Note: This description is for the historical record only. All information contained within is likely outdated and inaccurate. Many, if not all, bolts have been removed from the Twin Sisters formations and climbing on them is illegal. Do not attempt to climb these routes for your own safety and compliance with the law!

Enjoyable, sustained face climbing. This was the only route on the wall that was fully bolt-protected. Unfortunately, it encroached upon its far more stimulating neighbor (Safer than Sex).

Safecracker

Straight Edge

Northeast Shoulder

The Lowe Route

The Balcony Route

Note: This description is for the historical record only. All information contained within is likely outdated and inaccurate. Many, if not all, bolts have been removed from the Twin Sisters formations and climbing on them is illegal. Do not attempt to climb these routes for your own safety and compliance with the law!

Excellent face climbing up increasingly bulletproof rock characterizes this lead-bolted test piece. This route began below a very high, very rusty first bolt. Three well-spaced, original bolts once led to a short, protectable crack, then four more original bolts continued up the slabby upper wall to a former anchor (which was in major need of renovation).

A fun summit route up the NE shoulder of the "Eberhorn - Higher Sister".

For hysterical porpoises.

Note: This description is for the historical record only. All information contained within is likely outdated and inaccurate. Many, if not all, bolts have been removed from the Twin Sisters formations and climbing on them is illegal. Do not attempt to climb these routes for your own safety and compliance with the law!

The Lowe Route is a fun pitch of crack climbing with a great roof crux. Climb a crack at the far left end of the southeast face. A second crack appears just below the roof, but continue up the righthand crack at 5.9 (the splitter through the roof is somewhat contrived 5.10). A brief section of burliness gives way to more enjoyable climbing up the twin cracks. A second pitch supposedly continues onto the south shoulder of North Twin Sister, but it would be very easy to traverse straight right on a large dike/ledge system to the anchors atop Straight Edge if they still existed. Rap from here with a 70m rope.

Note: This description is for the historical record only. All information contained within is likely outdated and inaccurate. Many, if not all, bolts have been removed from the Twin Sisters formations and climbing on them is illegal. Do not attempt to climb these routes for your own safety and compliance with the law!

This long, lost adventure route is undoubtedly a City classic that weaves a very unlikely path through natural features and threatening roof systems at a reasonably moderate grade. Surely covered in lichen thanks to lack of traffic, climbers, hikers, and vehicle-bound gawkers alike will gaze to or from this climb and feel as if they have been transported back in time to the late 1800's... Is that a wagon train west-bound on the California Trail? Alas no, it is an SUV speeding along the dirt road. Are those settlers in search of land, fortune, and fresh beginnings? Alas, no, those are telephone poles and grazing cattle. What is that glint high up on the wall above you? Could it be an exposed vein of gold? One thing's for sure: It's definitely not a bolt.

P1 (5.9, 130'): Scramble (5.7?) up boulders to gain a belay beneath the obvious, clean handcrack just left of a pillar on the easternmost buttress of the formation. Follow this crack until it peters out beneath a bulge and traverse right underneath this bulge to gain a second, hidden crack system. An ancient bolt once and perhaps still does "protect" this thin traverse. Continue more easily to a belay at a spike atop the pillar. There was once a bolted anchor here but rumor has it it's been removed.

P2 (5.10w is for weird, 80'): It would be real bummer about that missing bolted anchor because this pitch traverses straight right off the belay for 30' before heading straight up for another 30' to a crux roof; the missing anchor would make this situation very difficult for the belayer to provide a good belay for the leader should he or she fall at the roof. And unfortunately protection post-traverse isn't really ideal for setting up what would be a hanging belay out right. Nevertheless, your goal is the giant, chute-like roof. The climbing up to it is scantily protected, but once there good pro is available: at one time there were two decent pins under the roof, but they could possibly be backed up with supplemental gear (though be careful not to occupy a crucial crimp/slot). I've heard that funky, funky moves that seem extremely improbable pull this roof at what might be 5.10c. Upon turning the lip, build a belay at a sloping stance just beneath a striking rattly finger crack below another blocky roof overhead.

P3 (5.10d, 100'): Climb the rattly finger crack to a wide crack to an awkward hand crack through this final roof (crux). Continue more easily up jugs and incuts to the summit.

If there are no anchors on the summit you might have to leave gear, sling a horn, or simply down climb the southern shoulder of the formation (at 5.5 X). There was once an intermediate anchor halfway down this which would allow for a final rappel to the notch between the North and South Sister, though the rappel would be about 40 meters long.

All my info comes second-hand so I cannot vouch for it's accuracy, but I will say this: There is no hope of rescue here; you're on your own.

Description

Protection

Routes in North Twin Sister