Brown Recluse

I think it's safe to say this is a desert rockaneering type of route. Definitley a character builder. The crux comes way up high when your tired and along with opinion of some other local boys, we thought it definitley is missing some holds at the crux 12 a/b pitch 7. It even shut down Tom who basically sent everything this winter, including an all free onsight of Sgt. Slaughter at solid 5.12b.

Anyhow it is a fun adventure none the less. Bring up to a 4 inch camalot and a bunch of long slings with biners, also half a dozen draws, and one seventy meter rope to rappel. I gave the route a PG-13 rating although it may be R. I'm not really good at grading stuff like that, but I guess you could say there is definitley places you don't want to fall. I remember pretty solid gear though for most of the hard climbing. Be ready for some loose rock, weird flares, sustained climbing, and some runouts all said. I don't want to sand bag anyone. If you haven't done the Original Route (Herbst/Hamilton), you should before this thing.

Approach: Hike to the base of the Original Route then break down and right toward the base of the obvious huge left faceing cleft (Brown Recluse) on the right side of the wall before Bird Hunter Buttress. You will eventually climb up some exposed 5.0 stuff toward the base of the first pitch (look for nice bolts). You will pass under a huge roof (Saurons Eye and what not).

Pitch 1: (5.10+) Climb up nice varnish with stout moves right off the bat. You will climb in the corner, then out, then in, and eventually pull up to a nice sized ledge with two anchor bolts for the belay. This pitch has at least 8 pro bolts.

Pitch 2: (5.11c?) Heads up off the start. If you blow the beginning moves (crux) off the start of the first pitch and your belay is too loose you can easily jack your ankles up bad. Climb hard crimp moves up past two bolts to gain a decent hand and fist crack with a pidgeon living inside. Climb up and toward the obvious roof (bolt) and out on jugs then up a loose and runout face to a semi-hanging belay with two more anchor bolts.

Pitch 3: (5.11c) Climb straight up semi varnished corner with semi solid rock (a few more bolts mixed with mostly gear) straight to another semi hanging stance with two more bolts for anchors.

Pitch 4: (5.9) Climb pretty much straight up the face/crack eventually breaking out way left to a another semi hanging stance with two more anchor bolts.

Pitch 5: (5.11) Climb straight out left off the belay to gain a crack/face system Go straight up with pretty stout 5.10 climbing to a hard move to gain the belay. Sort of scary.

Pitch 6: (5.10+) Let your friend climb this pitch. Climb off the belay on some pretty sandy shit in a corner. Cool exposure. Then continue for a ways up the arching/flaring/exciting/I want my mommy, wideness. Finally gaining your nicest ledge for a while to belay from with more bolts for anchors.

Pitch 7: (5.12a/b) Climb up past easy terrain in the corner off the belay then head up and right towards two bolts on the face above and right. Climb toward the overhanging corner via a wide crack. Catch a breath and try you best to send the overhanging stemming corner (more bolts) and gain the hanging belay with two bolts (1/4 inch?)

Pitch 8: (5.6) Grovel up the loose corner for a while and try not to kill your belayer. You will again find two bolts on the left wall.

Pitch 9: (5.5) Climb up and right then eventually back left to more bolts for the belay.

Descent: From here you can start you series of rappels. Rap straight down evetually ending up at the nice ledge at the top of ptich six. From here you will be rappeling straight down the face with anchors other than those of the route of ascent. You will see that the hangers at each belay from 1 to 5 don't have and rappel rings or webbing to bail from.

My friend and I didn't know this and ended up descending down the back of the Rainbow wall (epic in tight shoes) via a series of sketchy rappels, and somehow found the gunsight notch between the rainbow and brownstone in the dark. I guess that's pretty much it. I hope this topo information is helpful for everyone. Have fun climbing.

Rainbow Wall in Juniper Canyon.

Standard rack up to a 4" camalot. You may want doubles on TCU's or Aliens, and camalots (purple through gold.) Stoppers including small brass. One seventy meter rope. Extra webbing will be needed to bail from below pitch six. The bolts at the belays have no rap rings or hardware for rappeling. A twelve pack of beer is highly reccomended for your cooler back at the car.