The Helmet

Joe Shiefman has been promoting this rock since about 1995. A few talented locals went up to look at it, but they were not the kind to do the work to make anything happen. When Joe told me about the rock, I figured if it was any good, Eric or Scott or Tony would have already done something there, so I filed it away under the "Mmmm yeah maybe some day" tab.

Finally one day when we were near by anyway, Joe forced me to go look and it was pretty impressive. So we went to work.

The Helmet faces west, so all the routes are in shade in the morning. This makes it good for Spring and Fall, and makes Summer good up to about 2 pm when the belays start to go into the sun. Winter is a bit cold since it is so steep there is no sun at all until quite late. If the high in town is below 70, the Helmet will be too cold for many. The views are great and the cave-inside-the-cave is a good place to wait out summer storms. The elevation is 6900 feet.

The rock consists of a shallow cave on the right and a vertical slab on the left. The left side of the slab has a roof/bulge down low. The rock is about 80 feet high with a maximum route length of 60 feet. Most of the routes are very continuous at their grade. There are a dozen lines in various states of completion. Starting at the right side of the cave they are:

The Cave

Demolition Derby 5.12a *** This route reminds me of Milanoma at The Beach -- short and action packed. It was super chossy to start with and looked like a "meat loaf" route. But hard cleaning by Cres "Demolition Man" Snyder and judicious reinforcement (by me) have turned it into something very good. In fact it's on my list of "Best easy 12s in So. AZ". I'm sure it will be gravelly for a while but it is now climbable without torrents of sand raining down. It's only 40 feet high but overhangs 15. It has sidepulls, knee-bars, underclings and a dyno. Lots of action for only 40 feet. Over-bolted down low due to the potential consequences of a hold checking out mid-clip. Feel free to skip 'em if you like. If you are unnerved by the big flakes at mid-height, I don't blame you. But they seem solid and have been reinforced. The rating may be height and humidity dependent. (Cres Snyder, John Baker, July 2006)

The Crossing 5.12b ** Goes up a slab on the right side of the cave and then crosses the tiered ceiling. More of a roped boulder problem than a route, but it's a pretty good boulder problem with a stimulating finish. (John Baker, Joe Shiefman, Cres Snyder, Eric Rhicard, Miles Kunkel, June 2005)

Project If anyone wants to put their stamp on this crag, start on Double Cross and then connect with the seam that crosses the roof at the widest part. There are bolts all the way but they are not in any kind of final configuration and the route needs cleaning and reinforcement. I can provide a drill and advice.

Dwarf Toss (red-tagged project) 5.12 A nice-looking line goes up the overlaps at the left-center of the cave and then finishes at the El Torito anchors. Has one of those rare cruxes that may be easier for short people, although a tall-person's bypass has been worked out too.

Freeloader 5.13 *** This insane route starts on Dwarf Toss but instead of heading left to the El Torito anchors, it heads RIGHT, out the 20 foot horizontal roof (marked as "Chain Gang" on the photo above). Vince says this route is "Bad Ass". And that it may be the best pitch on Mt. Lemmon. The name refers to the fact that I visualized the route, drilled it, and did the reinforcement, but Vince bagged the FA. A very nice send. (JB, JB, JB, May 2008) (Jared "Vince" Bates, John Baker, Josie Becker - ha ha ha)

El Torito 5.12a/b ** Name means "the little bull". Short and burly, just like Joe. The route goes up the left side of the cave and is steep and action packed. This is one of those routes that seems hard on first try but dials in quickly. On first inspection I was thinking 12d/13a but it turned out to be much easier. (John Baker, Joe Shiefman, July 4 2005)

Variations:

Double Cross 5.12 The faint arete between the start of The Crossing and the start of Dwarf Toss now has a few bolts. They can be used as an alternate start to The Crossing, making it harder and more sustained.

No Climb For Old Men 5.13 This route is a combination of El Torito and Freeloader. It allows you to do the fantastic finish of Freeloader without doing the thrutchy and somewhat painful Dwarf Toss start. One of the most fun pitches on the mountain.

The Slab

Going right to left:

Mr. Clean 5.10+ * Below the left margin of the cave, way down on ground level there is a fairly pronounced little dihedral. Mr. Clean starts on the right face of the dihedral and heads up to the left margin of the cave. The rock looks nasty for the first 20 feet but it's been pried and hammered to the point where it is climbable. By the time you get to the little roof 20 feet up the route is good. Another roof/bulge awaits 30 feet higher. (Joe Shiefman, John Baker, Dylan Cooper, July 2008)

Tony's Route 5.11 ** Starts just left of the Mr. Clean dihedral. The route trends left at the start and then joins Critical Mass for 3 bolts, then veers right to an exciting finish. (Joe Shiefman, John Baker, Oct 2004)

Critical Mass 5.11 ** The 3rd route from the right on the slab is identified by a start bolt tucked below an arching flake. It joins Tonys's Route for 3 cruxy bolts before heading straight up where Tony's Route goes right. Two more stiff cruxes high up are both preceeded by good rests. (John Baker, Joe Shiefman, Brian Kristofitz, June 2007)

Danny Likes Men 5.10+ ** A vertical face that skirts the right side of the roof/bulge. Climbs better than it looks. It's a good warm-up for the cave routes. (John Baker, Eric Rhicard, Joe Shiefman, Cres Snyder, June 2005)

Ain't My First Rodeo 5.11- * Turns the roof/bulge down low to face and slab above. Certain holds are hard to find, so it may feel harder. (Eric Rhicard, John Baker, Sept 2005)

Brain Bucket 5.10 * A decent slab route that turns the roof/bulge down low. (Eric Rhicard, John Baker, Cres Snyder, June 2005)

The Adventures Of Nad And Huck 5.9 ?? * At the left margin of the slab, a decent route follows a line of bolts up a series of laybacks up to a platform then up a crack to an arete. Move to the right around the arete and pull onto the slab. Then up to anchors. This route is gaining the reputation of climbing better than it looks. (JB, Joe, Cres, EFR, Mar 2006)

The left-side gully. This line looks okay, but Joe and I TR-ed it and it didn't seem worth drilling.

Miles Kunkel hooking away on The Crossing.  A strenuous 12 with 
an exciting finish.

Looking straight up at Eric Brick-hard finishing the 20 foot ceiling of The Crossing.

Snyderman on The Crossing.

Cres Snyder on No Climb For Old Men.............. Dwarf Toss starts at the two small roof tiers just left of center in this photo. The rope at the right marks The Crossing.

John Baker starting the No Climb For Old Men extension of El Torito.

Hanging out on No Climb For Old Men.