Pitch 1: Start on low angle rock heading for the bottom of the obvious corner/crack system. Do a couple of funky layback/stem moves to get into the corner. Get used to funky stems and laybacks. Continue up the corner until it is possible to step left into another crack, this is near a tree growing from the crack. Continue up this crack system to a small triangular ledge. Belay off of cams and nuts. Be sure to save something in the .75 to#1 Camalot range. 5.10-, 135ft. 

  Pitch 2: Climb the corner above into a short squeeze chimney with a small roof at it's top. Place gear at the top of the chimney then step back down a bit and traverse left across a fragile white face. Climb up to the left side of a larger roof, climbing around it on the left. Continue up the varnished corner above to a small ledge on the right and belay. There is a fixed nut and jammed knot here.5.10- R,70ft. 

  Pitch 3: Climb up and left from the belay. You will climb over a section of large blocks and flakes. at the obvious top of this section step back right into the main corner system. Climb into a short chimney, capped by a small roof. Climb out the left side of the roof using unique body positions. Climb up to a small, blocky, broken ledge on the right and belay. 5.10-, 110ft. 

  Pitch 4: The money pitch! Do some thin moves up off the belay, leading to another short slot. Find some good gear. Climb out the left side of the slot using powerful, corner switching laybacks. Plug in some gear and power through to more good holds. just as the crack/seam starts to arch left do a face traverse back right into the main corner. Climb up the obvious varnished ramp on the right to a 2 bolt anchor(not very good), belay. 5.11a, 50ft. 

  To descend make 2 or 3 rappels down and to the left of the route. Left of the route.

Enterprise

X-15

Adventure Punks

The Right Stuff

Lost in Space

Voyager

Challenger

Jupiter II

Space Cowboys

Explorer

P1. Pretty casual 10a up the left facing corner.  Transition to the left crack where a small tree grows out of the top. Belay on gear on comfy ledge (.75 - #2 cams) (140 feet)    

  P2. It gets real here with pretty sustained 5.10 climbing. Continue up the crack, placing pro before face climbing left under the roof. Continue up and around the roof on thin cracks (the jammed knot and nut anchor described in Handren's guide is gone). Continue up the crack, aiming for a ledge with loose stacked blocks up and left with a bomber two bolt anchor. (140 feet) 

  P3. Wow! Another full rope length up what looks from below like a super low angle crack. In fact you get perfect hands in a flare, tips laybacking, and thin face moves.  The low angle offwidth chimney protects with hand size pieces.  The thinning cracks above take lots of finger and small nuts.  The final face crux is out a bit from your gear back in the corner. You don't really want to fall here- partly because the fall would suck and partly because you've already come this far. 

  Descent: A long rappel leads to a questionable scrub oak laced with rat-gnawed old slings around broken branches in the Steep Space chimney.  Another rappel leads to the ground.  Be careful of stuck ropes.

The following Is the basic pitch by pitch description. I will make some personal comments below. Please read them. 

  Pitch #1: Begin on a flat ledge and climb the easy chimney above where the huge dihedral reachs the ledge. Climb up the chimney past a large white chockstone, there is some bad rock. Step left around the top of the chockstone and continue climbing the dihedral above. The crack pinches down and the crux is encountered. Continue up the dihedral to a very nice ledge and belay. 5.10d, 175ft. 

  Pitch #2: A very unique pitch. The dihedral continue's above and has become thin and red. Find some very interestingly eroded holds for both your hands and feet. Use the huecos on the right hand wall for upwarded movement. Pass several small ledge's and belay on the highest one with a nice little bush. You will stop directly below an Offwidth. Save a #1 and #2 Camalot for the belay. 5.10b, 130ft. 

  Pitch #3: Start up the short lived offwidth. A #4 camalot protects well. After exiting the OW do a thin move(crux) then continue up the corner to a Very small stance, directly below the thin 4th pitch. There is currently a fixed anchor here. 5.10d, 70ft. 

  Pitch #4: Buckle up buttercup! Nest a couple of RP's off the belay and then begin climbing the thin corner. You can get a small RP above you before commiting to the thin moves. After the intial thin moves get a couple of very good piece's and a rest. Climb up the corner using the bottom of the huge hanging flake...be careful! There is a good #2 camalot in the crack on the right. Climb up to the roof and place an RP or 2. Next step down and left. Undercling the bottom of the flake and smear, traversing left. The flake pinch's to nothing, all foot holds disappear, lichen grows on the wall, and the hold and gear you need are 5 ft away. After using some kind of Ninja power, place gear at the lip of the roof. Continue traversing left on white, lichen covered rock aiming for a bolt above. Clip the Quarter incher, then pull over the bulge and onto easier climbing leading to the belay on the left. Whew! 5.11a R, 80ft 

  Descent: Rappel with 2X 60M ropes off to the left down the steep wall. Pass the first (and bad) anchor you see. Find a bomber 2 bolt anchor on a good ledge. From this anchor a single double rope rappel leads to the ground.    It may be possible to rap with a single 70M rope if you use the poor anchor between the rappels mentioned and another intermediate below the 2nd rap anchor mentioned above. No promise's! 

WOW! This is one of the best routes in Red Rock canyon. With varied climbing on very good rock this route mixes in some of the best Red Rock has to offer. A must do. 

  Pitch 1: Begin by heading up slabby face holds. Look for a line of holds leading right to the obvious flake. The traverse right to the flake is 5.9 and has no protection. Once you gain the flake good gear is had. Follow the system of flakes up and right. After a wider section of the flake traverse directly right on a finger/hand rail(top of a flake). This is the crux. Continue up and left to the fixed anchor. 5.10a, 135ft. 

  Pitch 2: Climb left off the belay to a fixed(and pretty good) Knifeblade. Climb past this and into the left facing corner with a stem box on the left forming a channel. Continue up this channel, where you will encounter the crux. Follow the crack system up until you reach the fixed anchor. 5.10a/b, 125ft. 

  Pitch 3: Climb up the left facing corner above. Liebacking and jamming will see you through. The rock on this pitch is incredible and the climbing is 5 stars. Belay at the fixed anchor on a sloping ledge. 5.10a, 100ft. 

  Pitch 4: Climb up and right into the corner. Climb the corner until you can step left to a perfect finger crack on the steep varnished wall. Do not step over to early it will be obvious. Climb the finger crack in perfect varnished rock.   At the top of the finger crack abit of face climbing will lead you up then back right into the corner and 2 drilled angles. Alternately you can continue up the corner. Supposedly this is a bit easier, however there is a big white block you must climb around that is suspect. Another 5 star pitch. 5.10b, 100ft. 

  Pitch 5: The Offwidth. Continue climbing the left facing corner that has now become wide. Climb several crux's including a thin one guarding the belay. Stop at the fixed anchor. This is the end of the route. 5.10d, 100ft. 

  Descent: Rappel the route with 2 ropes, 1, 70M will not work.

The Right Stuff is a wild route that climbs a series of enormous flakes on the left side of the Challenger Wall.  Care must be taken when climbing and protecting this route. 

  Begin about 50' left of Challenger at a small left-facing corner.  Climb these corners and grooves to an obvious roof/undercling crack.  Jam out the left side of this and work up and left on a horizontal.  Gingerly mantle up to a massive flake and climb the right side of it (increasingly more solid sounding).  At the top, hand traverse left and step up into an obvious right-facing corner.  Protect and climb a punchy crux to a good cam in a horizontal and make one last mantle onto a ledge.  Belay here or lower to the ground. 

  There is a second pitch (5.10a) that continues up the right-facing corner above to a wide roof with a large chockstone.

The Lost in Space finish is a classic final pitch variation to Jupiter 2, adding more quality 5.11+ climbing to an already stacked route. Instead of climbing the standard last pitch of Jupiter 2 (a hand crack in a flare), step left and climb the steep fingers lieback immediately next to it. Well-protected but punchy climbing leads to a rest where one can momentarily step right before once again committing to the lefthand system via an exciting crux. Finish at the shared anchor above. 

  Reminiscent of a Flagstaff, AZ basalt pitch and highly recommended!

Challenger may be the first route to be established on this wall but I'm not sure. Rope up below the most central crack system on the cliff and it also has a prominent little porch of rock below. You can also add two more pitches (5.8 and 5.10d) to the four described here.

 Pitch 1) -5.10d: Start climbing up moderate terrain directly below the roof that marks the crux of the first pitch. Get below the roof and do some cool opposition moves to gain your position below the roof. Undercling and stem out the right side and keep your eyes peeled for a key foothold out right. Move up easier ground to a two bolt anchor with a small stance.

 Pitch 2) -5.10d: climb up a nice crack and layback until it is possible to traverse right towards a little corner/alcove below the main right facing corner that marks the meat of this fine pitch. Climb up the corner using small stoppers for pro, and fingertip laybacks for skills. This eventually eases off and turns into nice hand pods and secure flared locks for about 50 ft. End at a semi hanger with two new studs. Really rad pitch.

 Pitch 3) 5.10b: This pitch starts off sorta shitty but I guess is worth while. Do a big reach out right off the anchor and start your grovel through some vegetation for about twenty feet to gain a weird flaring groove. Climb this and gain better ground eventually perching up below a decent sized roof. Do some trickery and bust out the left side of this roof. Then do some more balancy stuff to gain a nice ledge with two bolts for the anchor.

 Pitch 4) 5.10b: This pitch can be done one of two three ways. The original line goes up the thin right facing corner off the belay and goes up and right toward a short left facing corner. You can also hand traverse out a thin rail, no feet (5.11) right off the belay and gain the 4th pitch of Jupiter II.

 We however downclimbed out right off the belay and traversed until it is possible to grab a cool undercling and crank off a few locks and holds to gain the 4th pitch of Jupiter II as well. Anyway you go it's a decent pitch of climbing with more good rock. Climb up the face with cool holds and semi hollow flakes. Offset Aliens would be nice for this pitch but can totally be done without as well.

 The climbing is pretty moderate and never desperate. Make your way up toward the little left facing corner and eventually climb up the arete of this to gain another two bolt anchor with suspect tat. Watch out for the two huge loose death blocks on the left side of the corner. These would be a huge threat to the belayer if dislodged!!

The setting is beautiful, the stone varnished, the gear is where you want it, and you'll probably have the wall to yourself. In the Spring of 2010 my partner and I found a straight-sided stopper stamped "VB" (Paul Van Bettten?) and a Forest Titon stamped "PH" on the route. Evidence of the climb's seldom-done status. 

  There are 5 pitches, one of which is below average, but the other 4 are exceptional. All belays are bolted. 

  P1 - Begin with some runout 5.8 or 5.9 up corners and grooves just left of the obvious dihedral line. Move right into the corners and chimney. Step right at the top. 5.9 or 5.10- 

  P2 - Work straight up from the belay on RPs and small gear. At ~50 feet, step left into a clean left-facing corner. Climb the corner (crux) on RPs and good small gear. 5.11c, but certainly harder than the .11c on Cloud Tower and Lev29 

  P3 - straight up from the belay on runout 5.9 face climbing, or slightly right and then up, which a couple RP placements. Aim for the bolt and face climb up and left (5.10d) to a thin crack. After the crack, move left around a large block and belay from bolts on top. 5.10d 

  P4 - Follow a vegetated low-angle crack or runout arete straight up, passing a band of lighter/sandier rock, to the huge ledge. 5.8 

  P5 - Up the clean and steep hand crack in the flaring corner on the right. The crack widens and becomes lower angle. As the rock suddenly deteriorates, move left across blocky terrain to the final anchor. 5.10 

  Rap the route with a single 60m rope. After 2 rappels on Jupiter II anchors, move slightly left and rappel nearby "Challenger".

Pitch 1:   Start up the First pitch of Challenger, about 15ft up trend left towards the obvious v slot. copntinue up this slot until you can step left to the anchor atop the p[itch 1 of Challenger. There is some loose/questionable rock on this pitch. 5.10b. 

  Pitch 2:   Step to the second crack left of the belay. Up this crack to a flared groove/small corner on the right. Save a finger piece for the begining of this section. Continue up this groove until you can step/traverse right to the anchor on top of the 2nd pitch of Challenger. 5.10a. 

  Pitch 3:   Climb the steep corner off the left side of the Belay. Continue up climbing a right facing corner to a ledge on the left. 5.10a. 

  Descent: Rappel with 1 rope.

Start on the far left edge of the Challenger Wall.  Up a thin crack to a small ledge where you will move left to gain the right edge of a flake system.  Up through this flake system on some small gear and delicate moves will get you to the roof.  Jam and undercling out left, and pull the roof.  From here a nice low angle crack will get you to a two bolt anchor.

Challenger Wall is located in the South Fork of Pine Creek. It is North facing and gets shade all day. It Also gets pretty windy so bring some warm clothes for the belays in the colder months. You are pretty much guarenteed not to see any other parties on the wall but who knows with the new guide books'intrigueing photos and excellent route descriptions.  

  The routes on this wall were put up in the purest of style in the year of 1986 by hardmen such as Van Betten, Smith, Crawford, Nordblom, and Mamusia, so you can expect the grades to be right on. All were done ground up and with as little bolts and fixed anchors as possible. Bitty cams and rp's are nice for this wall.  

  Anyhow the rock is bomber and has great friction for the most part. Really comparible to that of the Texas Wall in Velvet. Although most of the routes now have bolted anchors, it's a good idea to bring some leaver sling, biners, and stoppers with you.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Challenger Wall