Sometimes Always

This route is lonnnnggg and can rightfully be considered one of the best ultra-long single pitch routes at Rifle (the others being the 8th Day,

MC 900-Foot Jesus

, Schwa and

Present Tense

).

Sometimes Always is a rope-stretching, forearm burning 130 feet of overhanging limestone with plenty of hard business up high. It demonstrates just how much climbing all the other Project Wall routes out right would yield were they too extended to the top of the wall -- and through the twin, blue-streaked bulges which overhang the road 180 feet below.

Begin just right of

Living in Fear

on the dirty bench/ledge. Boulder up to a high clip and pass a glued jug-spike. The route goes right a bit then straight up the overhanging wall above. This wall fades into an elegant stemming corner, which leads to a capping roof. Above the roof is a beautiful blue/grey headwall with perfect stone in one of Rifle's wildest positions, high over the one of deepest, narrowest sectors of the Canyon.

A stem crux high in the corner can avoided by moving slightly right, then back left into the corner. This sequence presents its own set of problems, however.

20 quickdraws and a 70 meter rope.