Out From the Shadows

Route

This is a fun varied adventure with great climbing on pitches two and three. The other pitches are fun too, but those ones really stand out. There may be some loose stuff on occasion, but we put in a solid effort to get rid of all we could. You can easily rap the route with one 70m rope. All of the belays are bolted. If you are short on time, cragging on the second pitches of Out from the Shadows and Sucker Punch is a worthwhile endeavor.

History

I started working on this climb with Mary Harlan. We climbed and cleaned the first two pitches of this route and Sucker Punch over two days. Several other missions by myself and various partners added the remaining hardware. A year to two later, my wife Lisa agreed to do the route with me. Our first attempt ended in failure when we couldn’t locate a rumored trail on the backside of the Bridgers. The following day, we rode our bikes from the cattle guard to avoid bouncing around on the Bridger Jack road in a vehicle, did the normal approach from the campground and climbed the route.

I named the route “Out From the Shadows” because the route is in the shade for most of the day, and more importantly, it was Lisa’s first big adventure with me after a difficult fight with late-stage lyme disease for the past two years. Getting up this route for her is a big step on her road to recovery. She went from being a strong athlete to barely being able to walk a mile. Welcome back to the team Lisa!

Pitch 1

Start up a little 3rd class buttress with choss strewn ledges to an easy slab that avoids some blocks. The climbing begins by heading up an arete to a right facing corner. A bolt out right leads you onto the face and onto the ledge above. Another bolt protects a choosy ramp that leads to the bolted anchor. The climbing on this pitch is only about 5.7 or 5.8 but requires a little care as there is some loose rock. Gear: Take the small cams up to a .5, then either a 2,3 or 4, and two quick draws for the bolts.

Pitch 2

Take the widening finger crack to the right of the belay to a ledge (the splitter crack to the left is Sucker Punch). Layback up initial body length finger crack to where it widens to #1 Camalots. The corner crack is mostly #1s but occasionally opens enough to fit #2’s. Higher, the crack thins back to fingers before you step right to the belay. Gear:Small cams up to #2 Camalots and 1 #3 can be placed right before the anchor. 5.11

Pitch 3

Climb delicately around the wedged piano block. Face holds and three bolts help you to avoid it. Climb the hand crack to the first bulge which widens to #4 Camalots, gain a constricted rest above it, and make your way out the final section of roof. Look for some feet on the left, then push around the corner and into the off-width. The Blue Big Bro can be placed here. Above it narrows to a tipped out #6 Camalot and finally to a ramp and ledge. It’s possible to belay here. Otherwise continue up the corner. Two more #4 Camalots can be placed at the top of the crack, then move right to an anchor (2 drilled pins). 5.11

Pitch 4

Step right behind the top of a pillar and climb the handcrack that turns to fingers and a short section of off-width before reaching a small ledge. Climb through the final overhang crux (5.10) and belay on the edge above. The anchor I used took a #1, #2, and #3 Camalot.

Pitch 5

Walk around to the left about 100’ to beneath a short splitter finger crack. Either climb the finger crack, or easier, just step left and climb a left facing corner to a ledge, then climb the right facing corner through a quick bulge and the ramp above. A set of bolts will be where the rock meets the dirt. Gear: not much is needed. A #1 Camalot protects the bulge. 5.8

Descent: Rap the route. It might be helpful to kick and swing to get into the anchors at the top of pitch 2.

This route is located on the NW facing corner of the Bridger Jack Butte.

Hike up the Bridger Jack Trail from the campground. Go right along the base of the wall until you wrap around to the west face of the Bridger Jack Butte. Just as the trail begins to descend there will be a little alcove on the left. This is the staging area. The route begins just around the corner to the right.

(In Camalot sizes)

(1x) #0 - #.2, #6 Camalot

(2x) #.3 -#.5

(3x) #2, #3

(4x) #4

(5x) #1

1 Blue Big Bro (optional)

Runners

70m rope