This route has some really fun movement on a fairly steep face, for Lumpy. However, the rock quality is not so good...crumbly feet and flexi-flakes. The bolts/pin leave something to be desired...they are mostly rusted.

Walk off down either side of the formation.

Icarus

Checkerboard Crack

Ziggie's Day Out

Non-Alignment

Number 8 Beartrap

Crystal Catch

Rainy Day Woman

Ziggie's Brother Hank

This is a wild and worthwhile climb that probably never gets done. This climb is a tight squeeze!

Climb easy chimneys to the right and uphill of Southeast Pillar's start. Look for the amazing hanging chimney above.

Rope up on a big ledge and climb into an overhanging crack to gain the chimney proper. The inside of the chimney is (

Wolf's Tooth

style) with small to midrange cams and nuts for pro. This is very tight squeeze through here and even skinny Michael thought is was tight. So beware.

After you extract yourself from the chimney there is a nice ledge to belay from. It's possible to rap from here or continue up P.2 of Southeast Pillar; another chimney.

Like its neighbor, Ziggie's Day Out, this climb requires great skill in placing protection, and it seems like you need TCUs for most of it.  Nut placements can be had, but are very tricky.  The left side of Checkerboard Rock is broken by a ledge 2/3 of the way up.  Two prominent parallel cracks reach it; the left one (which continues beyond the ledge) is Checkerboard Crack.  To reach it, lieback a shallow dihedral just right of a large block (thin 5.9-or, traverse in from above the block).  Make some face moves to gain the flared crack, and climb it to the ledge (sustained 5.9/5.10).  Pitch 2 is short and continues up the crack to the top.

A fantastic and unusual crack climb that is found on Checkerboard Rock, the small, 200 foot high buttress directly below Batman Rock.  The thin crack remains continuous for a full pitch while wildly zigging and zagging across a steep slab.  Do not attempt this climb unless you are skilled at making very finicky and creative placements with small wires!  Find the crack on the far west side of the rock.  It heads diagonally up right and then gets horizontal (5.9), heads straight up and fades considerably (crux), then slashes back left presenting a thin and scary 5.10 finale.  From the belay ledge, traverse down and left to the bolt anchor of Ziggie's Brother Hank, or continue to the top in a 5.9 hand crack.

A harder, lower-quality variation to Crystal Catch.  However, this well-protected and relatively powerful pitch is a nice change of pace from the slabby climbs to its left.

Start about 10 meters right of CC, at a boulder-sized chockstone wedged in the chimney.  Surmount the chockstone, then head straight left into cruxy underclinging and jamming until the crack turns vertical, eventually joining CC.  Gear should be placed at close intervals during the traverse since a ledge and the ground are still pretty close at this point.

Crystal Catch is a good route to end your day at Checkerboard. A couple of hard moves low down followed by runout knob climbing at about 5.7. The runout can be eased by moving right to get gear (use very long slings). At the top of the first pitch are slings to rappel from. There is a second pitch, but I've never done it. My 1986 Scott Kimball guide says this of P2: "Proceed up sharp crystals to Surrey Ledge. Choose a groove which is second from the left and take it to the top."

My Kimball guide says of the first ascent: "Description Kimball, Harry Kent; 1976." I assume this means first ascent unknown; first known ascent, Kimball, Kent. Maybe Scott can clear this up.

Like the DoDo bird and the 8-track cassette, 5.9+'s on Lumpy and Eldo seem to becoming extinct. Take the flake and thin crack that parallels Checkerboard Crack to the right. Stellar and sustained from start to finish, with a little R faceclimbing in the middle, is definitely harder than 5.9.  Finish on Checkerboard Crack's 2nd pitch.

A good face climb (protected primarily by bolts) in a somewhat questionable position, as it crosses the classic crack line of Ziggie's Day Out.  Start just above the large block on the left side of Checkerboard Rock.  Climb up to a bolt, using a short crack for pro, clip it and make 5.10 moves to attain the zig-zag crack of Ziggie's Day Out.  Place a tcu, and continue up a steep wall past more bolts to a hidden 2-bolt anchor.  Many will be comfortable without any gear other than QDs.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Checkerboard Rock