Monastic Groove is one of the best routes at the Outer Gates.  It features refreshingly different holds than many of its neighboring 5.7/5.8s which tend to be very similar to each other.

This is the center most route in the Vestry, just downhill from the thin spire called the Steeple.  Squeeze behind a detached boulder and start the route at its top.  Climb up a fun water groove to a bulge with the biggest jugs that you will ever see.  Pull through this, and continue for a few more bolts to a anchor set in an alcove about 70' up.

Monastic Groove

Trois Pistoles

Southern Hospitality

Crucifix

Moving to Montana

Mystery Route

Dale's Downpulling Digits Decadent Donjon

Going to the Chapel

Table Wine

Altered Boy

Abbot Arete

Crystal Staircase

Cloister Frock

No Mystery Here

Pandora's Pebble Pinching Party Palace

Fin Du Monde

Two Buck Chuck

La Maudite

Jesus on a Stick

Hog Heaven

The Steeple

Simplexity

Kohlmann's Complex

Stone Smoked Porter

The original submission for this described Monastic Groove.

This is the climb just to the left of Monastic Groove on the Outer Gates side of the Vestry.  It is currently the 2nd climb from the left (of 5 climbs) on this face.  It climbs a slab with 6 bolts past an overlap.  The crux is after the 4th bolt.  It can be continued to the top of the Vestry by moving left to the finish of Abbot Arete, 5.7.

Located on the The Whine Cellar side of the Inner Sanctum. Confused? Pull out Gillett's guide and check the map.

While a bit steeper than most of the nearby routes of the grade, the rock on this route is also a wee-bit sharper than one comes to expect from the already biting rock which typifies the area.  Still, anticipate entertaining and sustained climbing that lingers to the finish.

Begin ten feet left of "The Brasserie" and fire off the bouldery, but well protected start.  Continue directly to anchors.

Crucifix is a good route, but not nearly as quality as its neighbor, The Steeple.  Start on the thin spire to the left of No Mystery Here (5.7).  This route is on the right (uphill side) of the spire.  Follow a bolted line up which joins the Steeple (left) for the last 3 bolts.

This route is on the Abbey 10 feet to the north of the 5.3 CCD practice route. Climb up nice face via crystals and head to the blunt arete. Clinb through tricky arete then follow 3 more bolts up the slab - great position! Belay your partner from ring bolts then do a short scramble (1 bolt) off the the main corridor or bring 2 ropes. 120 feet

This route is on the East side of the Abbey not the Tower of Evolution!

Eds.  Note, given the current organization of the area, this route is probably closest to the Outer Gates & has been moved here for clarity.

This route lies on the far right side of the Magical Mystery Tower. When facing the "Going to the Chapel" route on the Chapel, this route lies directly across the gully to the left (south). Follow six bolts to a new 2 Fixe-rings anchor. The crux is getting to the first bolt.

Two closely spaced bolts protect the opening crux moves.  Above, six more bolts protect 5.6-5.7 climbing to the anchors.

This route lies below Harley Davidson and is a good first sport climb, lead, or kids climb. It is on the left side of the gully / horizontal passage where Harley Davidson starts on the right. There are several different lines you can take for the first two bolts to make it harder(left) or easier (right).

This is the next blunt corner uphill from No Mystery Here.  Scramble uphill about 100' below a big pine tree.  The first three bolts climb a few feet to the left of the branches.  Climb slopey crystals for three bolts till the angle eases back, then after three more bolts decide whether to traverse right to the anchors of

Simplexity

(5.3 - 10' from the 6th bolt, 80' to ground) or continue to the route's anchors.  125' rappel.

Table Wine is a good route at the bottom of the Outer Gates.

Either hike around the left side of the Monastery to the bottom of the Outer Gates or approach through the Vestibule and hike through the last corridor on the left (the Inner Sanctum). Table Wine climbs the right route on the left face looking towards the Inner Sanctum.

Climb up and slightly right past three bolts past a horizontal seam and straight up past another three bolts to the anchor.

Clip 6 bolts, and share the

Simplexity

anchor. The crux lies at the second or third bolt. After bolt 4, the route angles to the right. Use a single rope to lower off.

This route is right of

Wes Bound

on the arete just uphill from

Table Wine

and the entrance to the Inner Sanctum.  Typical Outer Gates slab/face climbing on crystals, with a steeper 2-3 bolt crux.  Escape left to the anchors of

Wes Bound

after 9 bolts and bring up your second to rap with one rope, or continue to the routes own anchors and a 2-rope rappel.

Crystal Staircase is on the right edge of the Vestry, to the right of Monastic Groove.

Crystal Staircase is an enjoyable mid grade 5.7.  The first few bolts are quick to reach, then after bolt 5 it becomes runout up to the anchors, although the risk of fall is much lower since the route mellows greatly.

There are no anchors specifically for this route.  You need to keep climbing up to the very top of the Vestry, then you'll see the anchors for Stand Up Comedy at the far side of the top.  Use these to belay up your partner.  The views of the Devil's Gulch and the Monastery are fantastic from atop the Vestry, and it is a huge area up there.

To exit the route you have many choices:  1) bring up a second rope for a dual rope rappel, 2) rap down Stand Up Comedy on the opposite side of the Vestry then walk back through the Inner Sanctum to return to the start, 3) have the second head directly to the anchors at the top of Abbott Arete, clip in, then put the leader on belay to get down to these anchors.  They are readily visible when at the anchors atop the Vestry.  From here it is a single 60 meter rope rap to the flake at the base of Monastic Groove and Southern Hospitality.  #3 is my preferred way down.

Begin about 30 feet left of

Going to the Chapel

on the same formation. Climb up to the second bolt in a large scoop, pull the crux (5.9), and climb past four more bolts. You can then step diagonally up and right to clip the seventh bolt of

Going to the Chapel

, and either finish up that route or traverse further diagonally up and right to the anchor of

Simplexity

.

One rope will allow a rappel from the

Simplexity

anchor, however one rope will *NOT* reach the ground from the

Going to the Chapel

anchor, but you can do a short rap from this anchor to the

Simplexity

anchor and thence to the ground.

No Mystery Here is the long, blunt arete on the formation just uphill from the Steeple, with a small pine tree right at the base.  A long cruise, this route is a lot of fun.  It's a 135 feet to the ground, so drag a second rope to rap.

This is a great intro to the type of climbing in this area.  There are lots o' little knobby stuff to edge on.  Trust your feet.  As with most of the climbs in this area, the views are great from the top of the towers.

In English: End of the World.  An exceptional abbey style ale of high potency and uncommon smoothness, which not surprisingly are also characteristics of this route.  A couple puzzling cruxes complement the route's excellent stone and the fine position of the crux.

Begin from the ledge ten feet right of "

Monastic Groove

" and follow the line of clips up the clean face to a blunt arête with a bulge.  Move left at the ledge to shared anchors with "

Monastic Groove

".

This route climbs a steep, featured face past six bolts to the top of Whine Cellar.  The crux is surmounting the small overlap at the first bolt.  When the steepeness and difficulty ease at the fourth bolt, the bolts get a bit further apart.

In English: "The Damned One".  Given the name, I suppose you'll be damned if do, and damned if you don't.  The climbing on this route isn't exactly your standard Monastic crimping fare.  Instead, you'll find intriguing movement on sculpted rock that leads to robust finish.  It is a bit unusual for the area and one of the area's longest and most varied of the grade.

Commence 12 feet right of "

No Mystery Here

" and romp over scooped-out features to gain the start of a seamed-out crack in a dish.  Finesse your way past the delicate opening moves and continue up the crack/flake as it curves up and right to an exposed finish.

This is the second route to the right of

Simplexity

. Follow six bolts to a new 2 bolt anchor. Mostly moderate and easy climbing, the crux comes passing the second bolt. It looks like a long runout to bolt 3, but the upper half of the runout is easy.

This route lies on the Steeple formation inside the Hallowed Hall.  When standing at the base of the route "The Steeple", turn left and walk into the narrow passage of the Hallowed Hall. You will see the first bolt of Hog Heaven about 30 feet left of The Steeple. A line of ten bolts rises up, then angles left, then straight up again to a new Fixe rings anchor. The route get progressively steeper and harder as you climb. The crux comes up high near the ninth or tenth bolt.

From the Inner Sanctum Passage, the Steeple is the second formation uphill.  The route is the left of two routes on the formation, and follows a blunt arete on the left side.  This was a good route with some of everything, and fairly sustained.

Twenty feet right of

Going to the Chapel

, this is a great face climb with a crux at the first bolt and a Thank God jug after the sequence.  It was the best route of the day.

This is the route just right (uphill) from Simplexity. It is a long way to the first bolt and the crux is probably getting to that bolt, so take care.

This route first went into the

MP.com

database in 2003 as "Unknown - Outer Gates", but thanks to Bernard Gillett it now has a name and a FA party.

Long and sustained, brace yourself for a continuum of sneaky moves as the thinness crescendos just shy of the finish.  There's a good bit more here than first impressions might suggest. Commence ten feet right of "

La Maudite

" and finesse the opening groove, then fire onto the long headwall.  Crimp like there's no tomorrow as the crux seems to go on and on and on! Shares anchors with "

La Maudite

".

Description

Protection

Routes in Outer Gates