Barn Door

The Barn Door from near parking area. Cliffs that B.D. is on are about 450'-500' high but the base is hidden in this photo. A line of vegetation separates these cliffs from another set of cliffs above. B.D. is about a 1-1.5 hour hike from here and a 1,200 foot vertical ascent. The rooftop of B.D. is nearly horizontal. To the right of the rooftop is a dark band of limestone. At the top of this dark band is a narrow ledge that John Zuryk traversed unbelayed until he reached a spot where he could just barely peer into the cavity.

Jim and Hazel are in a clearing to the right of center. B.D. is about a 1/2 hour hike from here. The going is rough up very steep scree slopes. B.D. entrance is 50'-60' high. The pinkish material below the floor is calcite cemented breakdown, which is heavily weathered. It extends downward for 50'-75' and is the major impediment to climbing.

Looking vertically from the base of the climb. A rappel off the cliff top would land approximately at the spot where I stood to take the photo. Hanging rope is about 12 years old and looks to be an old cowboy rope. It is not kern-mantle. It is tied at the point where most climbers can get to easily. This point is the transition from Limestone bedrock to cemented breakdown. As I recall, 2-3 people can stand in a small alcove here. Above, the tough climbing starts. The cave floor is perhaps 50 feet inside the cliff, which makes penduluming in from a topside rappel almost impossible. The rope would probably have to be at a 45 degree angle, and what would you grab onto?

Jim Olsen, lower left, is standing about 15'-20' above the cliff base. Remember, because the photos are all taken looking upward at a steep angle, all distances along the face are drastically fore-shortened. This photo illustrates the magnitude of the opening.