Easy access and good top-roping make this a fun rock for a quick session, though the creek and road noise make it damn hard to communicate sometimes. We recommend a 60m rope for toproping; also, when tossing the rope from the top, watch out for the powerlines. Access to the top is via the right side of the rock. The chains at the top are set a little ways back from the edge; a five foot sling is helpful here. Be sure to put the rope through a 'biner; in the summer of 1998, two climbers put their rope through the sling only, and on rappel it burned through, killing one and injuring the other.
L->R:
A1. Perfect Route, 9, 1p, 100', gear. A2. Living on the Edge, 11 R, 1p, 100', gear or TR. B. Direct, 11, 1p, 100', gear or TR. C1. Crease, 11- X, 1p, 100', gear or TR. C2. South Face, 10 X, 1p, gear or TR.
Getting There
At 4.6 miles from the entrance to Boulder Canyon there is a turn off on the right side as the road curves left. You can literally belay from your car. The Brick Wall is on the north side of the road.
Warning!
Per Adam Plunkett: this afternoon I was setting up a toprope on the bolts on the top of the route, and I heard and felt a large boulder I was sitting on shake. My partner heard it too. The boulder is more than big enough to kill anyone it hits.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for The Brick Wall:
This is a classic leaning arete problem and feels a little (hb), depending on where you start the crux is either low down or up high....[more]Browse More Classics in CO
This is a fun climb. Instead of running of to the right or left, just take her straight up the middle. It nice and friction happy. The holds get a little skimpy, but there is enough there.
True, the rock is not a "destination climb", but as an after work workout, or a low-key day in the sun, it's GREAT. The chains at the top make it an easy toprope, and personally, I wouldn't lead any of the climbs on the face--there aren't even enough micro cracks (Perfect Climb, to the left, is a good lead, however). Be aware, though--just because the approach and setup can be casual, this rock deserves respect: there have been more than one serious injury and at least one death here.
Be careful w/ a 60m rope as it just barely makes it (knot your rope).
The powerlines are quite close to the cliff, particularly if you are belaying a toprope, or pulling your rope at the end of the day. I thought this was kind of the spookiest part of my evening last night.
My recollection of the accident in the late '90s is that the guy bought a long piece of webbing, the webbing had a splice that was taped together (sometimes in a roll of webbing, it isn't just one continuous piece, so they often tape the end of one piece to the end of the next piece), he began to rap, and the splice pulled apart. He was a roommate of a good friend of mine. It was a major bummer.
Hey Adam, Was that the day there was a tremor in the state? If the boulder being loose is an issue, then it should be trundled off at a safe time as to not hit cars, etc. I do recall a boulder up there that wobbled when ya put your hand on i.t but otherwise it was pretty stable: i.e. not going anywhere soon.
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