A tricky Boulder start 5.10-  then some easy climbing leads to a nice finger crack with some wind sculpted holds 5.9   Two completely different cruxes- a fun bolder start- then the bulge & getting into the actual crack-    60% of the time it works every time!

Sex Panther

L4 - The Deafening Roar of Silence

L2 - Wargasm

R3 - Chicken McNabbitts

R7 - Throwing Stones

R5 - The Love Button

L8 - The Day After

R10 - Muskrat Love

R14 - Happy Emotions

R4 - Frigging the Nubbin

R8 - Serpents Of Paradise

R6 - Welcome To The Gash

R15 - The Happy Compromise

R11 - Sweet Deception

L16 - Bog of the Eternal Stench

R2 - Tweakin' The Xenophobes

R12 - Beaver

R16 - Coital Sponge Pad

R17 - Intestinal Fortitude

R9 - Bulgey Wood

L1 - Carving the Gash

R13 - Mixed Emotions

R1 - Slopey Seconds

L3 - TerrorJism

A beautiful leftward trending crack on a steep wall. Easier than it appears offering a variety of sizes for jamming with some stemming mixed in.

Scramble up to the ledge used to belay for routes L1 & L2. Belay to the right in a corridor adjacent to the ledge used to belay for routes L1 & L2. There is a bolted line that works up some slabs to a thin lieback fracture... Climb it. The route shares the start and finish with route L3 - TerrorJism. 

Start by climbing the low fifth class jugs above the flat boulder about 50' into the Big Gash. Start out with a scramble of about 15' off the flat boulder to a nice ledge. This ledge is a good place to belay and set up a basecamp for climbing the four routes listed here. The route climbs the wavy crack feature right of route #L1. 

Stick clip then climb up to the first bolt and climb the splitter crack that offers every size from tight fingers to a squeeze chimney. There are several cruxes including an off width section. Near the top there is a neat overhanging groove/slot one must negotiate.

The route begins and ends on some crystals. About 15' up a short overhung lieback is encountered followed by some tricky route finding up the wavy face above. Eventually a horizontal slash cuts across the face. Above the slash one will encounter "The Love Button" which is part of the crux. Resist the temptation to fondle the orb of pleasure too long or you'll get bucked off.

Climb by bolts on face to a hand crack. Stops at anchors on belay ledge, with option of continuing up The Aftermath, a 5.11+ sport extension with 3 more bolts.

The first 40' of this route climbs a double crack system. The upper half moves up an overhanging seam/finger crack (the crux) to the anchors. The route offers thin fingers to off-width crack along with some face climbing.

This route starts and finishes on crystals with sweet slopey holds in the middle. A steep arete route featuring several cruxes with unique position and route finding perplexities.

This route actually starts and finishes on some crystals but the majority of the holds are beautiful wind sculpts. Steep enough to provide a nice pump for the grade with really neat moves. At the third and fourth bolts stay left and don't get drawn to the right.

Start out climbing the initial finger crack of route "R9 - Bulgey Wood". Move right after the second bolt on Bulgey Wood onto a rightward trending dike. Stay on the outside of the dike for a better pump. When the dike ends move up and slightly left over a small roof (the crux). Finish up on the slab above to the anchors.

Stick clip the first bolt. Move up past the first bolt and place a 4" cam behind the flake extended out with an over the shoulder sling. Climb past several more bolts up a series of slopey ramps to a steep headwall (the crux). Work right a bit then commit to the mantle. The climbing is a cruise to the top above the mantle move. Makes a good hard person warmup route.

Start off by stick clipping the first bolt then lieback up flake and pull onto the main face. Move onto the ledge (with bush) and place a small cam. Jam and stem (the crux) up the corner above which has beautiful wavy texture. Continue up the crack and corner to a bolt protected seam and another crux.

Start out by stick clipping the first bolt. This short route arcs up and rightward across a wavy/slopey face and ends a bit short of the top on the ramp. Pumpy for the length and grade with a crux at every bolt.

A really fun route that tops out the Big Gash with stellar views of the Black Elk Wilderness.  

  P1 - climb the face up to the black water streak being careful not to step in the bog of the eternal stench after recent rainfall. Follow the bolts up the water streak to the base of a large flake. Climb behind the flake to the anchors.  

  P2 - from the anchors, gain the jug near the third bolt then enjoy climbing on big holds to the left of the roof. Continue clipping bolts on a variety of big holds until you reach the slabby finish.

Stick clip the first bolt then start off stemming up the left corner until it becomes possible to move right towards the first bolt. Move up barndoor liebacks then left into a corner capped with a roof. Pull the roof and move up onto a crystal face just below the anchors. This route has several cruxes requiring mastery of different techniques.

A beautiful steep wavy arete on the right side of the large cave formation. The crux has sloper moves along with bear hugging up the arete. Crimpy crystals and edges take one to the anchors.

Move up the crack just left of the bush. Above the bush continue up the crack and slightly leftward past the roof and left into the next crack system to a set of Fixe Ring Anchors.

The finger crack start for this route is shared with route "R8 - Serpents Of Paradise". The route follows a beautiful splitter crack offering every size from tight fingers to off-width. The route is just past vertical several times and has multiple cruxes involving finger and thin hands crack in addition to a face/lieback section. There are good rests after each difficult section. The name is derived from the concept that every gash needs some Bulgey Wood.

Start by climbing the low fifth class jugs above the flat boulder about 50' into the Big Gash. Start out with a scramble of about 15' off the flat boulder to a nice ledge. This ledge is a good place to belay and set up a basecamp for climbing the next four routes listed here. The route climbs the bolted water groove above the ledge. The crux is near the overlap in the middle of the pitch. This route makes for a nice warmup.

This route climbs over several small roofs into a large detached flake. The crux is near the top with sequential movement on steep beautiful wind sculpted rock.

This route follows a thin wavy seam/groove up a slightly overhanging wall to a bulging slopey face above. There are multiple cruxes on this route.

Scramble up to the ledge used to belay for routes L1 & L2. Belay to the right in a corridor adjacent to the ledge used to belay for routes L1 & L2. There is a bolted line that works up some slabs to a steeper black streak... Climb it. The route shares the start and finish with route L4 - The Deafening Roar of Silence.

The USDA-Forest Service refers to this domed uplift as Turtle Rock. Herb and Jan Conn first visited this corridor in the 1950s referring to it as The Big Gash. Standing nearby to the east is the beautiful summit of Porgie (which forms the turtles head). Porgie was first ascended by the Conns in 1957 and Jan will be quick to point out the actual names. 

  The Conns did not claim any first ascents in The Big Gash. As Jan explained the name for The Big Gash to me, she made Herb blush. Herb reminded Jan that she didnt need to share the origins of the name. The first ascentionists of the actual routes within The Big Gash have kept a naming theme consistent with the Conn's original name for the area. 

  The Big Gash is a 100+ foot deep granite corridor averaging 15 feet wide and splits Turtle Rock in half from the northwest to the southeast. Great solitude can be found in this pristine corridor. Excellent quality granite is found here providing vertical to slightly overhanging routes. The rock tends to be the smoother variety with wild wind sculpted features allowing for great sport climbing. The smooth rock also provides for some classic splitter cracks. 

  The climbing in The Big Gash will put on a nice pump. The rock here tends to lack the larger crystal structure more commonly found in The Harney Range providing a skin friendly environment. There are no entire routes rated less than 5.9. Approximately 25% of the routes are easier than 5.11- Some folks refer to The Big Gash as 5.11 Alley. A handful of 5.12 routes have been developed. Many of the routes conveniently top out at 100. 

  One set of cams from .3 thru 4 plus a set of stoppers will adequately protect most routes in the Big Gash. Many routes will require an average number around 10 quick draws while others require up to 15 draws. Over the shoulder length slings are also useful on the crack routes. There are solid anchors for each route. A 60 meter rope is needed for most routes. A stick clip is recommended. 

  When the temperature soars, The Big Gash stays cool. On the warmest days plan on arriving after 1:00PM to avoid the sun's crossing and optimize the shade for the rest of the day Would the last one to leave please shut off the air conditioner? Be aware The Big Gash will become a wind tunnel on windier days. 

  You will encounter a fragile and delicate environment in The Big Gash. Always tread lightly and whenever possible step from rock to rock. Please dont urinate or defecate in The Gig Gash and clean up after your dog likewise. Always treat Mother Nature's Big Gash with respect. 

  Since there are two sides to the Big Gash (Left and Right) a reference system will number the left (north) side routes using an L before the number for each route. This system will be duplicated for the right (south) side. The numbering sequence will ascend for both sides as you enter from the northwest. 

  In 2002 the USDA-Forest Service annexed 3600 acres from the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve into the Black Elk Wilderness Area. There was no restriction on power drilling under the previous designation. Most of the routes established in the Big Gash were placed prior to the wilderness annexation.  New routes requiring bolts must be hand drilled in all USDA-FS wilderness areas including the Black Elk. 

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Big Gash