The December Wall is a large South facing rock band situated about 800 feet above the road in SSV canyon on the North side of the road. The cliff can be logically divided into two sectors. The left 500 feet of the cliff holds numerous older trad lines running in grade from 5.8 to 5.10+. The right hand side consists of a small, steep sector containing only half a dozen routes. It is formed by the alcove composed of blonde colored rock, steep and on the right. All of the new routes here were put in by Mike Freischlag 4 years ago. The climbing on both sectors is a bit hit-or-miss inasmuch as quality varies substantially from pitch to pitch. Some of it can be truly chossy with excessive surface exfoliation. On the other hand, some of the granite is excellent. I did a Freischlag route several years ago that was truly superb, but the route immediately adjacent was not on such fine stone (sorry Mike). Both sectors get terrific sun and can be climbed most of the year.
Getting There
From the intersection in Lyons, head up CO 7 along SSV canyon for 4.3 miles. There is a large parking area a bit further ahead. The wall is the large, obvious hulk well above the canyon bottom. I have never really found a "trail" to either sector; however, the bushwhacking is easy.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for December Wall:
This route is named for one of my favorite songs. I guess I just notice the bane of creation as I walk up there.The route begins just to the right of Life After James on the arete of a left-facing dihedral.P1: 90 feet, 7 bolts, 5.11-, A few nuts can be placed. Stem out on the arete from the slab, clip a bolt, fire up to the second bolt and pull around (11-). Climb up to the double bulges and mantle through each (10). A longer draw on bolt 3 will reduce drag. Bear hug and sidepull u...[more]Browse More Classics in CO
By Joe Huggins From: 666 Rue le Jour-Edge City Oct 4, 2001
aka Karen O's Wall, named for a girl I used to work with. Jim Morrison, Marc Hirt, Dave Hague and I did some routes up there in '80 or '81, trad, ground up and cleaned on lead.
The sport routes in the alcove up and right are on absolute garbage rock. I can't believe someone wasted their time and money installing those bolts. I can't believe I wasted my time and effort bushwhacking up there only to find vertical gravel. The most offensive part of the experience was finding an obviously epoxy-reinforced hold 5 feet off the ground on one of the routes. Whoever put these routes up....What the fuck were you thinking? Do us all a favor and sell your drill......
Joe, can you part with a little more beta? I have had my eye on several lines that I have scoped on and off for several years. I'm not sure if they have been climbed or not. What information is in the guides seems rather a pitiful sampling of what must actually have been climbed here. It would seem that most of the crack systems on the left would protect very well, but some of the irregular blocks in the mid section look unclimbed and hard to protect.
you should try winter dreams on this rock, its a little trickybest part is a big 10c/d roof to a dihedralup through another little roof.
or try ranklands of infinityit has a pretty scary slab move befor the scond pitchbelay station. then to ceasars crack which is great, good finger stacksand smear crack then to the third pitch, a west facing face with zig-zag looking crack with a blind orange camalot placement.with a nice walk down.WATCH OUT FOR POISON IVY AND POSSIBLY SUMAC.
WINTER DREAM START IS THE BIG DIHEDRAL THAT GOES TO THE BIG ROOF.
ranklands is about 30- 40 feet to the left one bolt to find the start.
I did a route a couple years ago on the upper section of the wall (farther up than the routed in the Hubble book). It started with an easy 5.8 crack out a little corner/roof and led to a thin crack up to a large pancaked flake 10a? . From there it was 80 feet of runout slab, stemming up two small, grassy , four inch corners to some old webbing on a ledge. Any Idea what it is? Also there is a beautiful bolted corner on the lower portion of the wall starting on a raised ledge?
I have been trying to get a more established trail up to the wall. The hill is showing signs of increased traffic. I have been putting up cairns on the trail I use to get up there. Park at the far east end of the large parking lot. Cross the street and walk to the east where a green highway pole is. Look for a cairn 50 feet up on a boulder. Follow cairns up to the wall. This will avoid the roadcut.
The rock looks a little rough and dirty from the base, but improves greatly. After climbing out of the lower overhang it becomes clean polished granite. It IS worth a visit.
I was at this area over the weekend. There is a lot of poison ivy at the bottom of some of the climbs so much that a couple of the climbs we were not able to do because of getting in the poison ivy. Be aware of what poison ivy looks like before you head up there!
The climbs were fun but because of the bushwhacking to the crag and lack of trail, I would think twice about going back to this area. It would be nice if a trail were developed.
Also my friend, pulled off a chunk of rock at the bottom of Caeasar's, but I don't believe it will affect the route.
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