Ascent Notes for: Sedona Scenic Cruise - 5.9 popular Average Rating : 4.31/5

Perfect time of year to climb this route. Well shaded until mid afternoon and then the sun was welcomed. With Stacy, great route, nice approach. Best rock I have been on in Sedona, by far. Very clean. The first, third and last pitches were exceptional. I led them all with my wife, but if you are switching leads, somebody is going to get the best deal for sure. Four double rope raps, ignoring the rap in the middle of pitch two is the way to go. Route log in place, but pen needs to be replaced.

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Found a helmet at base, give me the brand and color and I will get it back to you. I we left a cam on P2 and would love to have it back, good climbing karma both ways.

Call Glenn 928 301 7337 Thanks

great climbing...when you get there. If you bushwhack, don't step on the criptobiotic soil (black topping to the crusty sand). The approach from the left is definitely the way to go (wish we did it). P1, 3, 4, 5 all great climbing on quality rock. P2 could've easily used natural protection. We got ropes stuck momentarily on raps 2 and 3, and I feel we got really lucky. Thanks for the recommendation Sonso45!

Had a wonderful day with Manny and Taco! It's startin to get a little warm up there so be sure and get an early start.

The crux was the walk to the base. Glad Joe Garcia lead us to it, I would have had a hard time finding it. The directions here are based on our ascent. The roof on the first pitch has a fixed piece, that I clipped, and did not use a long enough sling (I used a 5' runner!) and the resulting rope drag sucked; I should not have clipped it, instead, I placed a great small hex in the slot at the corner of the roof, and it was very good. Fairly straightforward and fun afterwards. Moving the belay to start the second pitch is easy and you will notice the rap chains on the right and below the second pitch start. This will be important to remember when rapping, it is safer to belay each other on the way down to reach the anchor but we just reversed our 4th class moves and did an airy very exposed traverse to the last rap station. The final pitch traverses right into the chimney on slabby face (unprotected about 15') and is not difficult but very exposed and committing followed by interesting wide moves above.

Traversing to start the last pitch was a bit scary. There were a few run out sections, but they were relatively easy. I think the best way to approach is from the llama trail. There is a wash that goes to slick rock on the left of a small spire that is in front of the route. Just follow the cairns when you find them. Look at the pics here and on mountainproject.com and you shouldn't have too much trouble. Did the route as 5 pitches, linking the third and fourth pitches as described here.

My second time on the route, I realize it's not as great as people say. It's true the views really are the best, but the route itself doesn't offer the unrelentingly stellar climbing you might suppose from comments. In fact, I don't get why p4 is 100% bolted when there are cracks right next to bolts in a couple sections. ?? I did find the following pitches good: p1; p3 (the top is wide for us girls); and the traverse into p5 chimney is both scary and quite dangerous for both leader and second. In fact, I find the start of this last pitch one of the more contrived portions of the route (the belay could have been set on the ledge just below, for instance, where the crack actually starts). With regard to the approach, the Weekend Rock guidebook gives another option for getting there on a very good trail--I recommend it; other than that, the hard part is figuring out where exactly to go up the mountainside. After making the final approach and initial descent on different sides of the mountain BOTH times I climbed it, I realized that the southwest slope is correct. It is the only portion of the mountain that has stable ground and where you will be less likely to get injured by massive, shifting boulder fragments on unstable, eroding slopes. There is also a faint trail...if you can find it. Aim for a somewhat indistinct ridge that rises up and conjoins with the SW side of the mountain. One section of the ridge is light in color and drops away on both sides of the trail suddenly for a short time.

Great weather (80 degrees in November), great views, great company, great climb, and great pizza afterwards. Exhilirating, spicy moves on 1 and 5 (and 3 to a lesser extent). The friction slabs were kinda scary, but the climb was worth it. Hand crack, chimney, and face. But not the least bit chossy. Led pitches 3 and 5. Good job Marcy and Kelly on pitches 1,2,4!

We followed the approach beta from this site and mountain project (same beta) and didn't have any problems.

PS - what's with the bolt just above the start of the last pitch? We didn't even notice it until we were rapping.

PPS - The "Weekend Rock" guidebook said with 2, 60m ropes, you can combine the 3rd and 4th rappels. Our ropes DID NOT reach the top of the last rappel. They reached the belay ledge for the start of p2, which was about 10 ft short of the rap station. Not sure why.

Great route, some of the best views of Sedona while spire climbing. Route offers some wonderful crack and face moves. Pitch 3 great exposure. Had a wonderful day with MK. Thanks for the summit.