Ascents in Columbus Wall

#2. A struggle but enjoyable.

#1. Decent warmup, glad I didn't have to lead it.

#1. An easy climb, easily protected.

Shredded fingers, lots of yarding on gear, cursing, my first ground fall in AGES (with 2 pieces of gear holding and Karla being yanked into the wall) and generally being terrible at crack climbing resulted in a less that glorious first visit to Columbus Wall.

The first half (up to the ledge), which starts wet and muddy and get a little better as you jam hands into an unforgiving crack, climbed like a 5.9+ (or I just suck at hand cracks). The top half from the ledge, more like a 5.5 or 5.6.

We did this in two pitches so Karla could:

• retrieve my big cams as I figured I'd need them again, and I did... but at least I could plug some nuts on the upper half too

• get out of the buggy, windless shade and into the sun to warm up

There's a bail biner just above the ledge that we considered using to rap down, but then decided to just use as an anchor so I could belay Karla up. Too high for her to reach, I instead plugged a couple cams in the crack at left before moving out left across the ledge for some super run out (but easy) climbing, so she'd be anchored to something.

At least the trees at the top are big and safe, and the view is totally worth the struggle. But you can get the same view just by walking over to the ledge near Escape from Envy. Also a plus, no need to rap down as the walk off the ledge is super easy.

Note: this route needs lots of BIG cams and some large nuts too for the first half. I kept moving my blue and silver cams (DMM Dragons #5 and #6) up the wall as I made progress / fell. Also used my 2 BD #1 red and my #2 yellow.

I guess I need to buy some bigger stuff.

#2. Will led, I TR'd. Would have been a sketchy lead for me, but might have to go back at some point at try it myself.

#4. TR, cleaning on the way up. Felt way better than my last lead attempt w/ Karla, but still a struggle. Will was NOT a fan.

Will only placed three cams for the bottom section: gold, green?, and red; the last one repositioned once he was higher up, so a 2nd red would have also been useful. Once on the ledge, headed left to check out the exit crack and decided not to bother, as he'd not brought gear for anchoring on the tree. He placed draws on the bail biner bolt, left in the gear as backup, lowered down, and then I went up and cleaned it to rap off & end the day.

#1. I cleared some deadfall across the trail above JP's arete (maybe near Univ. Wall?) while Will and his son set up this route, then had a quick go on TR. Nice route on TR, would be hard to lead.

#1. Should have led this but was feeling a bit uncertain, so Will led it. 3 medium cams to the ledge, then lowered off the bail biner rather than going all the way up to the big tree / ledge above Penis Envy.

Will have to lead this next time.

#4. Sketchy trad lead (no gear for the first half) but loads of fun on TR, even with the swing potential to the right.

Got to the anchor after an easy top out and walk over above Mr. Miagi.

#2. Will climbed up with my wire brush, clearing the muck on the ledge and above.

Can be done as a sport climb, if you're OK with a bit of a runout near the top -- not sure why it's listed as a mixed route.

#3. Will scrubbed this on the way down from This Town, but perhaps not in the correct spots.

An attempt was made. Broke off a number of crystals. Gave up on two crux sections and just jugged the rope until I had good hands, so not logging this as a success. Would consider attempting it again.

Then Will's son found a great side pull off to the right in an area of uncleaned lichen and moss, that both will and I had missed.

Route still needs more cleaning, as there's a tonne of lichen & moss obscuring the holds.

#3. An attempt was made, including some TR cheating. Very challenging feet at the start, and super sharp fingers. Great view from the ledge, but otherwise not sure the wall's worth the time. Or perhaps it's just sandbagged?

#3. Will crushed this on his first attempt, needing only a small rest to sort out the beta for the top bit. I then tried it on TR and while it was not nearly as flowy or continuous, I did suss out all the moves, including the awkward "pinch a crystal and stand up on the ledge, then carefully flow right to the rail" section.

Unclear why the last bolt exists, as it seems to be in the middle of a field of nothing.

#2. Will led, I flailed away on TR. Not a bad route.

#3. Will stick clipped the second bolt to make the sketchy start less sketchy; then plugged a purple cam in the runout section near the top. I found an alternate safer ending to the right, which probably joined the crack at the top of Cathy's Clown 5.10c for a safer/easier ending @ the rings.

Set up for rappel but then thought I could just top out and walk over to Romancing The Stone, which we then did as the last climb of the day.