• trip reports
• dream routes
• about me
• climbing partners
• blog
• web cams
• links

Brass Wall, Straight Shooter Wall

The Approach

After climbing Geronimo yesterday we were excited to get on another multi-pitch affair. We left Vegas pretty early but quickly realized that we were probably not going to get on anything big. The whole canyon looked like it was dumping rain! We kept driving anyways thinking that atleast we could go hiking in the rain.

Once we made it to Red Rocks we noticed that it was not actually rain but SNOW! I couldn't believe it! It is snowing at the end of March in the desert. It wasn't hard snow but flurries. It was very cool! We decided to do some single pitch routes as the snow was not sticking and it would clear up every 20 minutes and give us a half hour of sun and than more flurries. It was very weird.

We decided to go check out Straight Shooter and Brass Wall. We parked at the Pine Creek Canyon lot and started the short 20 minute walk to the wall. Once again, the trail is very melow until you see fork that goes off to the right up the slope. Thanks to the Acces Fund? the trail has red rock steps most the way to the wall.

The Climbs

Straight Shooter Wall

Straight Shooter, 5.9**** 60 feet (top-rope)

Straight Shooter is an awesome finger crack on a smooth varnished wall. It is only about 60 feet long but has some great climbing. I didn't feel at all able to lead it so James tried. The first 20 feet went well but once he reached the finger crack he quickly realized that it is not really a finger crack for him. He could barely fit his finger tips in the crack. After a couple of takes he decided to AID up the rest.

He set up a top-rope on it and we both did a lap on it and we both felt it was harder than 5.9. Maybe it's the big fingers. It was fun to top-rope but I am definately not ready to lead it yet.

---

Brass Wall

Heavy Spider Karma, 5.6*** 100 feet

After climbing Straight Shooter we cotinued on sheep trails to the Brass Wall. This is a pretty cool area with some easier routes. Once we made it the base of the wall the snow really started to pick up. It was almost blizzard perportion. After a couple minutes of trying to decided whether to run back to the car or try another route we decided to atleast try one more. I racked up to climb Heavy Spider karma.

This was a pretty fun route. You climb left following a large crack that can accept pretty big gear. It was interesting climbing in a blizzard as it was hard to look up with snow falling in your eyes. It was like alpine climbing in the cascades. Near the top there will be a set of chains to the right which are the Topless Twins anchors. Face climb to the chains.

Topless Twins, 5.9**** 100 feet (top-rope)

While we were here I thought we might as well climb Topless Twins. We set up a top-rope with a couple of directionals. James didn't feel like climbing it so I took off on it. You start about 5 feet right of Heavey Spider Karma and follow a corner. Once out of the corner you climb paralleling cracks until they split. Follow the crack that climbs to the left. This was a great climb with interesting moves that keep you thinking.

We were pretty much done with the weather so we hiked back to the car after Topless Twins.

---