Located on the left side of the wall, Big Chief arete isn't really an arete for most of the climb.  Instead, it ascends enormous clubic blocks that are either 45 degrees overhanging or 45 degrees slab.  The climb is very similar in feel to its neighbor Killer Bee, but a little tougher because of a tricky roof about two-thirds of the way up.  Vertigo will also be a factor, but its worth it!

Don't pay too much attention to the topo in Carville's book.  He has the relative locations of the climbs right, but the rock features he has drawn in don't make sense to me.

Head Rush

Flamethrower

Running Bull

Tower Wall Overhang

Killer Bee

Sitting Bull

Green Hornet

Kalumete Arete

Big Chief Arête

Funambulist

Thrash Under Pressure

Lost Souls

Super short route. Blocky and weird, not a lot of climbing but it's on you the whole way up.

This is the first long route that you come across heading down to the cave of the Center Wall from the north pass. It sits just to the right of three short and very overhung routes (Eye of the Beholder, Headband and Sitting Bull).

Climbing is tough over the first overhang through the first three bolts, which lasts a mere 20 feet. From here climbing remains interesting but eases off for about 4 bolts, until some strenuous near vertical face climbing takes over for about 6 more. A welcome rest comes at the beginning of a slightly overhung flared pillar section, which ends in a runout and committing final move.

Wow. Just to the climber's left of the big dihedrals of the center wall, left on Big Chief are 2 bolted face climbs, Flame Thrower (10d,

left

) and Running Bull (11c,

right

). Do these climbs in the AM, while they are shaded.

Running Bull starts weird right off the ground, and get weirder as you go. Go up and clip the first bolt, the head up and right to the next bolt, coming down to remove the first draw unless you clipped it with a 2' sling to avoid rope-drag. (

These issues have been addressed

)Continue up and right, then back a little left past perhaps 4 or 5 more bolts to reach a tricky 5.10+ crux just below a lower angle section to a ledge, which is just below a slick light face. Continue up the slick white face past a few 5.11 moves to the second bolt on that section, then to the true crux of the route (5.11+) which is just plain HARD in the heat/sun. The shallow holds, tiny feet, slopers and sharp pockets will take their toll regardless, but don't make it harder!

After the real crux, getting past the next clip (difficult clip) then up and left, the climbing eases up for a bit, passing another clip or two to the anchors.

You can lower off with a 70M rope, but certainly not with a 60M.

Sustained and pumpy. Maybe harder than 11c; It felt like 5.12. Definately leagues harder than any other 11 I did in the Tahoe area, and the only route I tried that I couldn't on-sight. It felt harder than several "5.12's" I've done in other areas lately.

Full disclosure: I yarded on a draw to clip, then to inspect a hold.

Relatively easy climbing past 3 spaced-out bolts brings you to the base of the steep headwall. Power out the headwall past 2 fixed draws, using some underclings and a couple of big pinches.

Fun route, pretty soft at the grade. A good candidate for a first 5.12 due to the relatively brief amount of harder climbing.

This route is located in the crazy colorful rocks just to the left of the main cave area. If you see a section that's got giant blocks colored green, orange, white and black in addition to the standard Big Chief off-red, you're probably in the right place.

There are two routes that ascend this section, this is the right one. The other route is Big Cheif Arete (5.11a) and is also an excellent route.

In climbing this route, you can throw away any and all moves you've ever learned in indoor and outdoor sport climbing. You will get dizzy looking around for grips and things to help you on your way up, though the climb is well worth any vertigo you may experience.

There are a few sections of this route that are a little runout, so rest when you can.

Decent route that is better than it looks and packs a bit of a punch, despite it's short length. The crux is between bolts 2 and 3 and involves deciphering which one of several crappy holds to use to gain a juggy flake.

The book suggests stick-clipping the first bolt, I didn't use one and found it unnecessary.

This is a nice route located on the Three Towers (the big dihedrals) to the left of the Main Cave. The Green Hornet takes the beautiful lichen-painted face between the two largest dihedrals.

The first pitch is kind of ugly. Climb up easy, broken rock to the first bolt under a bulge. Make some thuggish moves out the steep bulge and then climb up more easy terrain to a bolted anchor. Belay here if you want, or with smart use of slings down low, you can link the pitches.

The second pitch tackles the nice headwall. Good edges lead through a couple tricky sequences of face climbing before arriving at the slight overhang near the end. A diagonal crack provides the occasional fist or handjam as you climb up and right to the anchor.

Make two rappels with a single rope to descend.

Best line I got on at the cliff, and the tallest. From the notch of the north pass, come down past the first major formation of dihedrals and aretes to the second formation, there you will pass an arete of considerable height. Kalumete Arete is just left of the tall pines. There are two starts. The left is the original (protected by gear and pins) was first done in 1988 by Worsfold and Dick Richardson. The right-hand start is a bolted sport start, which was added later.

Big Chief Arête climbs the blocky, lichen covered prow that defines the namesake area of the Center Wall, just down trail from The Three Towers. The route is long (15 bolts), passing the Funambulist anchor at a midpoint along the way, but contains multiple rests (some no hands), ultimately finishing just above the anchor to the nearby Head Rush.

A 70m should just make it to the ground with rope stretch. Just.

Sending onsight is a somewhat lengthy affair, wandering up a few trickier than they look from the ground boulder problems, that, while no harder than 10+, are a little inobvious. It is possible to throw in the towel at the Funambulist anchor 8 bolts in, or continue past the crux bulge just beyond the anchors for the full 11a finish. The crux is short, but keep your head together on the comparatively easy slab above as the bolts space out a bit. You've come this far!

Really blocky climbing with some strange moves.  Worth doing.

Easy climbing to some lie back moves at 4th bolt until you reach a "chimney" (more like an off-width). Climb up the "chimney" to anchors or make it a little more interesting by continuing to lie back up the bulge to the right of the chimney.

Description

Protection

Routes in Three Towers Wall