The Bluff View Guide to Cayman Brac Climbing
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[edit] LOVE SHACK WALL
On the South Side Road, 2.7miles (4.3km) east of the Ashton Reid Road (also known as the “Bluff Road”), it is identifiable by its left angling crack. It’s a three-minute walk from Bluff View. Shade late in the day in winter, around two by mid-April. Steep, clean, pocketed rock. Routes are listed left to right.
****Leapin’ Lizzards; Ti, 11d/12a. 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Stick-clip the first. Make a huge throw to a bucket, then a huge throw to a bucket, then a huge throw… you get the idea! Somewhat smaller moves lead to a solid incisor...pull that tooth! Incredible! JE, LG, & DN
Bat(s) in Brac; 12c/d. 7 bolts, 2 ring bolt anchor. Crux is right off the deck! Top is a series of dance-like moves through devious pockets and edges...sequential. Magnificent! LG
***Parrot Trooper; Ti, C, 12b/c. 4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor, stick clip. And a trooper you’ll have to be to pull through the tough start and tough finish. Stay on the smooth face, dancing to find just the right (in-the-mono) sequence. LG
*** Throwin’ the Hoola Girl; Ti, 12a. 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. A Houdini route, the moves are never quite what they seem. If it appears hard, it’s easy, and vice versa. JE
Bric-a-Brac Crack; 12a. 6 bolts, 2 ring bolt anchor, shares last bolt & anchor with Throwin’ the Hoola Girl. Left diagonaling seam. Use pockets at start and cross crack near the finish. LG & JE
[edit] THE ORANGE CAVE
Park at the East end of the South Side Road where there's a sign for The Great Cave. Take a pleasant ten-minute stroll further east until you’re opposite the orange cave, then hike up to the base. Routes listed left to right. CAUTION: When lowering and cleaning, or top roping, Goin’ to Cayman or Orange Fantasea, be aware that rope-stretch combined with the boulders at the cave mouth means a very slim margin for a swinging climber! Clean the bottom bolt by clipping directly into the bolt above. Stand up to belay and keep the rope tight!
**Chum Buckets; Ti, C, 10b 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Big moves on big holds which suddenly appear right where you want them. Look for fossils. SH (historical note: The first route on the Brac).
*Goin’ to Cayman with a Snorkel in My Jeans; Ti, C, 10c 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. If you like ‘em big you’ll like this. Have steady nerves or stick-clip the first bolt. CL
**Orange Fantasea; Ti, C, 11a 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor (shares anchor w/ Snorkel). Start inside the cave on the right. Gritty but fun hueco pulling leads to a bizarre rest. Pull the lip while the cameras click. Use long slings on the third and fourth bolts to avoid rope drag. CL
**L’ Orangerie; Ti, C, 5.8d 5 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. A fun short route to get you used to the Cayman thing. Stays dry even in pouring rain. SH
The following route is 150' East of the Orange Cave at a low roof.
***Ick! Theology! (I'd Rather Study Cod); Ti, C, 10b 9 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. After piling cheater stones as high as your conscience allows, boulder past a bolt, pass a small cave, then haul steep jugs to the top. EH/SB/AP
[edit] THE WAVE WALL
The Wave Wall is another 20 minutes of walking past The Orange Cave and offers a wide variety of quality routes. Unfortunately, it is only approachable during calm seas. Boots and gloves recommended for this approach. Shade in the afternoon, about 2:30pm in Feb, earlier in spring.
Hike east towards two huge boulders, the first of which has a sharp, pointy top (First Cay). Pass above this rock, then below the second one, a somewhat rectangular pinnacle that looks like a seahorse. If you can’t pass below this rock due to the waves (even by timing your crossing between waves) then you probably won’t be able to cross the sloping shingle beyond either.
Now scramble through a boulder field at mid-height and come to a section of sloping rock with the overhanging wall on the left and the water on the right. Big waves can make this section extremely dangerous! Do a 3rd class (sometimes 4th class) traverse to the last large shelf (~100m). Routes listed left to right.
**Pirates of Penance; Ti, 12a. 5 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Steep jugs lead to a sequential crux. JE
Pirates of Piss Ants; 12d. 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Ultra-classic pocket pulling. LG
****Conched Out; Ti, 10d. 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. After deciphering the starting moves (climb directly over the bolts), pull through beautiful Caymanite bands and crystal grape-clusters in a small cave. Shares last bolt and anchor with Frolickin’ Frigates. LG
***Frolickin’ Frigates; Ti, 10c. 8 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Climb up to a ledge, and then crank directly over the bolt on the finger of rock (or worm your way around it). Now race the pump to the anchors. LG
You can recognize the next two climbs by the vertical, white rock, which leads into a shallow alcove, then up to a long dark roof, and then over this to a vertical headwall. You need a 60m rope to lower from the top anchors, although you can lower/rap twice by using the Ray’s Gar and Krill anchor with a 50m.
**Reef on This! Ti, C, 10d. 13 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Pick a hold, any hold...until the finish. Shares the anchor with Parrot Preserves. LG
****Parrot Preserves on Rye Ti, C, 10d 11 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Climb moderate rock to the overhang and the technical crux above. LG
Variations:
*Jumbo Shrimp Ti, 10c 2 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. A short extension to Reef on This and Parrot Preserves, which will get you to the top of the bluff and within 15 minutes of the Spiral Staircase area. Combine with either route for one long, four-star pitch. A two-rope rappel or multiple raps with one rope. EH
**Ray’s Gar and Krill Ti, 5.8 3-4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Climb either Reef on This or Parrot Preserves to a two-bolt anchor below the big overhang. EH
****Unsuspecting Remora Ti, C, 12a 7 bolts, 3 fixed threads, 2 bolt anchor. Climb pockets up a black and white streaked face (watch out for shark-bite!) to a rest. Steep jugs left of the cave lead to a devious, difficult finish. EH
***Shooting the Curl Ti, C, 10a 8 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Immediate crux, then overhanging buckets to a large cave. Experience the exposed finish by climbing out of the cave to the right. Take a long sling for the bolt in the cave. SH
**Hang Ten Ti, C, 10d 9 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. A difficult start leads to a good rest. Use it, ‘cause it over-hangs the rest of the way to a difficult blind finish! Shares the anchor with New Wave. SH
***New Wave Ti, C, 10b 8 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. After a stiff start, jug-haul into a small cave. Climb out the cave (look down here!) to another crux at the final bolts. JE
***Old School Ti, C, 5.8 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Steep and fun. If you’re not on a bucket, you’re off route. JE
[edit] EDD’S PLACE (aka The East Bluff)
Although there’re only two routes, they are worth the walk! Make the walk only if the sea is fairly calm on the east side or you’ll be wasting your time. The walk is difficult, but in general staying within 50ft of the cliff edge is the easiest. Follow the path of least resistance. You will pass three square, concrete “DOS” markers along the cliff edge. These often have a red-painted marker. Don’t worry if you miss one. There are also several rock cairns on the edge along the way.
See description for the Northeast Point (below) for directions to the Lighthouse. From the Lighthouse walk to the cliff edge and then turn to the right. After 20 minutes of non-stop hiking you will be in an area with no large vegetation near the cliff edge, hopefully near DOS #154. Look over the edge of the cliff to the right. You should be able to see huge boulders in the ocean farther right, and an obvious large buttress beyond that. Spiral Staircase is just past that buttress, so you are about halfway there. After another 20 minutes or so, the vegetation suddenly gets really thick with cactus and rhododendrons, forcing you away from the cliff edge. Angle to the right into the thick vegetation for about 150-200’, then angle left towards the cliff edge, following the path of least resistance.
If you’re lucky, you will find the cairn and yellow tag at the top of Spiral Staircase. If you’re not so lucky, look over the edge at the water near the cliff for a “deadman”; a rocky piece of coral that broaches the surface in between waves. This deadman is right below Limestone Pirate. Shade about 2pm in mid-February, earlier otherwise. Total approach is .7 miles and can take anywhere from 40-60 minutes.
Jumpin’; 11d/12a. 2/10/2 Surprise holds; obvious big move at beautiful Caymanite shelf. Might as well jump! JY
****Limestone Pirate; Ti, 11a 2/12/2. Steep and excellent! Fun moves with a couple of interesting reaches. Shares Staircase lower belay. Top anchor bolts are hard to find from above, just under a small overhang. It's not a bad idea to preclip the first bolt above the lower belay while on rappel. JE
****Spiral Staircase; Ti, T, 10a 2/12/2 One of the island’s best with an outstanding lower belay position! Climb smooth pocketed rock to a cave; head back out and ascend the spiral staircase or crank straight over the bolt (a bit harder than 10a). Check out the window into the cave at ceiling level. Shares lower belay with Limestone Pirate. JE
[edit] THE NORTHEAST POINT
Drive down the Lighthouse (Major Donald) Road about 6 miles (10km) to the east end of the island and park at the lighthouse. Follow the obvious nature trail to the left. After about 100m there is a cairn next to the trail. From the cairn, look straight out towards the edge to see some large bushes with a few palm trees. The Devil Wears Flippers starts right of these palms. Routes listed right to left as you look out over the water. Look for tortugas and dolphins! Shade almost all day in winter, starts to get sun at the top in mid-March. Boots and gloves recommended for these approaches!
*What’s the Point? Ti, T, 5.9 2/13/2. From the cairn angle hard right to the very NE Point of the island. A little run out if 9 is your limit and sharp at the top, but an impressive position. Anchors a bit over the edge on a slab. Beware the waves! One day a wave broke OVER my belayer, like a surfer in the tube, and left her scared but dry! GB
****Freedom; Ti, T, 12c 2/17/2. About 25’ left of What’s the Point. Anchors are just below the left side of a large block. Three 5.12 cruxes ranging from technical to mono pulling to a final roof haul. LG & JE
****Throwin’ the Tortuga; Ti, 11b 2/11/2. 5’ left of Freedom; anchors are next to a diagonaling crack that splits the cliff edge. Shares bottom belay with Freedom. Beautiful huecos filled with globular crystals lead to an airy, orange arête. Then up a steep flake system and over a bulge to the finale: a technical crux. Rock & Ice #69 cover photo! JE
**The Devil Wears Flippers; Ti, T, 11a 2/16/2. 30’ left of Tortuga; anchors are drilled straight down in a pothole at the cliff edge. Girth-hitch these with long slings to prevent cross-loading your biners. Long, sustained, steep; don’t give up...hidden buckets just when you need em’! Trends left, then right; take a long sling for the left-most clip. CL
***Spermy the Whale; Ti, 11c/d 2/14/2. 5’ left of Devil. Shares The Devil Wears Flippers belay. Nifty long diagonal huecos above the low crux. Technical and sustained. JE
Approach the next climb by staying on the trail and walking past the cairn about 20m, then heading towards a palm that’s on the edge of the bluff. This avoids bushwhacking on the cliff edge.
***Shiver Me Timbers; Ti, 10b 2/13/2 Located in the first big dihedral with a convenient palm tree. One of the best “tens” on the island. SH
Approach the following four routes by staying on the trail for about 75m past the first cairn until you find two more cairns just past a small “Lighthouse” sign. Walk between the cairns on a faint trail past three palms, then angle right following the path of least resistance to a narrow break in the brush. This will put you a few feet right of Blackbeard’s Revenge.
**Blackbeard’s Revenge; Ti, T, C, 10b 2/9/2 Find the top anchor bolts just below a flat shelf in a square-cut alcove. Shares Walking the Plank bottom belay, so you can do both routes without moving the rappel rope. Interesting line with fun moves on duos, edges, and side-pulls. SH
***Walking the Plank; Ti, 10b/c. 2/12/2 Top anchor is 10’ left of Blackbeard’s and 15’ right of No Problem. Bottom belay is a bit to the left when rappelling. Nifty big pulls over the bulge; grab the handle! It eases in the black & orange dihedral before more big pulls lead to the blind crux. SH
**No Problem, Mon; Ti, C, 10a. 2/9/2 Top anchors in a big dihedral. Perfect belay ledge is to your left on rappel. Go right to an arete/bulge. Stay right of the bolts for the best rock, up and over to easy, photogenic moves on the white arete. Make a pretty step-across to the belay. SH
****Porpoise Christi; Ti, C, 11b 2/4/2 Direct start to No Problem, Mon. Exquisite white limestone, big pulls, big holds! It can be top roped from No Problem belay ledge, but it’s a unique lead with a memorable lower belay. JE
To find the Wall of the Early Morning Flight follow the trail approximately 125m past the No Problem Mon cairns to another cairn. Angle slightly left to a lone bush near the edge. There’s also a square, concrete “DOS” marker about 5m to the left of the routes.
**Holy Huecos Batwo-mon Ti, 5.10c 2/14/2 Look for the anchors down low, on the left side of large, ugly “V” cleft. This route catches spray from breaking waves during certain surf conditions. Besides making the route smarmy, rogue waves can inundate the belay and first few bolts! More than one person has gone through the wash cycle and it’s never on “Delicate”. After rapping to the first set of double bolts, examine the surf for a few minutes before committing. You can belay from the higher (30’) set of anchors, so you miss the lower crux, but it’s still 10c. LG
***Spine-less; Ti, T, 11d 2/15/2 Top anchor is located straight out from the large bush, on the right side of a triangular block. Look for the bolts just below a 4-inch overlap. Shares Holy Huecos belay at bottom and the Chicken anchors at the top. Travel up incredibly smooth, steep hueco-ed rock. Enter a rest cavern with optional thread. Straight up and out to an incredible tricky thin crispy finish. LG
****Chicken of the Sea; Ti, T, 12a 2/10/2 Shares Spine-less anchors at top. Incredible & sustained, possibly the best route on the island! Follow the big holds past the last bolt for a true “photo finish” or head straight for the anchor. Terrific drama on the high seas! Don’t forget to look around at the stunning view, most airy! JE
****Hot Tuna; Ti, 12a 2/8/2 New Top anchors only! Bottom anchors in a cave. Follow smooth, white rock. LG
*Beach Fire; Ti, C, 10c 0/7/2/6/2 (2 pitches) 165’ past Tuna, rap a chimney system past a nasty ledge to a unique and very isolated rock “beach” (great position, calm seas only!). Climb back out in two pitches, starting with a left arching crack-like system. The first pitch (crux) is excellent; unfortunately the second is mostly just pointy. EH, SRB
*Mud Falcon; Ti, 5.11b Top-rope variation to Beach Fire. Thread the intermediate anchors on your way down (they’re in a shallow groove off to the left as you face the wall), and top-rope the steep straight-in crack system. VW
[edit] NEPTUNE’S LAIR
A very intimate and unique setting. Park at the east end of the North Side road in the Spot Bay turnaround. Follow the trail and then walk the Long Beach toward the big pointed rock in the sea and the micro-island “Little Cayman Brac”. If the water’s calm, stay close to the water when entering the boulder area. Otherwise, you can scramble at mid-height, aiming for the steep white face. The routes face due north and take a long time to dry after being hit with sea spray. In late March they get late-day sun; about 20-25 minutes from the car.
The routes are described from right to left. Therefore, Calypso is the first route you will encounter as you approach. ROUTES:
***Calypso; Ti, C, 11c 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Several cruxes and a throw will sweep you off your feet. LG
**Booby Eggs for Breakfast; Ti, 11a 10 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Follow the crack to the cave, and then switch gears (shift down for more power!) for the rest of the way. LG
****Poseidon; Ti, 12- 10 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. This made me salivate when I rebolted it, but after 7 years it still has never been redpointed! Steep and wild climbing. Bring your kneepads. LG
The Tempest; 12?. 7 bolts, 2 ring bolt anchor. Open Project. LG
Conch-U-Brine; 12?. 8 bolts, 2 ring bolt anchor. Open Project LG
[edit] DIXON’S WALL
This wall is as good as you’ll find anywhere. North facing with large trees at the base, it's shady most of the year. Access to the cliff is through the Dixon’s back yards. Please ask permission (always granted) and chat a bit; the Dixons are incredibly friendly. Don’t swear aloud if it’s not your day. Please, do not layback or undercling on the stalactites on this wall -- they will break! Pull straight down (“milk it”) instead.
Drive 2.1miles (3.4km) east of La Esperanza on the North Road to the Spot Bay Primary School. Park just west of the school and above the white wall along the road. The green and white house (with white picket fence and bunny rabbit rock) at the crossing zone belongs to Mr. Hindenberg “Berg” Dixon. The house just east belongs to his son Mr. Peter Dixon. Walk up to either front door and knock to get permission. Don’t be shy they really like climbers! Wander to the right through Berg’s backyard and head straight back along the wire fence. Routes described from left to right when facing the cliff.
***Bussy’s Bulge Ti, C, 11c/d 9 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. First bolt is located 10’ up at lip of two-foot overhang. A boulder problem crux between first two bolts leads to a steep enduro finish on some of the coolest buckets you’ll ever grab. Kneebars available. JE
****Lizzard the Gizzard Ti, C, 11c/d 10 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Stick-clip the first bolt and climb straight up, or climb in from the left. Vertical pocket pulling leads to several powerful sequences through the overhang. Originally rated 9+ this route spit off many good climbers. If the latest rating seems stiff, try ignoring the chalk at the cruxes. JE & LG
****Dixon’s Delight Ti, C, 11b 10 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. Begins just right of the end of the barbed-wire fence. Climb straight over the 4th bolt for the best moves. Several rest positions allow you to warm up slowly. Once at the top of the vertical section, decipher the moves into overhanging territory. JE & LG
****Out of Africa Ti, C, 11c/d 10 bolts, 2 bolt anchor. My personal favorite, this route has everything. Climb up the grey elephant trunks, and get past the blank looking mid-section. Finish on outrageous cave-like features. JE
Buffalo Soldier 12a/b. 10 bolts, 3 ringbolt anchor. Starts 8’ right of Africa on more elephant trunks. Pumpy with a crimper crux. JE
[edit] Route history and Acknowledgements
- Routes established by:
- George Bracksiek GB 1995
- Jeff “Mort” Elison JE 1995,1996,1997
- Lizz Grenard LG 1995,1996,1997
- Skip Harper SH 1994,1995,1996,1997
- Craig Luebben CL 1995
- Dave Newton DN 1996
- Jonny Woodward JW 1996
- John Young JY 1997
- Eric Hirst EH 1998, 2000, 2001
- Susan Bolton SB 1998
- Al Pacifico AP 1998
- Vance White VW 2000
- Simone Brisson SRB 2001
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the rebolting effort. Their expertise, time, equipment, money and labor were all greatly appreciated: Mike Shelton, Jim Bowes, Skip Harper, Vance “Victor Blanco” White, Eric Hirst, Ken Cline, Sue Rusch, Mike Kleker, Chris Kantarjiev and Susan Bolton.
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