Longstreet

Chauffeurs crack

LIttle Devil

Way of the Dragon

Flóki

Original Route

X Fix

Unknown

Desert Dog

Waterfall route

the Green Hornet

Colles route

Spanish Fly

Smith's Arete

Fist of Fury

The Big Boss

Griffindor crack

Thundercrack

Barton crack

Cocoa Butter Kisses

parallel lines

steep slab with cool balance moves on pinches

just R of Griffindor crack is a short groove with 3 bolts. Stem up this to a glue in anchor (2bolts)

middle slab to crack. Techy and a bit pumpy

A scramble up to a short crack. The crux of the route is bumping into the crack. Potential loose rock if you stem too far out on the right, but the crack itself is solid for protection. Proceed up the crack towards the tree. The tree can act as a natural anchor or scramble left towards the bolted anchors of Spanish Fly. 

Climbs Rightwards and upwards following bolts to cross both the trad crack lines , needs 2 pieces of gear as you pass the cracks (green/red/yellow cam will do.)

Farthest R is a crack corner. fairly new anchor on top of the block

scramble up the slabs to the L of the waterfall route. There is a 2 bolt anchor. Continue past this to the next crack on the R wall of the gully. This is the route. Fingers to hands. At the ledge, dont chicken out, step L to climb the crimpy wall past a crucial green alien sized placement to reach another ledge and a 2 bolt glue in rap station.   The 2nd best crack in the Franklins!

Climbs the dry waterfall all the way in the back of the thunderbird. almost north facing. 

second bolted line on the left as you enter the enclosure of red rock. south facing. Climbs a short crack to step left after the 2nd or 3rd bolt to climb the slabby arete to make a delicate move L and up to the anchors.

Climbs a short crack (wires) to 2x bolts on the slab and move R to join the corner system and some bigger cams to the double bolted lower off.(Thundercrack is almost directly above these anchors )

The first bolted route on your Left when you enter the red rock area of thunderbird, south facing, Easily climb the slabby arete past 5 plated steel 10mm bolts, to a steep finish and a 10mm glue-in bolt. Go direct (5.4?) or easier R wards to twin Glue-in anchors and lower offs. Loose and dusty so bring a helmet and watch your belayer. It should clean up with time

All the following routes are situated in a steepish gully up and R of the main waterfall. It is west facing. ( the path's origin can be found opposite Colles arete.) This route takes the L most crack system on the first buttress one encounters. This first buttress has 3 bolted sport routes. the second wall has 2 bolted sport routes routes and the third has only one longer bolted route going from R to L and 2 trad routes going from L to R.

R most route on the L most wall in the gully

crack in the back of the bay, to the L of waterfall route.  Scramble up slabs 15m to a double bolt belay on the R wall to keep you out the way of any falling rocks.  continue up to the deep corner system. One inital hard section on great smooth rock, then easier to the top. increasingly loose after the hard section, be very careful at the top. (OS 1st FA)  Walk off to the R and enter the top of the waterfall, down-climb to the anchors of waterfall route and abseil (35m) 

 or after the inital hard section low down step R to the abseil rings on Desert Dog. (recommended)

This is probably the best crack climb in the franklins. It starts either at the sport route at the bottom or one of the dihedrals to the left or right up to a 2 bolt anchor. Climb your way up features and ledges over loose rock untill you get to the base of the crack, the good climbing doesent really start till the base of the 40 foot  hand crack where you set up an anchor. The crux is the top where it becomes slick fingers and you must reach up to a jam. Slings at top. 

 Disclaimer: im assuming that i got the first ascent people right but if not just let me know

L of the bolted arete, climbs the crack/slab to an old pin, then direct up. Alternatively step L after the 1st pin to a slab and thin crack and passing another pin. 

This route follows a prominent crack heading up the center face of the wall. It is a great route to practice gear placement in a vertical crack. Potential lose rock while topping out. Natural anchor required. Scramble to the anchor of Spanish Fly for rappel.  

 Potential to top rope route if you lead Spanish Fly and scramble down to the ledge that this route tops out on. 

the L most crack on this wall. Finish up the corner or directly pull over the small rooflets for more exposure

Thunderbird holds the majority of the rock climbing on the west side of the Franklin Mountains. This area is known for its loose rock and general choss although many gems are hidden throughout the crag. Routes exist from easy 5.3 sport routes to challenging multi-pitch 5.10 crack climbs like the Thundercrack, making it a great location for both traditional and sport climbers. 

 Despite the country club and neighborhood below, Thunderbird is a great place to go after work or just for a few hours and feel the tranquil beauty of the Franklin Mountains. Generally, the climbing area is divided into two sections, South Faces and East Faces. The South Faces crag contains most of the trad routes and an additional upper layer for multi-pitches like the classic Waterfall Route. The East Faces contain a variety of sport routes all containing chained anchors and clean belay spots. Much of the chossy rock is located in the South Faces.  

Description

Protection

Routes in Thunderbird