Above the main wall of the Island is a headwall with two lieback cracks coming together at a steep roof. Following the right crack, make cool lieback and stemming moves to gain the roof, which is surmounted via large holds. Like the name suggests, this is an entertaining (albeit short) line. The left crack offers an easier approach to the roof. Because of the very poor landing on a sloping slab of rock, which drops off towards the top of the Island's 20-foot main wall, this is most safely done as a toprope.

The Entertainer

Whoopee Crack (aka Island Crack)

Hugs and Pinches

In the Picture

Over-exposed

Middle of the Road Madness

Ashtar Roof

Five Niner

Bootleg Crack

Contest Special

Teflon

Short, easy 5.7 with big holds low and a crack near the top.

This appropriately-named problem is easier if you have a long ape-index. Figure out how to bear-hug up the bulging face, primarily using the grippy arete on the right, to a somewhat-cruxy mantle. Very fun and on good rock.

Begin at the start of "Five Niner" and go left with the arch using poor, painted-over footholds and mostly-shallow underclings and sidepulls until it is possible to gain the jugs up and right from the arch. Follow these good holds to the OTD top-out. A "cute" variation to "Overexposed" according to one Stonemaster. Despite the paint detracting from this problem somewhat, it still has some cool movement.

Begin just under where the arching crack forms an "L" and proceed straight up with poor starting footholds and some cranky edges up the vertical face. Routinely bouldered by some, although many will choose to toprope this testpiece. Unfortunately, this route along with "In the Picture" and "Teflon" has been damaged by copious amounts of rock-colored paint at its start (done to cover up graffiti). While an effort has been made to remove paint from the most crucial footholds, these problems have definitely become more difficult.

Very hard highstep off of sharp crimps on the left side of the main wall.

Left of "Teflon" is an obvious seam leading to a roof. Technical moves on smooth rock lead up the seam to a crux move gaining the sloping ledge below the roof. Surmounting the roof is not as hard as it may appear. Unlike many nearby climbs which can be bouldered reasonably safely with modern crashpads, this would be a very bad one to try and climb without a toprope and it therefore doesn't see a lot of traffic. Fun climb nevertheless.

A tricky move or two in a slightly-overhanging seam lead to a good flat edge. Moving from this edge to the better holds up higher is the crux for most, and can be accomplished in several ways depending on your height and flexibility. One of the best problems for its grade on the hill. Good, steep rock, cool moves, and none of those painfully small edges Rubidoux is so notorious for. The base is a little rocky and uneven so consider doubling up the pads, or set up a toprope using the beaten-down bolts on top.

A relatively high boulder problem, this wide crescent-shaped crack is visible looking up from the road below as the most prominent crack splitting the main formation on Island Wall.  It's to the left of the wall with Five Niner, In the Picture, and Overexposed.

The crack runs along the left side of a large thick flake and is good fists and feet for a while, then widens at the top before coming to a broken chunk of the top of the flake acting like a chockstone.

5.6, but know what you're doing in wide cracks before you venture to the top of this one.  Long fall to a bad landing regardless of pads.

In my really old guide, this is listed as 5.2!  Holy sandbag...

Climb the face left of Bootleg Crack on thin crimps and fiction.

One of a dozen or so of the "old school" testpieces at Rubidoux, this problem, like its neighbors, has been severely damaged by paint--making it even more teflon-like in its slickness. Nevertheless, it is still possible for those who enjoy cranking on finger-wrenching crimps and using precise footwork. Both powerful and delicate, putting this problem on your Rubidoux circuit will help keep you primed and ready for those sick, improbable stopper moves you're likely to encounter out at Joshua Tree or Suicide. Once past the hard moves, it is possible to escape left (and down) or right and up the "In the Picture" finish.

So, where are the "new school" testpieces, one might ask? The answer is there really aren't any. Nevertheless, despite Rubidoux's hardest problems getting sent decades ago and receiving vague old-school bouldering grades (5.12+/B1+/etc.), some of these problems (

Pink Bug

, The Octopus, Flabob, to name a few) are probably among the most difficult of their kind anywhere, and they are very rarely done. Some have likely never been repeated.

For some interesting discussion of Rubidoux's hardest by actual old school Stonemasters, see the following link:

supertopo.com/climbing/thre…

Where are today's dime cranking masters?

Description

Protection

Routes in Island Wall