BETA PHOTO: Photo of Sun Devil/ Winter Wall Routes. Complement...
Description
Sunny area to climb during the winter months. Be careful on many of the routes on this wall, despite some absolute gems, many of the routes look and can be a little chossy. However, there are some classic lines here.
Getting There
See map photo at front. Hard to miss as it is directly in front as you as you enter the parking area!
Climbs (left to right)
The numbers are to coincide with the beta photo and with the online guide by Rick Bradshaw, but some new climbs have been put up. Hope this list helps you find to find them!
From the approach trail, go left along the base to get to these climbs on Sun Devil Wall (from left to right): (01) Sun Devil Crack (3p, 5.10, trad, farthest left- just before Solar Cave) (02) Sun Devil (3p, 5.11, sport, 1 60m rope ok) (02.1) Kaboom (3p, 5.9+, trad, described in RC:NM, between Sun Devil and Suntoucher?) (02.2) Suntoucher (4p, 5.11b/c, sport, 1 60m rope ok)
A sustained, lengthy route tackling a series of roofs to a final exposed crux move from a face over one last roof. Mostly 5.10+ until the last moves. Final hard move can be avoided by going right at the last bolt. ...[more]Browse More Classics in NM
There were three routes (and one started) on this wall when Tom Wezwick and I came to the wall during the later 90s. The Original Face Route existed, there was a sling in the crack we called Old Sling, the crack now called Highway to Hell and the start of an arete to the right of Highway (about three bolts up).
If you do happen to establish new lines on this wall, cool. But please clean as much as possible before you actually install bolts and call it done. Be patient with it and do a good and thorough job. Don't just assume that it will clean up with the climbing of others on lead. This puts not only the climber, but the belayer in real danger. I have always believed that the helmet was a mandatory piece of gear at Diablo, especially the Winter Wall. Nuff' said.
Karl, I don't remember a sling on Highway To Hell when we did it. You must be thinking of a different line. I know there was a sling on the offwidth left of Sun Devil. And the arete to the right had four bolts on it with a biner on the last one. That section was 5.7. I don't know who pt those in.
Great point, Scott. As one that has recently established a new line on the winter wall and spent a great deal of time cleaning it, I know this to be true. Even after quite a bit of time cleaning it, I still heard a lot of people complaining about loose rock. (And some jackass even removed some of the hangers on the route = totally lame!)
A winter or two ago a large chunk of rock pulled loose on a leader on the very popular Post Moderate route resulting in a couple of broken ankles for the leader. This goes to show just how bad the rock can get due to its location and aspect (and relatively poor quality to begin with.)
In addition to new routers cleaning the routes as they put them in, I believe all climbers that climb on this wall should not just always wear a helmet but adopt a new attitude about climbing...the rock is dubious...tread lightly, lower expectations and bitch less about the route setters cleaning job.
Highway to Hell had slings on the anchor bolts. We replaced these with chain later. The Old Sling Route uphill was named for a single sling in the crack. We wanted Bradshaw's guide to name the trad route right of Roid Boys.
Most of the verticle climbing here can be super scary and loose. Warm ups are mostly heady and not physical. The majority of really good climbs can be found in the sun cave. Sapian is a super classic as is Lucy, cro-magnon, and clovis hunter. Free camping, no water. Lots of rich santa fe tourists/part time habitants moroning around in brand new SUV's. Watch for fallingh rock!!!! Always assume that pieces will come off any given climb, even the overhanging ones. Enjoy!
Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!
RSS Feed
Slideshow
