Red Wall is one of the two major lines on Chasm View wall. While it has some quality climbing, it also has a lot of ledgey terrain and, particulary at the top, loose crap. Probably a good climb if you've done everything else in the area, but I think the Casual Route is a way better climb at the grade (and not too much longer).
Approach: From Chasm Lake you can clearly identify the long 5.7 ramp of the first pitch and the 10c dihedral/pillar above. Actually, you can pretty much see every pitch. Scramble in from the left up 4th class ledges to the very base of the first pitch - there is a big grassy ledge here. If you stop any sooner, you'll probably end up having to simul-climb some to reach the first belay.
P1: Climb a long, exposed, left-trending ramp (5.7) to a ledge at the base of a nice finger crack in an obvious right-facing dihedral. Depending on your choice of second pitches, belay here at a ring pin, or step left around the corner, walk along a narrow ledge, and belay at below a small roof and perfect hand crack in a second right-facing corner. This is a long pitch.
P2 (Option 1): The first option you come to. Take the striking finger crack up the gradually-steepening corner. Belay up and left. 5.10c/d.
P2 (Option 2): Around the corner, take the really nice hand crack for 30 feet, then continue up a strange dihedral/chimney for another 25 feet. 5.8.
P3: The rumored "death flake" pitch. Climb up and left off the belay and up into a six-inch crack that is formed by the margins of two huge flakes. Both of these flakes are hollow, but neither felt like they were "about to go." Nevertheless, I kept my pro in the left (and better of the two). Climb these flakes with combinations of jamming and liebacking (all very secure), and then stand up onto the top of the righthand flake: this is perhaps the scariest moment - the flake is approx. 45' high, 8' wide, and 1-2' thick, and only attached at its base. Historically the belay is from slings around the top of this flake and a 1/4" bolt above, but I avoided tying myself to such a massive piece of granite by not clipping the slings and climbing another 15 feet up to a nice stance in a small right-facing corner. Here you can belay off a knife blade pin, a second 1/4 bolt, and bomber wires. All in all probably 5.9.
P4: Head up the shallow right-facing corner to the left-hand edge of a very obvious roof and perform a difficult move stepping right and up under the roof. One more difficult sequence involving underclings and a stem out right. The hanging belay off fixed wires at the right end of the roof feels kinda like cheating - you're sorta still in the last throws of the crux section - but what can ya do? A short pitch; 5.10-.
P5: Pull the roof and up a difficult and continuous right-facing corner. Climb all the way up to a big loose, ledge in the black band at the top of Chasm View wall. 5.10-.
P6: Traverse right for 100'. Belay almost at the very end of the ledge below a left-facing dihedral with a crack in the upper half. 4th class but exposed and loose in one spot.
P7: Climb up the corner to the start of the crack, then traverse right for 35' on positive foot ledges and jugs. Continuing straight up the crack is supposedly 9+, heading right is 5.6ish.
Great description of a route I would describe as far from great. Some points though:
I remember the pin at the end of the 4th pitch being a bomber Lost Arrow. In any case there is also another 1/4 in bolt at your feet there - rusted, bent, and with a loose hanger.
The dihedral that the end of the black ledge is Right facing; it's the cleanest looking feature at the end of the ledge. There are fixed pins at about 25' and 30', the second of which you may not see from below as it's above a bulge.
There is a left facing dihedral that one encounters approximately 20' before this one (left) which does go to the top, but does not lead to the 5.6 right leading ledge Josh mentions.
I'd also advise finding the beta on the 4th class descent from the top (marked by a cairn) which is reasonable and leads to your gear much faster than the Camel descent.
As far as alpine rock routes go this is pretty good. Especially if combining with the Diamond in a weekend. By the way, I heard that rockfall a couple of years ago made this a bit harder. Anyone?
Assuming you know where the Camel formation is, the 4th class descent begins about 150m before reaching it, basically at the lowest point in the Longs/Lady Washington saddle. There is a cairn marking it, and to your left as you face the gully is a fairly large buttress. You descend at this point - the hardest part by far is the first 50' or so, requiring some exposed downclimbing. Then just continue down the gully until you can access the very obvious grassy ledge system (between 5 and 25' wide) that crosses all the way back across Chasm View wall. At the end of this ledge you just scramble a ways further (possibly snow crossing) to the access ramps that lead back up to the start of the climbs.
By Kat A From: Bart and Lisa Ville, CO Jul 14, 2008
Having done both Directissima and Red Wall within a week of each other, I felt that Red Wall is significantly harder than Directissima, even though they are similarly rated.
By Tony B From: Boulder, CO Jul 14, 2008 rating: 5.10
Wear a helmet on this route, and belay under large features, as sandbags are known to fall nearby!
By Kat A From: Bart and Lisa Ville, CO Jul 16, 2008
One of those sandbags fell on me, and it kind of hurt!
By Paul Hunnicutt From: Boulder, CO Jul 23, 2008 rating: 5.10
I actually really enjoyed this route. It would have been much better if 3 things were changed:
1. The Camel descent blows. At least I thought so. I would have much rather have brought shoes and just enjoyed a hike on the hiking trail back to Chasm Lake to our packs...especially as we had nice weather.
2. Belaying off the "Death" Flake isn't so much fun and I thought that you should either belay about 15' below it at a small ledge or run your belay higher as Josh indicated. However, the pins/bolts above the flake aren't any more inspiring than the flake itself.
3. Stopping to belay at the end of the roof really ruined this pitch. Don't get me wrong I still had fun, but it was too easy to take/get beta etc...as I was seconding this pitch. Much better to just clip the nuts...pull the roof and make a belay at a stance a bit higher. Getting off the belay below the roof was clumsy and awkward and totally disrupted what would have been a pretty awesome sequence.
Most would also say that traversing the crumbling loose dark band on the exit pitch also sucks. The loose crap did suck, but the exposure and traverse with that much air below you made up for it.
I also thought the pitch above the roof was no gimmy and I'd rate it 5.10. Technical, thought provoking gear, and long.
There are ledges at the end of P1, P2, and P5 which make for great belay spots while gazing back on Chasm Lake and the Diamond.
By erikwellborn From: manitou springs Aug 23, 2009
I have to agree with the above comment regarding Red Wall being harder than Directissma. The two "10a" pitches seemed more technical and devious than anything on Directissma or, for that matter, Casual Route. Lotta fun, though.
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