This elegant route is ten feet left of 5.11 crack. The start is 20 feet of unprotected slab to the first bolt. After the fifth bolt, fingertip traverse climber's left past a short vertical crack that takes gear, then continue left (crux) until you can reach the golf ball and pull the roof. 5.10, with a good head for runout slab. (I did the original route with Coach, Layne Kopishka, and got his permission to straighten it out before he died. I put the lower bolts in on lead to honor Coach's boldness.)

Fear and Loathing

Upper Fall Wall Route

Sport

Drop Zone

E.O. Lieback

Colonial Rule

Guilty Fingers

5.11 Crack

Mickey Mantle

Gunga Din

Hole

E.O. Friction

Spider God

Cold Finger

Clam Shell

Mystic Psychosis

Fall Wall (*the route)

Easy Overhang Traverse

Neon Madman

It gets better each time I climb it, a definite sign of a Vedauwoo Classic.  Essentially the last route left (facing the rock) accessed from the top of the Clam Shell, it begins with an unprotected 30' traverse to a flake/pocket where a shakey #3 Camalot can be placed.  Then its up thin edges past three bolts.  The concensus is the crux comes after the 3rd bolt - before placing a #1 Camalot in an undercling/crack.  Mount the small overhang using crystals and belat at the chains.  NOTE:  You have a choice of second pitches that begin near the belay if you choose.  See the guidebook or

vedauwoo.org

for details.

From the belay chains atop Fall Wall Route, climb strait up to a bolt then slightly right to a second bolt. Climb then to a small shelf which takes small gear. Finish up on the runout face.  Belay from the small bolts at the top. Small gear protects the horizontal crack for the opening move.

Begin up

E.O. Lieback

, then break left following bolts to the anchor.

This is the right-most route on the Fall Wall, just to the right of

Cold Finger

.  The route is not in Heel & Toe, but don't be fooled by the barely suppressed snickers of partners who tell you the route is "8ish".  Exceptionally well-protected for a slab route, Drop Zone has reportedly been chopped and rebolted at least twice.

Set up the belay as far right as possible on the Fall Wall ledge, delicately traverse straight right past three bolts, then move up past a slight bulge in the arete.  Your first decent handhold and a stem on two chickenheads ends the difficulties.  Continue up on 5.6 rock past two more bolts to the same anchor as

Cold Finger

.  It can be TR'd by climbing the latter route.

This route starts in the crack that lies in the center of the large boulder sitting at the base of the Fall Wall.  This is a great training crack for mastering the lieback and you really don't need the two enormous chicken heads to the right of the crack anyway.  An easy fun route.  A two bolt anchor with chains is found at the top of the route.

This is a short, reach-dependent, leftward traverse under a roof. It is fingers size.

This has steep face climbing in a prominent, steep water streak, relaxing to slab.

The "Finger" part of the name comes from

Cold Finger

theme.  The "Guilty" part of the name comes from our feeling a twinge of guilt using a Bosch hammer drill on rap to install the bolts.

This route is the center crack on the Fall Wall and begins about 5 feet to the left of a large boulder that sits in the middle of the base of the Fall Wall.  The climbing is thin and slaby with the exception of a few holds in the crack, which are also your best shot at protection.  A two bolt anchor with chains awaits you under the roof.

Climb the water groove passing four bolts. Yes, the second bolt is there, it's just hidden by the "ape hanger" chicken head. Kinda sporty getting from the first to the second bolt but otherwise it's sport bolted.  Short but lots of fun!

Gunga Din takes the 3-bolt line adjacent to and to the right of

5.11 Crack

.  Thin, technical, near-vertical slab moves will get you through the crux.  Try to pinch the occasional rugosity or imperfection in the clean granite if it makes you feel better, but your hands are pretty much worthless on this one except for clipping the bolts.  The climbing eases back to about 5.8 after the third bolt - move up and slightly left to the same anchor as for

5.11 Crack

.  While the difficult moves are well-protected, the 5.8 runout after the third bolt is a bit sporty.

This is a wonderfully varied route, and can get you temporarily away from the crowds on the Clamshell.

Approach: Gain the Clamshell, and climb any of the routes from EO Lieback through Drop Zone.

P1: From the ledge at the top of these climbs, move right on an easy traverse; up a short, easy crack; and through a chimney.  If you're small, grab this lead: it provides a wonderful opportunity to laugh at your bigger partners as they get wedged in the chimney approaching your belay.

P2: The hole is obvious.  Climb up into it, then up out of it on the left.  Tons of opportunity for style points here; if you get contorted such that you're bending 90 degrees at the waist, facing inwards, and your back is against the top of the cave, you lose them all.  (Of course, you gain amusement points from your smaller partner, who has probably just taken the butt shot of the year, and will surely publish it at first chance.)

Descent: Rap the Fall Wall.

This is just an easy introduction to slab climbing.  It is a good warm-up for some of the neighboring routes.  Just don't blow that first clip.

This route is described in Heel & Toe as an alternative start for

Fall Wall

but is actually a demanding climb in itself, rather than a way of getting on to

FW

.  I felt that the

FW

was just the easier tail of the climb.

It starts between the

Clam Shell

and TM Chimney from the top of bolders balanced against the face below an obvious diagonal rib.  The first moves up the rib to the horizontal crack have the potential for a serious fall, so aim to land back on the bolder and not the ground 3 metres below this if you sketch.  Goodish cam placements in the horizontal crack. The crux for me was moving past the first bolt.  There are options to the right or straight up on corbels.  The rest of the route is sustained, especially if you're pumped from the first crux.  The topo photo in F&T indicates 4 bolts, but there are 5.  Bolt 3 is a way to the left and requires led out traverses there from bolt 3 and back to bolt 4.  Falls tend to be long and unpleasant here.  I skipped bolt 5 and traversed a little lower on easier rock to clip the first bolt on FW where the angle eases off a bit.  Even climbing with double ropes, we had a lot of rope drag, and one should bear this in mind and extend the sling on bolt 3.

This is a mentally and physically strenuous climb that has not seen much traffic judging from the lack of chalk marks.  Comments on the grade would be welcome.

This is a good, solid slab route. It might seem stiff if you're not accustomed to slabs. This climb makes a good start to the trad route "

Hole

."

This is an easier friction climb that goes up the left side of a huge rock (sorta clam shell like) that leans against the Fall Wall.  Jump across from a boulder and cruise to the top.

Mystic Psychosis begins with easy crack climbing to a horizontal belly crawl, then you pull the overhang using a juggy flake, clip the last bolt, and pinch crystals all the way to the top. Oh and don’t fall. This has classic exposure, varied climbing, and is a wee bit heady.

From the top of

E.O. Lieback

, make a somewhat tricky 5.8 move left over the hump (crux)to the face and continue traversing the parallel cracks past

5.11 Crack

and some bulges which have some old but very usable pitons. Except for the 5.8 move, the climb is 5.6. It is fun, though.

Gain the largish, wide ledge above Fallout. From the left side of this ledge, climb the thin crack/flare that gently angles right and terminates into chickenheads. Belay on the big, honking ledge above. The crack takes excellent stoppers for all but 6 some feet up high and the last short section of chickenheads to the top. It is very sewable, mostly. It is lots of fun, and it would be 4 stars if it were any longer.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Fall Wall