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Elevation: 7,186 ft
GPS: 39.71953, -107.69026
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 34,183 total · 126/month
Shared By: Orphaned User on Dec 5, 2001 · Updates
Admins: Alvaro Arnal, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description Suggest change

The Sapper Cave is the quiet, forested zone just up canyon from the Project Wall and includes the Sapper Cave itself and outlying routes on the vertical walls to the right and left. It is a good place to get back from the road a bit, and offers fair to classic routes in the 5.11 to 5.13 range.

Must do-routes include: Rumor Has It (11b), Cool World (11c), Right El Sapper (12b), Hand me the Canteen Boy (12d) and Cantina Boy (13a/b). Rumor Has It is one of the most popular routes at Rifle -- be ready to take a number on weekends or mornings during the summer. The super-sustained Hand me the Canteen Boy is also very popular for the grade and often has draws on it, a plus given its overhanging, traversy nature.

The rock and the hang are nice back here. This wall holds shade until about one or two during the summer and, along with the Project Wall, is a good place to spend the first half of your day.

Getting There Suggest change

Park at the Project Wall and walk 50 yards up canyon on the road, taking a climber's trail on the right. This trail deposits you directly under the very short Handy Boy (12b/c), a four-bolt boulder problem on the chossy right side of the cave.

If there's no parking at the Project Wall park up at Ruckman or down at the anti-Phil, but certainly NOT along the road itself.

16 Total Climbs

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Location: The Sapper Cave Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at The Sapper Cave

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 83
[Redacted]
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 190
Rumor Has It
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 40
Cool World
Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 29
Peleliu
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 62
Left El Sapper
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 21
That One Climb
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 11
Westerplatte
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 57
Right El Sapper
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 24
Handy Boy
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 44
The Butterfly Effect
Sport
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
 5
Less Than Zero
Sport
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
 56
Hand Me the Canteen, Boy
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 16
The Kiss That Stings
Sport
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
 20
Cantina Boy
Sport
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
 5
Crowd Pleaser
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
[Redacted]
 83
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Rumor Has It
 190
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Cool World
 40
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Peleliu
 29
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport
Left El Sapper
 62
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
That One Climb
 21
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Westerplatte
 11
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Right El Sapper
 57
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
Handy Boy
 24
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
The Butterfly Effect
 44
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Less Than Zero
 5
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Sport
Hand Me the Canteen, Boy
 56
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Sport
The Kiss That Stings
 16
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
Cantina Boy
 20
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c Sport
Crowd Pleaser
 5
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a Sport
More Classic Climbs in The Sapper Cave »

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