Early Wall  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  15,901. Good page?    Administrators:  Aaron Hobson, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Aaron Miller on Sep 28, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Routes on the left side of Early Wall

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Description 

Early Wall is the broad wall on the left side of the canyon. This area sees sun early in the a.m., and shade the rest of the day. Overall, this wall has excellent climbs, but is not as popular or crowded as the Winter Wall and the Grotto, mainly because it is colder and doesn't have as many moderates close to one another.

Climbs are in three sections of the cliff:

• at the Left End- which has good 5.10-5.12 sport climbs and nice cracks

• the lowest section in the middle (the Runway)- which has excellent 5.11s & 5.12s

• at the Right End, just left of the Grotto- which has 2 pitch climbs, nice sport climbs 5.10-5.12, and difficult cracks.

Getting There 

• The easiest approach is by the Grotto approach trail, then walk left along the base.

• Climbs at the upper left end are most easily reached by a faint trail with cairns, along the left end of the talus.

The Classics

Featured Route For Early Wall

Solar Eclipse 5.10c  NM : Santa Fe Area : ... : Early Wall - Right End

A beautiful splitter crack throught the middle of the Observatory Ledge. The whole gamut of climbing styles from tricky face to finger and hands to tips through the crux. Finish left at the top. For the harder "Lunar Eclipse" finish variation(10d), finish right.Lots of lichen on the rock off the belay but improves as you ascend. Makes for beautiful rock!...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM