Tutorial Rock Miniguide

Although only 40 yards from the car, no evidence of prior climber traffic was visible when I started fooling around on this block in 1999. Despite it's proximity to the road, it remains seldomly visited and a nice place for a lightning quick session. It is also a fine place to bring beginner and/or novice climbers to introduce them to the concept of bouldering (hence the name) without the scene that you might find at some of the other spots on the mountain that some apparently believe are appropriate for true beginners. The up-problems are short and safe, the landings are relatively soft (not necessarily requiring a pad) and there are a number of easier 1 to 3-move up problems that some of my beginner/novice climbing friends have played on and seemingly enjoyed at various times over the past 8 years. There are also a few traverses that share the first 10 moves or so, but differ in where they finish. Essentially, the farther left you travel, the harder they get. Check 'em out. Where: Head up Flagstaff Road. 1.7 miles past The Armstrong Bridge (located at the hard right hand turn at the bottom of the mountain), park in the dirt lot on the right side of Flagstaff Road about 75 yards past the Crown Rock Parking Area (which is on the left). An access trail, constructed circa ~2002 or 2003, cuts across the hillside from the parking lot past Tutorial Rock on its way to joining the East Flagstaff Trail. More folks have played on these problems since this access trail was constructed, but this remains a chill place to come and do a few warmups or harder traverses. Stop there for a few minutes of fun.

1. Class Dismissed VB sds ... FA: Chip Phillips, 1999
Begin on the far left from a sds and ascend jugs up the somewhat sharp, short and easy face. A nice bonsai pine tree used to reside just ight of the topout, but some numbskull decided to end the tree's life.

2. Teacher's Pet V2 sds ... FA: Chip Phillips, 2000

Begin from a sds on obvious opposing holds just a couple feet right of #1 and bust left to finish left of the bonsai with #1. Harder than it looks.

3. Dunce Cap V2/3 sds ... FA: Chip Phillips, 2000

Begin from a sds on obvious opposing holds with #2 and climb straight to the top.

4. Lesson’s Over V4 sds ... FA: Chip Phillips, 2000
Start left of the crack matched on a brick. From slopers, make a big LH move to a sharp sloper, then pull again to the lip and over. The incut corner hold up and left from the start is off.

5. Layback Lesson V0 sds ... FA: Chip Phillips, 1999
Start right of the crack from a sds. Move into the good layaways and layback to the top and pull over. Everything left of the seam is off.
6. Heel Hook Lesson V2/3 ... FA: Chip Phillips, 1999

Start matched on the left side of the low sloping rail. Now, get your right heel up on the far end of the rail and bump your way up crimper rails until you can turn that heel into a toe and pull over the top.
7. Lunge Lesson V1 ... FA: Chip Phillips, 1999 *
Where a huge rail used to be, start matched on an edge next to a broken embedded pebble. With grim feet, make a big move up and left to a sloper on the lip. Fight to stay engaged and pull over.
8. Rockover Lesson V0 ... FA: Chip Phillips, 1999
Start on two protruding cobbles just over the lip, throw a high heel and roll over the top.
9. Tutorial Traverse V4 ... FA: Chip Phillips, 2000 *
Traverse left to the top of #5 from a start on the very far right. After a couple moves, you are surfing the lip across suprisingly varied grips. Surf the lip all the way for a pumpy and sequential bit of fun.

10. Graduation Traverse V6 ... FA: Chip Phillips, 2000
Traverse left to the top of #5 from a start on the very far right. Surf the lip like #9, but drop down to the rail after the 2 protruding cobbles and continue left until you can finish up #5. A huge somewhat loose rail used to reside across this lower finish, but it broke or was pried off sometime in 2002 making it a grade or 2 harder.

11. Extra Credit Traverse V8 ... FA: Steve Hong or Stevie Damboise, mid 2000's

Traverse left across the entire formation topping out with #1 and #2. Get started by surfing the lip with #9 and #10, then drop down to the rail with #10. When you reach the seam, continue left (staying low) until you can top out with #1 and #2. Pumpy and and technical with several hard moves on unpleasantly sharp holds thrown in for fun at the end.