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Gardener's Wall

Arizona > Central Arizona > *Phoenix Areas > McDowell Mountains
Warning Access Issue: Access: DetailsDrop down

Description

Gardeners Wall is a nice place to climb a few routes near Phoenix. It is noteworthy as pretty much the only multi-pitch formation in the northeast metro area. For the most part, traffic at Gardeners is mainly climbers looking to do the moderate classic routes such as Hanging Gardens (5.5) or Reinaissance Direct (5.7), but there are other fine routes here as well. Still, you're not going to have to deal with crowds here as it seems granite climbing near Phoenix is out of vogue.

Getting There

From the Tom’s Thumb Trailhead follow the Tom’s Thumb trail.  At about 1 mile you’ll come to well marked climbers trail for Gardener’s wall and Crossroads wall (Emergency trail Marker TT5).  Follow this trail, heading Southwest, as it winds down and through the wash then up the slope to Gardener’s wall.  Approach time is 30-45 minutes and moderate to hard.  

Routes from Left to Right

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 3
● First Impressions
Trad
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 2
● Southeast Arete
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 2
● Facer's Choice
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 21
● The Phantom
Trad 2 pitches
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 2
● Gobs of Nobs
Sport 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
 5
● The Phantom missed the Opera
Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a
 5
● Kreuser's Chimney
Trad 2 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 69
● Renaissance Direct
Trad 2 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
 4
● Renaissance
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 2
● Battling Fear
Sport 2 pitches
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R
 1
● Fearless Leader
Sport 2 pitches
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a PG13
 2
● Snattlerake Dance
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 215
● Hanging Gardens
Trad 2 pitches
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13
 4
● Hanging Tough
Trad 2 pitches
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 6
● Brusin' and Cruisin'
Trad, TR
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 8
● Lickety Split
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 3
● For Cryin' Out Loud
Trad 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 2
● Black Streak
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 2
● Dog Fight Giggle
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 3
● Seam-In
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 2
● Gravity
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 2
● Electric Lady Land
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 1
● Child of Troubled Times
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● First Impressions
 3
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
● Southeast Arete
 2
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
● Facer's Choice
 2
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● The Phantom
 21
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad 2 pitches
● Gobs of Nobs
 2
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport 4 pitches
● The Phantom missed the Opera
 5
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R Trad, Sport 2 pitches
● Kreuser's Chimney
 5
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a Trad 2 pitches
● Renaissance Direct
 69
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad 2 pitches
● Renaissance
 4
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R Trad
● Battling Fear
 2
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport 2 pitches
● Fearless Leader
 1
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R Sport 2 pitches
● Snattlerake Dance
 2
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a PG13 Trad
● Hanging Gardens
 215
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad 2 pitches
● Hanging Tough
 4
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 Trad 2 pitches
● Brusin' and Cruisin'
 6
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Trad, TR
● Lickety Split
 8
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● For Cryin' Out Loud
 3
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad 2 pitches
● Black Streak
 2
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
● Dog Fight Giggle
 2
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
● Seam-In
 3
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
● Gravity
 2
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
● Electric Lady Land
 2
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Sport
● Child of Troubled Times
 1
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

In ancient times a tribe of pot smokers inhabited this area.
[Hide Photo] In ancient times a tribe of pot smokers inhabited this area.
View of Gardener's Wall and Tom's Thumb on the ridge beyond.
[Hide Photo] View of Gardener's Wall and Tom's Thumb on the ridge beyond.
Gardeners Wall - Spring in the McDowell's
[Hide Photo] Gardeners Wall - Spring in the McDowell's
Gardeners Wall face
[Hide Photo] Gardeners Wall face
One of the many old bolts out on Gardeners. Climb Smart.
[Hide Photo] One of the many old bolts out on Gardeners. Climb Smart.
View from the top of the 1st pitch on Hanging Garden's, smack-dab in the middle of the Gardener's Wall.
[Hide Photo] View from the top of the 1st pitch on Hanging Garden's, smack-dab in the middle of the Gardener's Wall.
Behind the green bush is the entrance to the tunnels under the boulders. I don't know if this is the correct approach but it is the way I always end up descending.
[Hide Photo] Behind the green bush is the entrance to the tunnels under the boulders. I don't know if this is the correct approach but it is the way I always end up descending.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tim Heid
AZ
[Hide Comment] Just as a note for alternative descents for most climbs on the wall if climbs below are occupied:

In addition to being able to walk off the back and around there are 3 sets of anchors that are accessible from the top.

The Phantom is the climber's left most and only requires one double rope rap to the base.

Renaissance Direct has anchors up top that are located right in the middle of the wall and requires two 70m single rope rappels(1 60m will not make it).

Hanging Garden's has the anchors most people will use and requires two double rope raps. Feb 6, 2012
Elias Jordan
Mazama, WA
[Hide Comment] We climbed a few routes to the right of Hanging Gardens (We had no guide book, or topo) and honestly got in some very hairy terrain. The climbing and pro wasn't too bad, but a good chunk of the rock that had older bolts near by was severely fractured, loose, and flakey. Wile rapping off some belay station I stepped on a flake and it collapsed sending a good child sized chunk of thin rock down the face.

Just a reminder to be very careful and thoughtful both while climbing, and rappelling. Apr 24, 2014
Forever Outside
Los Angeles, CA
[Hide Comment] Climb one of the routes that summits Gardner's wall, then take the 3rd class off the back and hike over to Tom's Thumb, hit the summit of that, and hike out. Makes for a real badass day of climbing. Mar 18, 2017
Nate Haebig-Kerber
Eldo
[Hide Comment] There is an active raptor nest in the flake ~30 ft above the end of the finger crack on The Phantom, on the climbers' left side of the wall, which I disturbed and by whose occupant I was repeatedly dive bombed. Probably best not to climb the LHS of Gardeners' this spring, or at the very least, definitely don't climb Phantom! Mar 31, 2024