Main Wall
Submitted by: Justin Johnsen
Description
The largest and most accessible wall at Boxcar Rocks. Climbs are on the south facing (sunny) side of the wall. The routes run around 30 feet tall.
Most or all of the Main Wall now has bolts for anchors drilled in the trough on top of the wall. This can be reached most safely by lead climbing an easier route.
Alternately you can scramble up blocks on the back/north side of the wall. You'll still have to free climb easy class 5 rock to reach the top and set anchors from the back. We sent our anchor setter up wearing his climbing shoes, let him clip in to an anchor bolt for safety, then let him haul up the heavy gear and rope on a cord.
Routes from left to right:
Just right of the Turtle Head:
- Locomotive Breath 5.10c TR
- Bam Bam 5.10a TR: the wall immediately left of Pebbles crack. I think I noticed some bolts there.
- Pebbles 5.6 G: the almost-vertical crack. It goes up 3/4ths of the way up the wall, shifts slightly right at the horizontal, then resumes verticality to the top.
- Snap Crackle Plop 5.10a (bolts)
- The Apprentice 5.9 (5 bolts)
Margie's curves: look for the only Y-shaped crack on the main wall. The area between the arms of the Y is the Headstone.
- Margie's Curves Left 5.7 G
- Margie's Curves Right rating?
- Birthday Girl 5.7 G (2 bolts)
This list covers most but not all climbs we saw there in winter 2012. More face lines are bolted now than I have listed here. The obvious crack climbs are all named in this list, and graded 5.5 to 5.7 G. The farthest left crack was wider than others, and 4" or wider SLCDs might work best there. Most others look doable with standard 3" and smaller gear, unless we missed some surprises higher up.
Getting There
Hike 5 or 10 minutes east of the parking lot to reach the Main Wall.
From the lot, walk east past the gates until you reach a burn site - if you're attentive you might see a small wood sign saying "Boxcar Rd" on the left. Continue waling and take the first real trail on the right (southward). This takes you to the back side of the rocks near the "turtles head" (Moby Neil end) on the Main Wall.
Photos
Toprope face climb on the main wall circa 2000 5.9-5.10
Main wall
The far right end of the Main Wall: Kinesiology crack (right) and Birthday Girl (left face).
The distinctive Y of Margie's Curves, with Headstone in between.
Pebbles crack.
Walking around the Turtle Head next to Moby Neil on the hike in.
The first view of Boxcar Rocks through the woods, during a winter hike in.
© 2013 Mountain Project Inc.
