Super Greens-Super S, 5.9+PG, 6 Pitches

Overview/Approach

These are relatively new routes (2023) that when linked together land you on the upper shelf of Brass Wall in Pine Creek.  The route is a bit contrived in that it wanders, at times on poor rock, and does not offer much sustained climbing at the grade.  However the linking of Super Greens pitches (5.8+) and the first pitch of Super S offer worthy climbing.  Super Greens offers a cool stem roof pull at the grade and the 2^nd pitch easily stems up a cool chimney section.  The 2^nd pitch of Super S is where the wandering starts and the rock quality, particularly on this pitch, leaves much to be desired. You pull a roof on sketch rock and follow the crack as it traverses up and left to the base of a short chimney where you have to traverse up and right on fragile runout face before finding decent varnish.   You end up traversing left again and up to a massive ledge with a fixed rap which is the only hardware on the route as of 2024.  The rest of the route from there involved as much scrambling as it did climbing although the final roped pitch did offer decent face climbing on good varnish below the grade.

Perhaps the highlight of this route is the descent.  You continue up through a cool human sized tunnel and eventually descend the gully that contains Raptor’s raps.  This is a much better descent than the options proposed by the FAers as of 2024.  More importantly, this descent can be done with a single 70m rope. 

Approach from the Pine Creek trailhead as you normally would for Birdland, etc.  For routes this far east on Rainbow's south facing walls, I prefer to catch the climbers trail to the ridgeline well east of the wall which approaches the Beer and Ice Gully more directly.  But of course you can approach via the regular trail that heads directly for Birdland and traverse back east.  The route is easy to find.  Locate the pillar that contains the popular route Vanishing Point.  Just to the right of this pillar is Beer and Ice Gully.  Bushwhack a short distance up the gully and locate the greenish moss-covered chimney on the east facing wall.  This is the first pitch of Super Greens.

Route Description

1^st/2^nd Pitches- 200’-5.8+/ The FA wrote that it is best to do this approach route in two pitches, but I found it went well with one.  He also has the length at 150’ when it is closer to 200’.  Start up the east facing wall in Beer and Ice Gully approximately a 100’ or two.  It is easily identified by the greenish color of its lichen, thus the name.  It is a well featured (pocketed) green colored start.  Stem up to the right side of the varnish above.  Make the crux move by traversing right and up passing a wide crack roof.  If you brought a #4, it would protect this move well.  The rock for your feet is suspect on the traverse right.  Continue stemming up to a ledge with a tree.  Walk to the back and stem up a chimney section to the large ledge above and sling a boulder for a belay.  

3^rd Pitch- 100’-5.9+/ This is the official start of Super S.  Move left and climb directly up to a varnished finger crack passing a ramp.  Pull the small roof (crux) and place gear at will up the crack to just below the massive roof.  Traverse out left under the roof to a chossy pod belay with small and/or large gear.

4^th Pitch- 180’-5.9PG/ This pitch offers the worst rock quality of the day.  Follow the left leaning roof crack up and left.  Land a massive chockstone ledge and continue up and right, a bit runout, on bad rock to gain some decent varnish above.  Trend back left and up to a massive ledge with a fixed rap on the east facing wall above it.  I suppose the crux of the route might be pulling the roof on suspect rock at the start of this pitch.  The rock from the chockstone, at about half way up the pitch, is the worst on the route and draws the PG rating as there is no pro until you gain the better varnish above.  The FA calls it 5.9+ but I never felt anything quite that technical on this pitch.  However, the lack of quality rock might make you feel that grade though.

5^th Pitch- 160’- 5.8/ This pitch is more 5.7 than 5.8.  Head up the well varnished face above the fixed rap, trending right.  Once you land the large ledge, walk northwest and step across to a varnished slot to a tree.  Belay on the tree. 

6^th Pitch- 200+’- 5.8/ Scramble west and up to a heavily varnished south facing wall on your right.  Rope up and climb the juggy, steep and fun varnished face trending left.  Finish by scrambling 3^rd class up to the top and another large ledge. 

The FA calls for a 7^th pitch, but we put the rope and shoes away at this point.  Scramble up the east facing wall in front of you.  Then scramble down into a gully and cross it to the northwest and up a slab to a hole.  This hole becomes a human sized tunnel to the other side where you scramble up a short distance more.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Follow cairns (2024) down into a gully to the west which turns into a fun slot.  Head south under a large chockstone.  The slot quickly opens up to a three-way intersection.  Turn left.  The FA directs you to the Birdland rap (straight) which makes no sense.  Birdland is the most popular route in Red Rock, therefore not fun nor quick to rap and will require a decent hike back to your packs.  Rather turn left down the cairned (2024) gully at this open intersection.  There will be cairns in all directions, but take the immediate gully to the south.  Easy travel takes you to a fixed rap skiers left.  Make a short rap.  Continue scrambling down more of a complicated gully, brush and 4^th class, with limited to no real exposure.   Just as it appears to get too steep, pay attention for the top Raptor (another sub par route on Brass Wall) rappel skiers left.  Scramble through a few bushes a few meters east to reach it.  Make a full single 70m rope rap down to a ledge in the treed gully below.  Come off the rope for a few meters and locate the 2^nd Raptor rap on the wall skiers left.  Rap to another treed ledge with a tree/single bolt rap, skiers left.  Make yet another full single 70m rap down to a large ledge.  Locate the fixed rap skiers left.  Make another full single 70m rap down to a brown painted fixed rap skier’s right.  Rap to a fixed rap with chains.  One final rap to the ground.  Seven raps total. 

Rappel Sequence

Essential Gear

The FA called for a #3 and #4 but I only took gear to #2.  I can see where a #4 would be more useful than a #3 if you wanted to bring a larger piece.  A #4 would help with the 1^st pitch of Super Greens and the roof pull on the 2^nd pitch of Super S.  Bring offsets and/or wires to supplement and plenty of slings for extension.  Haul your approach shoes for the descent. 70m Rope. Route receives sun all day.