North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Ruby Wall Cirque, Boom Town and Billy from the Hills

Publication Year: 2004.

Ruby Wall Cirque, Boom Town and Billy from the Hills. In June 2000 Jason Lakey and I completed a new route in the Ruby Wall Cirque in Little Lakes Valley above Rock Creek Lake. We climbed the main formation right of the descent gully used for Pteradon. [The third tower, with the second tower hosting the route Pteradon and the first being the main Ruby Wall—Ed.] Our route, Boom Town (IV 5.10b), was done ground-up, onsight, with no bolts drilled. The pitches are new except the first, where we found a drilled anchor at the ledge where the pitch ends. We were told by Mike Strassman that whoever did the first pitch went no farther. We returned during the summer of 2001 and did a route to the left of Boom Town. This route, Billy from the Hills (IV 5.10b Cl), was also done ground-up, onsight, with a few moves of Cl at the end of the first pitch. We swung leads on both of the nine-pitch routes, using a 70m rope for both ascents. Two ropes are required for the descent for an overhanging 60m rappel to exit the gully. Rumor has it that Boom Town was the first route to have summited the formation.

David Lane, AAC