Miles 2.2
Elevation gain 500
YDS rating 5.9
Pitches 4

Gear

  • #0.5-#4 with double #0.5-3 (primarily just for P2), triple #1-3 if you want to link P1-2 (but that’s like 190′ linked and difficult)
  • Single 60m rope
  • 9 single alpine draws and 1 double alpine
  • Nuts (I used 1 nut each on P1-2)
  • Communication is mostly good, P2 can be tough to hear but basically no need for radios
  • Crack gloves
  • Tevas/chacos are fine for approach
  • Leave backpacks/shoes at base, less than a 5 min walk back to base and you def don’t want backpacks while climbing
  • No need for rappel webbing, both anchors are bolted

Approach

1.1 miles, 510 ft gain, 30 mins or less, trail is quite nice, can easily wear tevas/chacos!

Time estimate

4:30 hours car-to-car with breaks/buffer time.

  • 30 min approach
  • 2:30 hours climbing
  • 40 min rappelling (two rappels with 60m rope, then 5 min walk back around to front)

Overall

All anchors are bolted except the top of 3rd pitch (gear anchor with #2-4).

Dr. Rubo’s Wild Ride

P1 – 5.9+, ~60′

The crux of the entire climb. About 15′ off the ground is a bulge that’s insanely awkward and difficult. Belay about 60′ up on a partially-hanging bolted belay. If you can make it through P1, it gets easier!

Some link this with P2 (190′ linked and really difficult).

P2 – 5.9, ~130′

Crux is starting off, slightly awkward moves again till you get to the hand crack. Hand crack is super excellent #1-3 size for about 40′ (and it seems good for both small and large hands), less awkward than it looks and fun if you know how to jam! Once that peters out, follow discontinuous cracks to a bolted belay on a sloping block. I used doubles #0.5-2 and single #3-4 on this pitch plus one nut.

P3 – 5.7, ~70′

Then it gets easier. Follow the line of fixed pro (retrobolts and fixed pins) traversing out right from the belay across the face on “not-long-for-this-world flakes”. At the end, turn and climb up to gain the top of the ledge above. Belay with a gear anchor (#2-4).

P4 – 5.9, ~70′

Climb up briefly on easy terrain and then walk 20′ left on easy ledges to left side of the summit feature. Out on the left, find a single bolt, clip it, then make a sort of airy bouldery mantle move to gain a small ledge (5.9), then scramble up easier stuff to the top.

Top

Descent

Two rappels with single 60m rope off North side to the saddle behind the formation (there’s a nice big ledge midway down with the anchor for the second rappel). Your 60m rope will just barely make it to the midway anchor. Scramble back to down less than 5 mins back to base.

Reports

Dr. Rubo's Wild Ride Jan 2022

This was probably our 2nd best climb in Sedona! Super easy approach, easy rappels, only one 60m rope needed, pretty neat views. Only downsides is the climbing is just so-so… P2 is really good, but P1 is awkwardly challenging and P3-4 are just traversey and not really interesting. Time log 12:49 PM – Hiking 1:15…