Prison Camp

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Prison Camp Routes

• The Guard Tower
  • Pardon
  • Parole
  • Probation
  • Warden
• The Cell Blocks
  • Cell Block Eight
  • Cell Block Six
  • Cell Block Nine
• The Alcatraz Wall
  • Hoosgal
  • Scarface
  • Birdman
  • Machinegun
• Jail House Rock
  • Petty Theft
  • Grand Theft Otto (GTO)
  • Cold hand Luke
  • 40 to Life
  • Mister Meanor
  • Dead Man Chalking

Prison Camp News:

The prison camp area is seeing a lot of activity in the recent months. With many moderate climbs in a beautiful, relatively protected canyon, the Prison Camp area is becoming a very popular place to climb in the winter months.

There has also been a lot of route activity in the Prison Camp area in the recent months. Kevin Carmichael has put a new 5.9+ route to the south of "Mister Meanor" and he has been re-working "Mug Shot", making it a two bolt climb that currently goes to the same anchors as the new climb. Ben Burnham is planning to go in and add a dedicated set of anchors for "Mug Shot". This will make a nice set of four moderate climbs on that wall: "Forty to Life" (5.9), "Mister Meanor" (5.8+), "Unnamed" (5.9+), and "Mug Shot" (5.8+). I plan to characterize the climbs once Ben has completed his modifications to "Mug Shot".

Bob, the new route I put up at the the route at Prison Camp is called "Off Scott Free". (In tribute to my friend and lawyer Scott McNamara who helped with the route.) It and the route to it's right are mixed climbs and I'd call the protection "semi-tricky" in that it takes some small cams that are not fully obvious and might not hold a hard fall. These routes can be toproped if one climbs Mr. Meanor then resets the belay to the chains at the top of each. I'd warn inexperienced folks against leading them till they are solid on the grade while placing gear. I thought hard about adding more bolts but in the end, and after getting input from others who climbed the routes I decided against it.

Ben is also planning to add a set of chains on an easy gear climb and he has moved the anchors on "Petty Theft". It was reported by Scott Drawz that one of the anchors on "Petty Theft" was loose so Ben checked it out and pulled the anchors. He moved them to the south, on the other side of the chimney at the top.

There are many climbs in the Prison Camp area. Most of the climbs are located in a small canyon created by "Soldiers Creek" - the same creek that runs along the base of "Rivendale". There is a fairly large concentration of easy to moderate climbs within the area. There are 17 climbs listed for the area in "Squeezing the lemmon II..." by Eric Fazio-Rhicard, with 12 of the climbs being under 5.10. Since publication of "Squeezing the Lemmon II..." Ben Burnham and Kurt Schroder have added at least five new climbs under 5.10.

This is a nice place to climb in the winter. There is the Arizona canyonland ambience, with "Soldier's Creek" running over water worn rock, making small waterfalls and creating the sounds associated with babbling brook (note that the sound of running water can muffle the voice commands of climbers). There is cactus and generally speaking, there is a very nice feel to the area. Since the elevation of the area in about 4800', it is relatively low. This makes it a warm place to climb in the winter but a hot place to climb in the summer. (Although it would seem to be very hot in summer, I climbed in the prison camp area on June 5, 2001 because of road construction. It was not nearly as hot as I expected. The Jail House Rock provided shade in the late afternoon and it was very comfortable climbing - no jacket required).

Another nice thing about the area is that it has a short, easy approach and the parking lot is near the bottom of the mountain. This means that you can get to the area quickly, as well as, get home quickly. The area is beneath the lower construction on the Mt. Lemmon Highway, so there is unimpeded access during the week.

Directions to the Prison Camp climbing area can be found in "Squeezing the lemmon II..." by Eric Fazio-Rhicard.

Historical Note: Ben Burnham says that he and Doug Lantz first found the climbs in the Prison Camp area in 1988. The first route put up was "Petty Theft" followed by "Mug Shot" and "Mister Meanor".

The Guard Tower

The "Guard Tower" is a 55' tower with three climbs going to a single set of anchors: Pardon, Parole, and Probation. The anchors on the tower consist of a pair of chains with 12 links each attached to cold-shuts. The cold shuts are marked with the initials "BWM" - for Ben Morin. These were the first routes that I measured and the information on the bolt types and markings are not very accurate. I believe all the bolts are "Fixe" and are marked with "BWM". They might also have the three spots of Ben Burnham. According to Ben Burnham, the routes were put up by both Ben Morin and Ben Burnham.

At the point in time that I measured the routes, I do not think I would have recognized the three dot marking of Ben Burnham. After noting "BWM" on some of the bolts, I asked Ben Burnham about the routes, especially since he is credited with the first ascent in "Squeezing the lemmon II..." . He pointed out that he marked his hardware with three dots. I believe that all the bolt hangers are Fixe and are marked with "BWM" and the three dots (like some of the hardware on the "Cell Blocks") but that I didn't notice the three dots. Also note that I didn't record the bolt type on three of the five bolts on the tower. I have since started taking more serious records of the bolt hanger brands and bolt hanger markings.

G1. Probation

"Probation" is the easiest route on the tower. It is a 5.6 mixed climb with two 3/8" Fixe bolts. The bolt hangers are marked with "BWM" (and most likely three dots). "Probation" goes to the single set of anchors and can be used to set up a top-rope on "Parole" (I would not recommend climbing "Pardon" on a top-rope since it is a traversing route at the top).

G2. Parole

"Parole" is a fun and challenging route. About halfway up, the climb goes up a thin crack across a blank face, and then up and over a small roof. The single bolt on the route is located on the roof so the roof move protects well. "Parole" is directly below the single set of anchors on the tower and is 54' tall.

G3. Pardon

"Pardon" heads up the right side of the Guard Tower and has two bolts. It is 54' 10" tall and runs to the single set of anchors at the top of the tower. Ben Burnham says that it is a climb that should be done once, but that is about it.

Warden

"Warden" is a new route that was put up by Ben Burnham and Mark Brown around the end of the year 2000. It is a fun "sport" route and is located directly across the creek from the Guard Tower. Since the route is new, not all the rock may be broken off. When climbing the "Warden", the rock doesn't feel too secure in several places. There is also a large "chunk" about 2/3 of the way up that looks as if a good tug would break it off. If you were caught by the large "chunk" falling, it will be "adios amigo...". It would also be wise if the belayer does not stand directly beneath the climb. If the large "chunk" breaks off and the belayer is standing directly underneath, it could be "adios dos amigos..."

The left anchor at the top of "Warden" consists of a 2 link chain attached to a cold-shut and the right anchor consists of a 6 link chain attached to a cold-shut. There are four bolts and all the bolt hangers are "Petzl" with the 3 dot markings of Ben Burnham.

There is a good ledge about 7 feet above the sand on the creek bottom. Since it is difficult to tell which place to reference the bolt table, I will include a bolt table for the climb starting at the creek bottom and a bolt table for the climb starting on the ledge. The climber can assess the risk themselves, but note that there is much more risk hitting the ledge than hitting the bottom.

The Cell Blocks

The "Cell Blocks" are three climbs on a wall down the canyon where the creek changes course from east-west to north-south. The distinguishing characteristics of the climbs are the nearly matching blocks at the top of "Cell Block Eight" and "Cell Block Nine". Both climbs are "mixed" climbs that involve ascending large blocks at the top of the climbs. The anchors are located at the top of each of the blocks.

"Cell Block Six" is sandwiched between the two block climbs and there are chain anchors at the top of all three climbs.

C1. Cell Block Eight

"Cell Block Eight" is one of the taller climbs in the area. It is 71' 6" tall and ends with a "committing" move onto the face of a large block. There are two chain anchors at the top of the climb and they are attached to cold-shuts. The left chain anchor has 6 links and the right anchor has 16 links. There are four bolts on the route with a variety of markings (its like reading a good book). Two are marked only with "Petzl" and the other two are marked with BWM (Ben Morin) and the three dot marking of Ben Burnham. One bolt is marked with "91" indicating the date markings that were used by Ben Burnham in that era. (the bolt markings are noted in the "Bolt Table").

Although EFR doesn't give this route any "stars", it does make for a fun on-site lead. The crux move onto the face of the block must be made without seeing the holds on the face. You must reach around and feel the surface of the block for the best hold, and then make the committing move onto the face of the block.

C2. Cell Block Six

"Cell Block Six" is a sloping climb with small holds. It is 66' 4" tall and has two chain anchors with six links at the top - attached to cold shuts. There are four bolts on the climb with a variety of "BWM" and three dot markings (see the "Bolt Table").

C3. Cell Block Nine

"Cell Block Nine" is the climb at the right and it ends at the top of the large block. The anchors are chain anchors with 6 links each, ending at cold-shuts. The climb is 56' 4" tall and has four bolts. The bolts are Petzl and Metolius with the three dot and "BWM" markings. They are noted in the Bolt Tables.

The Alcatraz Wall

The Alcatraz Wall has four new routes that have been put up by Ben Burnham, Kurt Schroder, and Rich Johnson. There are three 5.7 routes and one 5.5 route. The Alcatraz wall is found by walking south along the east side of Soldier's creek - across from Jailhouse rock. Continue south until the canyon opens up and then head upward and to the east. The Alcatraz Wall is a south facing wall and is nice in the winter but could be hot in summer.

Following an Alcatraz theme, the first route named was "Birdman" - in reference to the Alcatraz prisoner Robert Stroud, also known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz". Following a prisoner of Alcatraz nickname theme, "Scarface" was named after Al Capone and "Machinegun" was named after George Kelly.

A1. Hoosgal

"Hoosgal" is a traditional climb on the arete at the left end of the wall. It is 57' feet tall and has two chain anchors at the top, ending at cold-shuts. The right anchor has 14 links and the left anchor has 12 links. The route is a new route, year-end 2000, and there may be loose rock on the climb.

A2. Scarface

"Scarface" is a 59' traditional climb with two chain anchors at the top, ending at cold-shuts. Both chain anchors have six links and there is a cold-shut at the bottom for setting up a belay. The route is a new route, year-end 2000, and there may be loose rock on the climb.

A3. Birdman

The "Birdman" is 54' 3" tall with three bolts and a set of chain anchors at the top. The right anchor had 12 links and the left anchor has 14 links, both ending at cold-shuts. All the bolts are "SMC" with the three dots of Ben Burnham.

A4. Machinegun

"Machinegun" is 45' tall, has two bolts, and a set of chain anchors at the top. The right anchor has 4 links, the left anchor has 6 links, and both anchors end at cold-shuts. The two bolts are "SMC" with the three dot marking of Ben Burnham.

Jail House Rock

Petty theft

"Petty Theft" was the first route in the Prison Camp area. It was put up by Ben Burnham and Doug Lantz in 1988 and is 73'3" tall. Originally the route had a gear belay but Ben Burnham has recently added two chain anchors to the route. The left anchor has 12 links and the right one has 10 links - both attached to cold-shuts. The chain anchors are located inside and to the right of the large crack at the top of the climb (see photo above).

Warning: The chain anchors on this climb have been moved to the south side of the Chimney at the top of the climb.

Grand Theft Otto (GTO)

"Grand Theft Otto" was put up by Ben Burnham and Mark Brown on June 28, 2001 - Ben had the first ascent (see photo above). It is a mixed climb with one bolt and it basically follows a straight line up to the chains (see topo above). I haven't had a chance to make any measurements on the route, but I would estimate its height at about 70' - slightly lower than "Petty Theft". It has its own set of chain anchors, located on the face between "Petty Theft" and "Cold Hand Luke".

Cold hand Luke

"Cold hand Luke" is a tall climb (72' 1") and is located on the east side of the creek. It starts at the base of "Petty Theft" and heads up and to the right (see photo above). The base of the climb has water-worn rock, the middle section has rock that is similar to "Agatha Christie", and the top is face climbing. There are two chain anchors at the top. The right one has six links and the left one has 4 links - both attached to cold-shuts. The single bolt on the route has an unmarked Metolius bolt hanger.

The day the measurements were made, Ben Burnham was talking about adding another bolt about 9' below the existing bolt. So don't be surprised if you show up to climb the route and there are two bolts on the route.

40 to Life

According to Eric Fazio-Rhicard in "Squeezing the lemmon II..." , Eric Fazio-Rhicard had the first ascent on "40 to Life" and rated it 5.9. I think the climb is closer to a 5.10 and for me, it is harder than "Parole" which is rated 5.10+ - so be careful. It is fairly easy to set up a top-rope on the climb. Head up and around the climb to the left until you are above the climb. With the large boulder above the climb, set up an anchor, and use a belay until you get to the chain anchors.

"40 to Life" is 59' 1" tall and has five unmarked Melolius bolts. There are two chain anchors at the top of the climb. The left anchor has two links and the right anchor has 4 links, both attached to cold-shuts. "40 to Life" shares anchors with "Mister Meanor".

Mister Meanor

Mister Meanor is 59' 3" tall with a single bolt. The climb shares anchors with "40 to Life" - the left anchor has two links and the right anchor has 4 links, both attached to cold-shuts.

The interesting thing about this route is that when I originally climbed the route, there was a single "SMC" bolt on the route which was marked "ER". This would infer that Eric Fazio-Rhicard put the bolt on the route, but when I asked Ben Burnham about this, he said that he put both the anchors and the bolt on the route. He did not know where he got the "ER" bolt but said that he planned to change it someday.

On June 28, 2001 Ben pulled the bolt and hanger and replaced them with a 3/8" bolt and an SMC hanger marked with the three dots. The SMC bolt hanger that was removed was attached to the rock with a 5/16" buttonhead.

Dead Man Chalking

"Dead Man Chalking" was put up by Kurt Schroder and Ben Burnham. According to Ben, Kurt was the mastermind of the route and has the first ascent. "Dead Man Chalking" is one of the best climbs in the area. The climb is 45' 4" tall but seems taller due to the sloping terrain underneath the climb. There are two chain anchors at the top, each with six links attached to cold shuts, and there are three bolts. All of the bolts are 3/8" and the bolt hangers are SMC with the three dot marking

The climb is located about 100 yards south of "Petty Theft" (down stream) on the same side of Soldier's creek as "Petty Theft" - the west side. The wall with "Dead Man Chalking" faces to the south and is perpendicular to the creek bed.