Secret Agent Man 

FA Jeremy Schlick. After the roof, there is a rest on the right side of the arete. The route then goes on the left side of the arete (crux) using a cool sequence to slap your right hand on the arete.

FA Jeremy Schlick/Seth Dyer. What a treat it was to find this thing 11 years ago already. Seth and I both did it, though Groth has some honors for pulling the true topout... Always the hardman.

I did this route last Labor Day weekend, very nice climb. I've heard rumors that a hold broke recently (before sept.(before I got on it) and nobody had climbed it since it broke. I was not able to spot where the hold broke off from, but the route still felt like a solid 13a to me. Great arete climb though, not quite as good as 'Whiskey A Go Go', I'm sure many would agree. This route alone made the trip from the Twin Cities worthwhile for me. The bouldering on the other hand is not want-to-sit-in-the-car-for-10-hours good. But should be checked out if your nearby.

Great route. Thanks JJ. See this thread for info on the broken hold, no big deal. The other thing I guess suitors of this route should be aware of is that several of the jugs in the first half before the rest hold wasp nests- at least in September/October anyway. The climbing is pretty chill in the lower section but beware where you put your fingers or get a nasty surprise. I am not trying to discourage anyone from getting on it: it's pretty easy to avoid the huge jugs in the lower section.

I left a couple lockers at the chains today. Just made it easier to set up and clean. I'm hoping to switch them out with bent gates soon.

Variation alert!

At the first bolt I went left on good holds and great movement to the halfway ledge then went left to finish above the high RR anchors. 5.12c-ish I think and eliminated the strong urge to go right around the arete onto The Nordwand. Long runners on the existing SAM bolts will keep leading this chill. Still has that very reachy move on the upper face though. I'm sure someone has done this before? Seemed like the path of least resistance to me.

First 13 in a day. Feels significantly easier than man in the black pajamas at LaCrosse, maybe only 12+ in comparison. Balancy boulder problem followed by some good pump. Nice little v3ish problem protecting the anchors.

Nice work Chris. This thing is way harder for me than Man in Black PJ's.

Top this out for full value ~13a!

At the second to last bolt do you guys do a right hand cross move to a pinch on the iron oxide ribbon? From there you can go left hand to a jug, rest, and then back right to the finish. Or, do you get in the small side by side crimps just right of the bolt and stay right of the bolt line?

Also, this thing has to be reachy in the move going for the nice left hand side pull in the upper crux. I'm totally maxed out on the good feet.

BTW, we took off the old draws on the chains and added long runners so that the anchor biners hang beneath the bulge.

Been awhile but yeah, at the second to last bolt there is a nice right hand crimp just under and to the right of the bolt. Then left hand crimp up a little, right hand big move up and into the ribbon, then left up to clipping jug. From this rest the last bolt is at your head or so (the photo on the main Qual Wall page is me at the rest-- left hand on jug and right hand on the hold on the ribbon). Then right hand over to arete while left stays more or less on the ribbon to finish. At least that's what SteveZ and I were doing.

I was on SAM today and there were about 10 obscenely large (3-4 inch) tick marks on the crux holds.
To whoever did this:
The ticks look like shit and represent a major oversight in aesthetics. There are plenty of natural features on the rock to guide your hand placements. However, if you insist on using such large tick marks at least clean them off when you are finished with your climbing session. Remember this is a multi-use area for many user groups. We are not in the climbing gym anymore...

I like to use colored tape to tick holds. Reason #1 is I don't have to waste chalk. Reason #2 is I can just take the tape off after I'm done on a problem. I think this should be the ethic used going forward. Everybody carry a large roll of duct tape.

Do you actually do that Sweaty? Or are you just messn' with us? If so, good call, I totally respect that.

As I have commented elsewhere certain park staff consider these marks graffiti. They paint a bad image of climbers. PLEASE clean these off! Sweaty's tape idea is a good one.

Now that I've done it, can it really be 13a? Maybe being shorter for the reachy crux makes the difference? There isn't really a small hold on it if you ask me, it just seems quite technical. I will have to go do Whiskey and compare.

I skipped clipping the chains and topped it out. I have vid of me falling from the last move too that I will post up soon.

Nice work Rhoads!

rhoads, i think height definitely helps for the crux. that and power. i have neither, so...PUNT.

rad climb. compression sandstone crux in WI. wha?!?

also, don't miss the climbs around secret agent man. 11a and 11d to the left are really fun; 12c and 11c on slab to the right are really fun and really exciting; 12a and 11b on tall wall to the right are also nice (though a few of the bolts need replacing, as the bolt shafts are showing.)

Here's a video of myself on the route. Note that I use a good right hand under-cling for the first crux. Bonus points if you can explain the significance of the song.

Nice video! Watching the video makes it obvious being taller definitely helps, you just reached past what was my technical crux. Oh well. Nice work.

nice job buddy. I found it odd that you went up the right side to do that clip only to down climb and go up the 'route'? i don't know how these route things work but is that the common method for this climb?

Great climb. Like trad monkey pointed out being tall reduces the crux to being mostly a matter of technique and execution with a little bit of hard pulling thrown in near the top before the last rest. Other tall folks have done it though and seemingly confirmed the grade so who knows. It's hard to compare this with Whiskey since the rests on SAM are so good. All I know is that I wish there were more climbs like these around the state!

Brian sent 2nd go yesterday and it was really fun to watch. Nice job again man! I am still having a hell of a time hitting the crux dead-point(dead-point for me anyway) on my red-point burns. Super fun climb though, and I like having a local project.

Nice work Rhoads and Brian! Sweet vid to Rhoads. Falling from the top always sucks.