbing on edges leads to easier climbing at 3/4 height. The start of this route is in rough shape.

If it weren't for some marginal "rock", this would be a great route. While the crux is on good rock there is some hollow, sandy and slippery stuff to be found. The overhang 6 feet below the anchors presents a significant rockfall danger.

Climb the buttress right of Excuse Abuse with some questionable rock and even more questionable bolting. Good bouldery crux toward the top. Finish directly up the shallow crack or step right to the large pocket(easier). Tricky hard.

This was a good route bitd. Unfortunately the top has fallen down(note nearby boulders) leaving a route of dubious quality.

The Horse Pasture was Gregory's origional name. Follow large holds just left of Walkup looking for a move involving a large pocket, a knob and thin feet at about half height.

Climb the black water streak just right of Cliffs of Insanity. Steep climbing on pockets with a tricky crux bulge  to thin slab.

Center Face has taken a hit from heavy rains in the past few years but seems to be cleaning up its’ act somewhat. Great sustained climbing.

Unrepeated. Your troubles begin as soon as your feet leave the ground. Sustained climbing on frustratingly small holds with a long reach or two which may(or may not)be hard to avoid. Start at the beginning of a trough formed by a huge flake(which is off). Old Age(12b)starts from the top of the flake. At least it's short.

A great route that never gets climbed the “right” way. Start In the chimney to the left of the thin flake and in front of a slabby block. Step up onto the block (~3 feet) and stem right (do NOT climb 10-15' up the chimney in spite of what is written elsewhere, and do not reach the ledge between the first and second bolts with your feet still on the block) to reach the very base of the flake (below the first bolt) with your right hand. Climb the face of the flake, avoiding the wall to the left (not even once!) and treading lightly at the hollow and fractured flake just below the top. A direct start to the flake has been done with the same overall grade.

AKA Born to Climb. Ugly name, ugly route with some ugly rope scars. Use longer slings and don’t lower directly off the anchors.

Follow an easy hand crack to a thin crack with pin scars(crux). Finish straight up or step right(bolt) to finish on The Bishop.

Right of Reuben's Brother is this short, 3 bolt lead. Climb right of the chimney until it's possible to gingerly step left at the first bolt. Climb the pocketed face to a crux just before the chains. Good route, but a perpetual dirtfest as it follows a fairly active water streak.

Start about 10 feet right (not "just right") of Easy Street at the right edge of the bushes. Easy but somewhat dirty climbing leads to a step left and some tweaky moves. Head straight up with a big step left to the obvious feature, a long reach or not (crux), a no hands rest and a thin finishing slab move. Go ahead, you'll love it...to death.

This is a very good face, pocket and arete climb. Using the wall to the right of the crack/corner (Gruntarrific / Born to Climb) with hands or feet lowers the grade.

The crux will be much more difficult for anyone with large fingers (me).

Nice slabby 5.9 face climb. Good warmup and intro to rims climbing. Danger: There is a large block above the anchors which looks like it could roll/drop sometime soon. Barney/Betty Rubble also present rockfall potential/danger.

Start left of Reuben and just right of D of D. Climb past the small overhang (reachy, bouldery crux) and continue with sustained climbing.

Nice fingercrack in a corner. VERY popular. DANGER: There is a very large flake/block just below the top(see photo)which looks like it could drop at any time. If it happens when someone is climbing or standing near the base it would be deadly.

Located behind some bushes (bring clippers), just left of a chimney between Cliffs of Insanity and Nasty Vicar. Good cruxy climbing down low on good rock, continue straight up, with a step right just below some obvious pockets to a flake system. Follow some dirty, but easy, moves to the top.

Unrepeated. Continuously difficult face climbing. Start in the trough formed by a large flake(which is off) at a small, black, rounded shallow corner. Head up and left aiming for the bottom of the right arching feature. Continue straight up to a good hold below a small overhang. From there, follow the seam up and left, eventually cutting back right and up to finish. The best route in Billings if the holds are still there.

Follow Nasty Vicar to the ledge, step right and follow thin flakes to a cruxy move near the bolt.

I was told bitd this is 5.9 going to the right (Rockchuck Arete) and .10? to the left, but honestly I've never done it and don't know anybody who has in the past 40 years.

Face climb right down low when things get thin for .10c/d R and there will be no excuses for skipping the last 6' to the anchors.

Located between Rockchuck Arete and Full Sail, this excellent climb offers interesting moves on steep and solid rock. It starts immediately right of RCA and ends at a small ledge ~10' from the top. A little spicy between the 3rd and 4th bolts.

Climb Pickpocket to the knob, step left to check out the hueco, straight up past the lichen encrusted slab to an astonishing finish.

The dirty holds at the start may make this seem harder than 5.9. Worth doing at the very least to check out those bodacious huecos.

Climb Roof Right to the top of the flake, traverse left under the big roof, turn the corner and finish on Betty Rubble. Danger: one day this roof will fall.

Project. Start at the obvious flake and climb the gently overhanging arete on small sloping pockets and edges. Somebody please climb this. 13a?

Steep slab/face climbing. Start immediately right of Welcome to Billings and climb the faint buttress on very small holds avoiding the crack of WTB. Harder (and better!) than it looks. DANGER: There is a large flake/block at the top of WtB which looks like it could drop at any moment.

Begin by climbing Elephant's Slipper but continue straight up at the slot. Please consider rappelling vs lowering to prevent further rope/rock damage created by peoople who obviously didn't care.

Climb the arete left of Prime Rib ecventually joining it at half height.

Nice hand to finger crack. Bear left at the slot. Please consider rappelling vs lowering to prevent further rope/rock damage created by peoople who obviously didn't care as much as you should. The overhang at the top is a rockfall hazard.

Start at Welcome to Billings, follow the flake left (or do the 2 move "direct start"), flash a few bouldery moves, cruise to a "tenacious" upper crux, step left, don't slip and you own it. Easier for tall folks, harder for not so tall folks. Good sustained climbing.

DANGER: There is a large flake/block at the top of Welcome to Billings which looks like it could drop at any time; if someone were standing near the base it would be deadly.

Obscure but worth doing. Approx. 50' around the corner east of Excuse Abuse and just right of the route Slabarrific is a giant flake leaning against a south facing small face. EP starts at the top of the flake and climbs straight up a very shallow corner and water streak. Top it out for full value. A broken hold or 2 has upped the grade. Bouldery.

Just left of Center Face. Good intro to the other hard routes on this wall. Start at the right half pad mono and step left at half height to skirt the bulge to the left. Great face climbing on small holds. Top it out for the full grade. Don't miss it!

A couple broken (honestly, they just fell off) holds have upped the grade more than considerably, but don't let that intimidate you. .12++?

Follow a corner crack to a small roof, bear left and continue up. The large block in the corner is a rockfall danger. There is also a block above Prime Rib ready to drop.

FS once an area testpiece, now retains little of its' character due in part to a 30' block which has fractured and is in the process of slipping/falling.

Follow Fat Cat but step right to do the direct finish on Faster Pussycat.

Sustained climbing. Start at a flake in the chimney to the left of the pillar. Using the flake, immediately gain the face of the pillar. Climb a few difficult moves over a small overlap and follow the corner past some sugary rock to a step left and a good 2 handed knob.

Squeezed between BeBop Deluxe and Center Face is this challenging and sustained line of small holds. Start in a thin seam just left of Center Face. Join BBD after a few moves. Continue straight up over the bulge via a very long move to a LH razor pinch and another long RH move to a shallow 2f pocket(crux). Continue up and left to a good flake(BBD), step right and up to a topout independant of CF and BBD. Very good climbing. Borrows LH holds from BBD but avoids the hand holds on Center Face. Keep your hands and feet to the left of the bolt line and you’re good. If it feels easier than 12c, you cheated or maybe you're just that good.

Sustained climbing on very small holds which may or may not still exist. Start just left of Assassin and avoid it until the obvious knob (knob only) at 3/4 height. Continue with a big move up and left, eventually stepping right to finish on Assassin. See photo for ticked hold route beta. Will need a good cleaning....but not too good!

Start on small holds on a dark rib just left of C of I. Climb up avoiding all those nice holds off to the right(C of I) with a big move (crux) to a scoop down and right of the first bolt. Bear left, avoiding C of I until the final slab. It is also possible to climb C of I to the second bolt, step left and finish on Inconceivable (10a). If it seems easier than 11a, you need to go back and do it the right way.

Despite its diminutive lenghth, The Gem offers great sustained bouldery moves up a crackless corner with crimps, sidepulls and stems.

Climb Mountaineer's Route for about 15 ' until it's possible to step/turn right to climb the colored face.

Corner crack about 50' left of Faster Pussycat and just right of Flakes a Lot. Starts thin and widens toward the top(crux). Popular. Named after a sandwich.

Yup, it's a chimney alright. Danger; There are some large blocks above this route which are ready to roll/drop.

Located left of Walk Up and right of Elephant Slipper. Chipped(PLEASE don't do this) and ugly but entertaining.  Becoming increasingly more difficult as holds break or fall off.

Great face climbing on small holds. Turn the corner at 2/3 height and tackle the triangular face on good holds. A jam or two and it's a "send".

Great climb with a little bit of everything. Traverse right at the fingertip ledge at 3/4 height for 11a/b. The "direct finish," which is 11c TR, steps left, does the upper crux of Fat Cat, and then steps back right to finish on FP.

Nice hand to finger crack marred by rockfall potential. DANGER: The large block in the corner that forms the overhang that you climb under and over will fall someday, part of it already has. There is also a block above Prime Rib ready to drop.

West facing pocketed face just right of Reuben. Climb the muddy corner or the arete to the left (.11a TR) to a no hands rest. Positive holds lead to a bouldery crux with a big move. Sporty lead.

One of the easier routes. Faces west for early shade. Usually sandy at the top, not a good choice to solo.

Start beneath the obvious west facing huecos. Easy climbing (not counting the first move) leads to cruxy moves with some bad rock. Needs a major cleaning and restoration.

Neither should you. Start around the corner right from Mountaineer's Route. Head up and right with a cut back left at a small tree.

When you've climbed every other route, there's always this one! Really not as bad as it looks, which is good. Decaying slab to nice crack.

Located in the alcove about 200 yards west(left) of Center Face. Broken crack/face to crux moves over a bulge. Interesting moves on steep rock. Recent(3/20) rockfall has affected the start.

A chipped monstrosity...but fun. A key foothold has recently departed changing things considerably.

Walk Up offers one of the easiest technical routes to the top of the Rims and as such has been the scene of several fiascos and near disasters. Please be aware of and do not disturb or harrass the pigeons if they should be roosting just below the top. A good beginners route.

Start beneath the large huecos about 20' left of Elephant's Slipper on the corner. Solve the start which may involve a big reach, fire the huecos, traverse right onto the steep face left of Elephant Slipper, straight up with a big move, step left, pull a few thin slab moves and tick this sucker off!

Good jamming to stem or offwidth. You know you love it!

...but only if you're 6'4" and like to dyno.

Obscure. Located between Billings Radio and The Gem. A bulgy start on dark rock leads to easier climbing past a small tree to the top.

About 8 feet Left of Walkup is a pocketed water streak which keeps getting harder as holds break. Climb straight up past the pocketed knob(crux) avoiding any big holds to the right(The Horse Pasture) and continue up the lichen encrusted slab. If it seems easier than .11 you cheated.

A great route that's unjustly ignored. Combines 2 routes. Follow Faster Pussycat to the obvious flake, step left to the upper section of The Cat's Meow and a bouldery crux sequence. Follow the light blue streak to another cruxy move near the top.

Located on a boulder below Decade of Decay, etc. is this diminutive testpiece. Nice south east facing fingercrack that has been bouldered but it is possible(with creativity) to rig a toprope. The west side also has an interesting looking crack. Rarely done, will need cleaning.

Considered a sandbag at 5.9 probably due to its tricky crux. The obvious left leaning crack ~20' left of Assassin.

Climb the wide slot to a nice thin hands section.

Steep (for Billings) climbing on good holds, if you can find them.

This is a good, albeit dirty at the start, route. Probably the best beginners lead on the Rims. Easy climbing leads to a step right and a finish on the obvious knobs.

Shares the start with Flakes a Lot. Head left then straight up following obvious pockets, etc. on some very hollow(!!!) rock to a cruxy finish.

Around the corner west from Last Best. Faces east and gets evening shade. Easy crack (bolted) to steep crimpy face. Top it out just for fun.

Rarely done. Boulder the overhang, traverse right and climb the licheny slab to a perplexing and difficult headwall.

An interesting climb using thin crack and face moves but marred by rockfall potential.

Right of Assassin is this wide crack thing that sometimes gets done but not by me. Shares the start with Unknown Sport but heads up and left to finish.

Start at some thin cracks ~50' right of Excuse Abuse and just left of the corner. Step right around the corner at half height onto the pocketed face. Sustained. A broken hold near the top may present a problem.

Need a good backscratch? Like to clip bolts? Like chimneys? Well if you do, you're an odd one but here's the route for you.

Rarely done. Start just right of a boulder blocking the trail 10' left of Dragonfly and just below some orange lichen. Head up and left eventually gaining the orange sloper. The crux is from here to the top.  Would benefit from a major cleaning and restoration effort.

Description

Protection

Routes in Gregory