Only hard climbers will free this route completely.  It does go really well at 5.8 C1 possibly C2.

The route starts at the same place as the standard thumb (lower left side of the face below a big, ugly chimney.)

Start your first pitch from the ground, or scramble up 5.3 cracks to your right to a sloping ledge.

Pitch one, 5.6: Climb up cracks to the tree choked gully and belay in the upper trees.  You will notice Coyne Crack (5.11d) on your left.

Pitch two, 5.8: Work up the  tiring chimney(for me)and exit up and left on top of a pillar. (Do not follow the chimney crack as it gets smaller and arches to the right.)  It should be said that many people protect the chimney by first climbing the crack to its right, placing protection, downclimbing a bit, and then jumping into the chimney.

Pitch three, crux 5.12a or C1: You should see a bolt with a sling attached.  Head towards it and take one of three variations to get up into the fantastic crack that moves up and right then back left.  Aid or free climb up the crack to a blocky ledge above.

Pitch four, 5.8: Continue up and right liebacking/jamming the lower angle crack to reach an off-width groove, which is kind of awkward.  I don't remember exactly, but some bigger cams might be helpful in the groove.  The climb ends on lunch ledge.

Either continue up S-Direct or Standard Thumb, or rappel.

From lunch ledge you can make three double rope rappels to the base.

Aided at 5.8C1

S-Crack

Higher Expectations

S-Direct

S-Matrix

The Summit Pitch

Robbins Crack

Agent Smith

S-Direct, Variation

Flabbergaster

Morpheus

Coyne Crack

Flake Variation

Spring and Fall

The Standard Thumb

Indecent Exposure Variation

Robbins' Route

Nob Job

Thumbing To Bogota

Spring Fever

Up Your Nose with a Rubber Hose

Monkey Lip

Short and sweet, this is a steep finger crack visible near the base of the thumb.

when starting up the initial double cracks of indecent exposure branch off to the left and follow the weakness' up. This should lead you to a nice little belay ledge just left of the indecent gulley. belay here and either continue up and left reaching lunch ledge on the 2nd pitch or finish on the final pitch of indecent. either way its a nice variation that aviods the worst of the gulley thrash.

Climb S-Crack, or Standard Thumb/Indecent Exposure to Lunch Ledge.

S-Direct tackles the immaculate slab left of the Standard Thumb "Trough" pitch.

R-rating still deserved despite new bolts in recent years.

This climb used to be a bit run-out.  Also required pins.  Ruckman guide says it has added bolts now.

Another early, hard and classic route.

This short little pitch has really cool rock, all the black quartz knobs remind me of Sierra granite. There used to be an old buttonhead that somebody has chopped in the last 4 years that protected the final move onto the shoulder, lame. But you still don't really need it if you just came up one of the Thumb routes, your already prepared.

Make an exposed move over to the bucket, mantle the "water hole" and slab your way onto the shoulder. 3rd class will bring you to the summit block.

The offwidth crack on the west side of the Thumb.  It is a great option to gain the summit if you don't mind grinding a knee or two.  I wouldn't claim this to be a true offwidth, as there are many hand jams on the pitch.  The original rating of this route was 5.10.  I think Royal may have short arms and couldn't get the jams.

Move up the face past a bolt to a flake, follow this up to the slab above. Follow the face and arete past 3 bolts to the belay at the top of pitch one of the S Matrix. The crux is right at the end.

At the 2nd belay station from S-Direct, head straight up.  Still healthy runouts, but fun climbing linking chickenheads on less gritty rock. From the third bolt on the direct var., I could not see another bolt to my right on the original route as shown on the topo, where I remember from my previous ascent.  I belayed at a small overlap, where you can get small but good cams, and sling a giant chickenhead just to the right.  Pulling over this overlap, the climbing gets easier, though still runout.  The anchor shown on the topo for the crux pitch is BAD - 2 quater inchers.  One LONG pitch above the overlap will reach easy ground.

All in all, we enjoyed S-Direct (direct variation) tremendously.  I would give the Variation one R, and the Original route 2 R's.  Timid climbers and Good samaritans: still some manky and missing bolts up there to replace!One last note:  the walkoff still sucks.  I vote for a zipline from the summit of the Thumb to the Gate boulders.

A route that does not get done often, once around the corner a pinnacle can be found. the first bolts follow the left edge and move right across the face to the other side of the pinnacle where the exposure is nice. the crux felt sustained and tricky starting from the third bolt too the last. Bolts are shit and the rock was pretty hammered but quality movement once given some love.

Climb the steep but short finger crack to a pin on the left, move left again the the thin cracks of the S Matrix. Follow this to the top of the first pitch. A one rope rappel will get you to the ground.

Best done on TR from S-Crack's 2nd pitch anchors, as the flake is VERY thin and fragile. You could bury some cams deep in there, but its probably not worth it. Lieback or jam your way up the great flake, reminiscent of the zion curtain, only shorter. Bypassing a annoying bush that destroys your mojo midway up is unavoidable.

Once the flake ends, you land on a large flat pillar ledge. Protect via small wires/cams and either slab it straight left or downclimb then stem over into the chimney on S-Cracks 2nd pitch.

The short, right-leaning, off-set, off-sized, splitter crack. The crux is hanging on and placing gear for the first 15 feet. Make it through the start and the climbing eases, surmounts a pillar, and then traverse left past an inobvious but easy slab into a different crack/groove system. The chain anchors are just above at a stance.

Originally rated 5.10 by a couple of guys who had no idea how good they were.

The first 15 feet offer some of the hardest crack climbing in LCC. Not a handbag.

This is one of the longest free routes in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Start in the corner gully below an ugly chimney on the lower, west side of the buttress.

Pitch one:This pitch is usually soloed, and in most guidebooks it is not considered pitch 1. However, the climbing is 5.3/5.4 ish and a fall could be devastating. So for safety's sake I will call this pitch one. Do not climb the chimney. Work up and right in cracks, then move back left into the main gully (having bypassed the chimney.) Be carefull of loose rocks. Move up the gully until you can't go any further.

Pitch two:Two options to start, either climb up and right in cracks then traverse left to a fixed pin, or climb up the gully further (sometimes really wet)and move right up the corner to the pin. Approximately at the pin you are going to climb the chimney/offwidth above to your left. Above this is a two bolt anchor. Caution, loose rocks.

Pitch three: (I did not climb this pitch... I followed the Indecent Exposure Variation.)Climb up the loose gully, Caution! Loose rocks.  Belay below a big slot?  Use your best judgement.

Pitch four: (I did not climb this pitch... I followed the Indecent Exposure Variation.)Continue up the slot/gully/crack? until you reach lunch ledge.  Belay on lunch ledge.

Pitch five:Traverse right crossing to the east end of lunch ledge (4th class) to a belay stance at the ledge's end. You can belay at a solid bush.

Pitch six:This seems to be the pitch most people like to talk about. It is definitely unique. Climb up and right in cracks thru a small overhang/roof and into the obvious granite trough. You are gaining some exposure and the valley is spread out below. Small placements in the bottom of the trough are definitely possible. I found two number four camalots to come in handy on this pitch, although they are not needed. Work your way up the trough to a two bolt anchor on your right.

Pitch seven:Climb the easy, secure (you would have a hard time falling out), not very protectable (scary looking to some) 5.6 chimney above. It is kind of miserable if you are carrying a pack on a hot day. Some recommend climbing on the right edge of the chimney and stemming across, instead of squeezing your way up. Whatever feels comfortable. Belay above the chimney on a nice ledge below the formation called the "ear."

Pitch eight:You can continue up the chimney above (5.7R) and move right, or you can traverse to the right from the ledge (5.5)up and around the bulge to belay in bushes.

Pitch nine:(5.2) Work your way up the gully to your left until a big drop is seen on your right. The thumb formation is above you.

Pitch ten:Climb up and left across the big slab on easy terrain until you come to a dirt path/trail. Belay in trees.

Hike up to the ridgline to the left (northwest) of the thumb itself. (No need for a belay here really...you are walking through bushes, etc.) You can leave gear at this ridge. During the last pitch you will climb up and rappel back down returning again to the same spot.

Pitch eleven:Step across the gap from the ridgeline over to the thumb formation. Before you do this, look for the obvious old black bolt on the northeast side. Step across grabbing big holds, place some gear to back up the bolt and gingerly stand up so that the bolt is by your waist. Reach up and grab the summit ridge, friction up with your feet and mantle onto the top. Walk across to the summit bush and belay. Enjoy the view, rappel from the bush, hike back up the ridgeline and over.

Descent:Only one rope is needed for these rappels.

You want to end up in the second gully to the east. There seem to be a couple of variations at first, here is the way I went... Drop down from the ridgeline into the first gully (you will see a trail going down.) Before you get to the end of this gully you are going to hike left and up a little bit to a notch (to the northeast) downclimbing/rappeling into the next gully to the east. I noticed a cairn. Hike down this gully until you come to a bolted rappel at the top of a big slab. Follow this gully down and then moving to the right...stay to the right of the slabs down thru the gully to possibly one last rappel (depending on your willingness to downclimb the slippery 30 feet)... and down until you reach the approach trail.

It should be noted that you do not end up at the base of the climb. So if you are planning on leaving your packs at the base, before the climb, you want them at the bottom of Plumb Line gully, by the base of Plumb Line wall.

Bring lots of water and sunglasses. The granite slabs get pretty bright in the sunshine.

In my opinion this route is barely two stars... it is definitely worth doing once. I would do it again with certain friends, but it isn't really that classic overall. It is just a nice opportunity to climb a cool formation, and spend the day climbing 11 moderate pitches.

This is the very highly recommended variation on Standard Thumb.

Pitch one:Start up the gully for about 20 feet and then move onto the right wall up steep cracks (fun moves) to the tree filled gully.  Continue up through the trees and belay where the trees end.

Pitch two:Climb the great hand/arm crack continuing up and to the right until you come to a roof.  Undercling to the right and up onto lunch ledge and an obvious belay.

You now have a few choices... up the awesome S-direct, up the classic trough pitch, or rappel.

A very old route on the east side of the Thumb.

Mark Ward made an early solo (roped) ascent.  Probably '71 or '72.  Took a leader fall on the 4th pitch and sliced his leg.  Finished the route and then went to get stitched up.

Some fixed pins. A little dirty but very historic and one of the original hard routes in the canyon

A very serious route. The consequences of falling on lead almost anywhere along this route will be significant up here. The route is for expert climbers with a cool head when things get dicey. Trust me... they will get dicey. The route is rarely done, so it will likely be flakey. If you thought the first pitch was mind-blowing, the second pitch will be just plain sick. Hang low on the midway belay so you can dodge your falling leader.

The crux is on the top, this ascends the East Face of The Thumb. It was my understanding that this Summit Block had never before been climbed in its entirety from the East Side to the top of the Thumb. We climbed it over two days with a bivy below the Block. It was an adventure which did not exclude quite a bit of gardening and pruning done on the lower pitches...which actually may be the crux. Climb many pitches in the gully to the right of the Matrix which has been the standard horror descent route for the Thumb. Some belays left in place, but this is a lot of terrain, so one hint at finding and staying on route is to start and continue up a buttress/arete type formation just up hill from The Plumbline route. Lots of 4th class and easy 5th down low. Head to the right side of the block and follow occasional bolts and fixed pitons to a steep hand crack in a right facing dihedral. Free climb up phenomenal knobs and patina to the very summit. These last pitches are the bread and butter of the route.

Hitching a ride to Bogota from the East, one would experience the jungle adventure/thrash just before reaching the beautiful clear mountain terrain and vistas that awaits.

Pitch 1 Begins on Lunch ledge, 40' left of the S Direct. Stem up grooves for 20'. Traverse right to a shallow crack in a right facing corner. Climb straight up (poor pro) to a low angle slab below a wide roof. Belay at the left end of this roof by a bunch of chickenheads about 10 feet ABOVE the slab at 2 bolts (5.9 R/X not obvious). This dangerous pitch can be avoided by climbing the first pitch of the S direct and traversing left across the easy slab to the belay (5.7).

Pitch 2: Follow the short crack above, then slab up and right along a ramp to a steep section. The airy belay is 20' higher (5.10). The first bolt on this pitch was added after the first ascent.

Pitch 3: Move up & right to a beautiful flake, similar to the "Zion Curtain" in Bells. At the end of the flake move back left and up to a bolted belay - great pitch! (5.10a).

Pitch 4: Ascend the slab above to the chimney breaking the headwall above to the top (5.8+).

This route has been recently re-bolted.

5.9+/ 5.10a

This route is a great option if you want more climbing after doing the Thumb.  2 pitches of ridge-esc climbing takes you to a flat summit.  The weathered granite will clean up after a few more ascents. Have your slab game on for this one.

Drilled on lead

Description

Protection

Routes in The Thumb Area