As you walk around the cliff corner from

Blues Riff

you'll see Goldfinger on your left, a series of discontinuous fingerish cracks going up and right on a slightly overhanging wall. I heard Bachar was dusting holds off with his hands during the passive pro, onsight first ascent.

Goldfinger

Deimos

Phobos

Easter Island

Blues Riff

Phobos Start Variation

Tuolumne is not a destination for flawless crack climbs, but there are a few notable exceptions, Blues Riff being one of them.  This pitch would be classic no matter where it would be.  Originally rated 5.11d, it has since been down-rated to as low as 5.11b, but although the crux is brief, it is probably solid 5.11.

Most climb only through the second pitch and then rap with double ropes.

P1: Begin about 100' right of the obvious crack system of Phobos at a section of friable rock protected by a new bolt.  This short pitch was changed significantly in recent rockfall, but is still climbable at 5.10c.  Climb up to the first bolt (a small cam helps), then reach left and crank through the roof on large, flexing holds -- be very careful about what you pull on here!  Continue up a short, ugly hand crack to a nice ledge below the second pitch.  Belay from some fixed slings and possibly a #3 Camalot.

P2: Step up onto the face above and ascend it past a bolt to a stance.  Have a few medium wires or finger-size cams ready, and then climb up the finger crack (crux) to an obvious sharp horizontal "rest" jug.  Continue up the beautiful thin-hands crack to a final wide section (#3 Camalot) to a bolted anchor.  It is possible to rap from here with two 60m ropes, or one can continue up the wide flake to the summit and walk off.

The counterpart to Phobos, and the other namesake climb of this cliff, Deimos is an excellent steep climb with a lot of hands/fists/OW crack.  It has a bit of a reputation as being hard, burly, and with less than perfect protection.  I found none of these to be particularly true.  The climb is truly a bit atypical for Tuolumne, being more reminiscent of Valley crack climbs with lots of wideness and flares.  But after the first 30 feet, the rock is excellent, there is pro wherever you want it, and the offwidth is pretty tame and easily stemmed or face-climbed around.  Phobos is maybe a slightly better climb (mostly just because of the awesome handcracks), but Deimos is still well worth climbing.

Pitch 1 (5.9, 60 feet): Belay on top of a massive boulder at the base of some stacked blocks leading up to the prominent V-slot roof.  Climb the blocks on good holds to reach the chimney, being careful of loose rock.  Stem and chimney up through the slot to a single tricky move getting up and into the crack above (crux).  Belay at a bad sloping stance shortly after the chimney, or continue higher to a better belay or to link pitches 1 and 2.

Pitch 2 (5.9, 120 feet): This pitch links fairly easily with Pitch 1 if you sling your pro carefully around the roofs.  Climb the slanting ramp/flare, using the wide-hands and offwidth crack in the back.  Arriving underneath the roof, you will find a slung block.  I think this spot would make a far more comfortable belay for Pitch 1 if you don't want to link the first two pitches.  Pass the roof on the left at 5.9 with interesting stems and jams, or undercling out the right at 5.10b.  Ascend the cracks above to an easy chimney, and step left to a good ledge for the belay.

Pitch 3 (5.9, 60 feet): Traverse left across the ledge, then climb the obvious large flakes to the summit, past a single bolt-protected 5.9 face move.  Belay from summit boulders.

Phobos is the sustained, three pitch climb on the left end of the cliff.  It is reported to be the better quality of the two climbs for which the wall is named.

P1: Climb up a crack to a left-facing corner and roof system.  Pull through the roof with strenuous stems and jams -- there's usually fixed gear here -- and continue up to an uncomfortable belay in the crack system.  5.9+

P2: Climb the steep, twin cracks to another belay.  5.9

P3: Continue straight up off the belay in a wide crack/chimney system past some hollow sounding features to a slab.  It is possible to escape right on this slab via run out climbing, but nicer to continue straight up through the headwall.  5.9

This route is a sport route, but a tuolumne sport route.  Deal with it accordingly.

Very thin face climbing up and left takes you to the arete.  Airy. Super consuming climbing on dimes with some slaps to boot for 90' approximately.

The definitive crux is hard to find really.  Its pretty damn thin the whole way.

This is a perfect hand crack through a horizontal roof.  It is a few feet to the right of the traditional start of Phobos and offers a challenging new way to climb this classic 5.9 crack.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Phobos/Deimos Cliff