West Wall: Pummeling Sector and the Gothodrome  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  2,842. Good page?    Administrators:  Alvaro Arnal, Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Pinklebear on Apr 6, 2004 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Closures from February 15- August 15 MORE INFO >>> The closures as of now are route specific. In the main cave of the Fortress the whole west wall, gothdrome, and east wall/ bat cave areas are closed with nesting sites above those areas. Only the central super routes (Daily Planet to Flex Luthor) are open. Once nesting has been determined routes may open. No new routing (noisy power drills) can happen during this time period even in the open area. Avoid loud noises if at all possible. Routes east of the main cave are open. Please no caching of gear on Forest Service land. The forest service has been great in working out a very climber friendly management plan please be responsible! This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment Seasonal Raptor Closure MORE INFO >>> Voluntary seasonal falcon closure notice for the Fortress of Solitude from February 15- July 31. The closures are route specific. The central super routes (Daily Planet to Flex Luthor) are open. Once nesting has been determined routes may open. No new routing (noisy power drills) can happen during this time period even in the open areas of the main cave. Any routes east of the main cave remain open. Please no caching of gear on Forest Service land. The Forest Service has been very cooperative in establishing this plan; please be responsible.The specific routes to be closed are listed below with numbers from the Rifle/ Western Slope Wolverine Publishing guide book. For the left aerie: The Sandman (not in guide) 5. Lois Lame 8. Blind Date. For the right aerie: Ironman (not in guide) Snake Woman (not in guide) 17. The Kalous Logan 18.The Fuck Up -Bryan Gall This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

This sector is comprised of the east-facing wall and deep, dark slot cave you first encounter at the top of the Fortress Trail. It is the westernmost flank of the amphitheater, and is in the sun until around 1:00 pm on most days, making it a good afternoon area in the hotter months, or a good morning area in the winter.

The Pummeling Wall is the large (250-foot), tan and grey "vertical" sector first encountered at the top of the trail. In reality, it is gently overhanging, and all the things that look like holds aren't. Tommy bolted the dead-vertical Pummeling (5.13b) thinking it would be a 5.11 warm-up. All of the routes in this sector require 60-meter ropes, and could easily have second pitches added to them up the striking tan-and-orange headwall. There are currently four routes here, from 5.11+ to 5.13b.

The Gothodrome is the slot cave up and right (north) from the Pummeling Wall, at the right angle where the central, south-facing cave of the Fortress (home to Kyrptonite, Flex, etc.) meets the Pummeling Wall. You can't miss it. There are four routes in here, from 5.11a to 5.13+, all of them either gently or very overhanging. Again, a 60-meter rope is required. These routes stay entirely dry in the rain.

Getting There 

The Fortress Nature Trail drops you off right at the base of the Pummeling Wall. There will be three routes directly in front of you. The Pummeling itself is out right about 100 feet on a blank, tan face.

The Gothodrome is 1 or 2 minutes up the trail and north from here, and is a good, shady place to hang out, drink water, and rest from the hike. It is also home to the Fortress' easiest route (5.11a), so a good place to warm up.

The Classics