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The Optimator

Utah > Southeast Utah > Indian Creek
Warning Access Issue: Limited Toilet Facilities! DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: RAIN, WET ROCK and RAPTOR CLOSURES: The sandstone around Moab is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Also please ask and be aware of Raptor Closures in areas such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek DetailsDrop down

Description

The Optimator Wall is in Indian Creek (as you may know) and is between the 4x4 wall and the Bridger Jacks.

Getting There

Get There: take the 2 track road towards the "jacks" but fork left towards a south facing black wall.

As of Oct 2021, the road requires standard high clearance (Subaru's) and some thought when driving the initial 0.5 miles of the road. Prolly don't need AWD/4WD/4X4 if you skillfully navigate. Regardless, have to navigate a bit skillfully to not scrape bottom. Still pretty easy to access.

Routes from Left to Right

5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 2
Flying Lizard
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 39
Ditch 'em
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 52
[Redacted]
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 98
Sardikar
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 334
Soul Fire
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 51
Jive Crack
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 34
Chick Flick
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R
 2
The Fourth Dementia
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a C1
 2
Jungle Juice
Trad, Aid 3 pitches
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 271
Lady Pillar
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 125
Long Island Iced Tea
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 612
Annunaki
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 3
Backside Luge
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 140
Mudslide
Trad
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
 20
Unknown
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 5
Unnamed 11+
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 6
"Unnamed 5.11" - OW right of Anu…
Trad
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R
 4
Choss Eliminate
Trad, TR
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 4
Bow Flex
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 10
90 proof
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 10
Gunning For Gonzo
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 167
Casey's Route
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 51
Kitchen Sink
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 174
Also Charlie's Pillar (aka Brodi…
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 55
Charlie's Pillar Direct Start
Trad, TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 142
Charlie's Pillar
Trad
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 9
St. Pauli Girl
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 438
Neat
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b PG13
 191
Hayutake
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 27
Hayutake [direct start]
Trad
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 9
Boriqua
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 2
No Pueda
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 8
The Season of the Worm
Trad 2 pitches
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
 1
Ram Implosion Wing
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 23
Road Soda
Trad
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
 13
Two Scoops
Trad
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
 30
Optimator
Trad
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
 30
Double Bock
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 35
Hefe Weissen
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 6
He Brews
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 18
Cobweb Splitter
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 10
El Cubano
Trad
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
 29
Pat's Blue Ribbon
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 3
Herbie's King Cobra
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 13
Lucky Lager
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 3
Miller Genuine Draft
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 6
Beer Run
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Flying Lizard
 2
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Ditch 'em
 39
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
[Redacted]
 52
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Sardikar
 98
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Soul Fire
 334
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
Jive Crack
 51
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Chick Flick
 34
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
The Fourth Dementia
 2
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R Trad
Jungle Juice
 2
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a C1 Trad, Aid 3 pitches
Lady Pillar
 271
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Long Island Iced Tea
 125
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Annunaki
 612
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Backside Luge
 3
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Mudslide
 140
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Unknown
 20
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13 Trad
Unnamed 11+
 5
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
"Unnamed 5.11" - OW right o…
 6
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Choss Eliminate
 4
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R Trad, TR
Bow Flex
 4
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad
90 proof
 10
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Gunning For Gonzo
 10
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Casey's Route
 167
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Kitchen Sink
 51
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Also Charlie's Pillar (aka…
 174
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Charlie's Pillar Direct Start
 55
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, TR
Charlie's Pillar
 142
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
St. Pauli Girl
 9
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Neat
 438
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Hayutake
 191
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b PG13 Trad
Hayutake [direct start]
 27
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
Boriqua
 9
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad
No Pueda
 2
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
The Season of the Worm
 8
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad 2 pitches
Ram Implosion Wing
 1
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b Trad
Road Soda
 23
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Two Scoops
 13
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b Trad
Optimator
 30
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Trad
Double Bock
 30
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b Trad
Hefe Weissen
 35
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
He Brews
 6
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Cobweb Splitter
 18
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
El Cubano
 10
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Pat's Blue Ribbon
 29
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Trad
Herbie's King Cobra
 3
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Lucky Lager
 13
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Miller Genuine Draft
 3
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Beer Run
 6
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Painting the sunset drenched sandstone walls, after sending Soul Fire. Soul Happy!
[Hide Photo] Painting the sunset drenched sandstone walls, after sending Soul Fire. Soul Happy!
Kyle takes a shot of whiskey to calm the nerves.
[Hide Photo] Kyle takes a shot of whiskey to calm the nerves.
Party Time!
[Hide Photo] Party Time!
Charlie Malone on Pat's Blue Ribbon
[Hide Photo] Charlie Malone on Pat's Blue Ribbon
wall as seen from the parking area.  the obvious right arching splitter is casey's route, also where the trail deposits you.
[Hide Photo] wall as seen from the parking area. the obvious right arching splitter is casey's route, also where the trail deposits you.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Bryson Slothower
Portland, OR
[Hide Comment] At the cattle guard after crossing the creek turn left, away from the Jacks. turn right onto an access road and follow it for about 3/4 a mile to the hill below the cliff. There are a few camp sites along the access road and a turn around at the end. This will save you some walking. Mar 28, 2005
Tony B
Around Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] Great wall with longer pitches. Nice moring to noon-sun. Take your 70M rope! Nov 1, 2005
Sarah Kate
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] Favorite wall on the creek so far for the ladies. My hands are approx. WC .75-1 for "perfect hands", had a total blast all day up there. Afternoon shade, quiet. DO BRING THE 70 and a couple of nuts and brassies if you're looking at Hayduke. May 5, 2009
LeeAB Brinckerhoff
Austin, TX
[Hide Comment] Sarah, you do mean BD .75 and 1 camalots for perfect hands...right? I'm not even sure if my 18 month old could get perfect hands in a #1 WC friend crack. May 11, 2009
Rob Phares
Bozeman, MT
[Hide Comment] This is a good wall that gets plenty of afternoon shade, and is inhabited by grumpy old men, constantly reminding you of how tough they are by downgrading all the climbing, while tr'ing laps on Neat. Apr 15, 2010
BJ Sbarra
Carbondale, CO
[Hide Comment] Found some gear here on Saturday 10/30. Send me a message if it's yours. Nov 3, 2010
Globe Shralper
Denver, CO
[Hide Comment] !!LOST CAMERA!! - Cannon Powershot SD970 (silver) in a soft blue case... I put it on top of the car in the parking lot at the base of The Optimator, so it might be found there or it might be along the bumpy road out. :-(
$200 REWARD!! (feel free to walk the road as a team looking for it...I'm in Colorado or I would)

FYI
I did go back to look not 15 minutes after loosing it and couldn't find it, so the only options left are... it bounced off the road and is now out of sight from the road, the non-climbers in the red truck saw it fall of my car and grabbed it or the spirits of Indian Creek took it/ made it vanish because I took a small rock for my collection (won't do that again!).

Thank you in advance!
tappell@gmail.com Apr 19, 2011
[Hide Comment] Do you need 4x4 to get to this crag? Mar 28, 2019
Andrew Leader
Bellevue, WA
[Hide Comment] As of Oct 2021, the road requires standard high clearance (Subaru's) and some thought when driving the initial 0.5 miles of the road. Prolly don't need AWD/4WD/4X4 if you skillfully navigate. Regardless, have to navigate a bit skillfully to not scrape bottom. Still pretty easy to access. Oct 23, 2021
[Hide Comment] Found some cams at optimator yesterday. Message me with the description and we will get in touch. Mar 18, 2025