Fortress Wall  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  3,372. Good page?    Administrators:  Jesse Zacher, Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Stacy Bender on Oct 31, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon 95° | 52° 88° | 57° 88° | 59° 86° | 55° 86° | 55°

BETA PHOTO: The Fortress.

Description 

Fortress Wall lies between Sunday wall, to the west, and Hidden Valley Wall. All three walls are part of an Access Fund acquisition that took place back in the early 1990s. Roughly 200 feet high, Fortress Wall provides some excellent two-pitch, granite-style trad climbs with beautiful cracks and unbelievable off-widths. While there are only a small amount of documented climbs here, less than a dozen, they range from 5.9 to 5.11 and are well worth a visit. What little traffic this area has, generally goes to Sunday Wall leaving Fortress and Hidden Valley nearly untouched. There is some lose rock to deal with though, and a helmet is strongly recommended.

Getting There 

The Access Fund trailhead is from 2 to 2.5 miles west of Divide Road, on the north side, and has a good size pullout for parking. Follow the Access Fund trail up to Sunday Wall, and continue east, twenty minutes from the trailhead.

Descent 

Descent is fairly easy down a gully northwest from the top of the wall, or rappel with two ropes from the top of Renaissance: two raps with 50m ropes, or one with 60s.

Per Matthew Seymour: "the rappel is from the top of Renaissance. It requires two rappels. One from the top to a semi-hanging stance on two bolts, then a rap to the ground. This can be done with one 60m rope, however you won't quite reach the ground on the second rap. You can reach a ledge to the left of the fall line and then downclimb about 10 feet."

The Classics

Featured Route For Fortress Wall

Renaissance 5.10d  CO : Grand Junction area : ... : Fortress Wall

As you approach Fortress Wall on the Access Fund trail, Renaissance is just to the left, and can easily be identified by the impressive roof about 30 or 40 feet up.Pitch 1: Follow a crack up in the left-facing corner under the right side of the overhang. After reaching the overhang, work the horizontal crack under the roof over to the left side and continue up through a challenging off-width. There is a good ledge about 20 feet further, or if rope drag is becoming a factor, belaying directly ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO