PALISADE MOUNTAIN CRAGS CLIMBING

Category: Colorado (Estes Park Valley)Elev: ~7,600Rock Type: Granite
Dates: 2020(x9 days), 2021(x22 days), 2022(x11 days), 2023(x5 days), 2024(x5 days)Partners: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball, Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar, Cassie Vendegna, Shawn May
Trip Report #: 401 (this trip report number corresponds to the first times I climbed at Horsehead Rock and established this page on my website; I did not add trip report numbers for my several subsequent trips to different crags in this area)

List of Climbs I've Done & Some Photos

Palisade Mountain is located on the north side of Big Thompson Canyon between Loveland and Estes Park.

Palisade Mountain contains various subcrags, such as Horsehead Rock, Mikey's Island, Jewel of the Nile Wall, Skull Rock and Subskull, Saddle Tower, 420 Wall, Jungle Wall, and others. There is a lot of rock here, but the area is complex so route development has been slow and adventurous. Most of it is south-facing, making it a great winter and early spring area to climb. The climbing is a mix of cracks, corners, roofs, crimpy faces, and airy aretes. To date, I've climbed mainly at Horsehead Rock and Skull Rock, where I have had a blast being part of team developing these crags and putting in a bunch of new routes. I have been impressed with the quality of the rock at this somewhat obscure area. 

On this page, I keep a list of the climbs I've done at Palisade Mountain. Below the list, I have random photos from cragging at Palisade Mountain, organized by crag. 

Here's a summary of the various areas I have climbed at Palisade Mountain. On this page I have listed and posted photos for the crags in the order in which I first visited them.

Overview Map of Area

Click on image to enlarge.

Click on image to enlarge.

Table of Contents for this page

List of Climbs I've Done at palisade Mtn Crags

Horsehead Rock

I've listed the various crags in the order in which I first visited them.

Horsehead Rock

Some random photos from cragging at Horsehead Rock.

(First Trip(s) to Horsehead Rock)

Dates: April 25&26&30 (Sat&Sun&Thu) & May 1&3&9&10&12 (Fri&Sun&Sat&Sun&Tue), 2020      Partners: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball, Cassie Vendegna, Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar 

This was my first time climbing at Horsehead Rock. We ended up putting up several new routes over the course of a week. Putting up new routes is about as fun as cragging gets.

1. Horsehead Rock on approach. 
2. Putting up a new route on the arete on the left side of Horsehead Rock. To keep with the horse theme of several of the routes and the position of the route on the end of the Horsehead Rock massif, one name Nate came up with was "Cauda Equina", Latin for "Horse's Tail".
3. The arete of the perhaps-to-be-named "Cauda Equina". Really good climbing.
4. An optimistic bunch of Pasqueflower. These are one of the earliest types of flowers to bloom. Spring has arrived!
5. A view towards RMNP.
6. Looking up Pitch 1 of  Neighsayer, perhaps the crag's most classic climb (for good reason). Two pitches of awesome 5.9-5.10 climbing to the top of the feature!
7. Chickenhead fun on Pitch 1 of Neighsayer.
8. Crack at start of Pitch 2 of  Neighsayer.
9. Crack at end of Pitch 2 of Neighsayer. A fun bouldery move getting into it.
10. Offwidth section at end of Pitch 2 of  Neighsayer.
11. Looking up Pokey's Arete. Definitely gotta climb this some day.
12. Nate starting up our new route, perhaps-to-be-named "Cauda Equina". This was the first lead after we bolted it. Nice job on the send, Nate!
13. Looking up Breeder's Cup and Kentucky Derby, two 5.10's just left of Neighsayer that I toprope soloed while Nate was toprope soloing the next new route....
14. The next new route....Nate returned to put some needed protection bolts and an intermediate anchor on it a couple of days later (it's long enough that even with a 70 you need 2 raps from the top!). Proposed name is "Trojan Horse".
15. A new bolted line up an arete feature just around left of the main Horsehead Rock formation, named "Horse's Ass". Fun airy climbing.
16. The slot just begged to be explored.  We put a bolted anchor at the top of it, and Scott Kimball made the first lead, and named it "Dog and Pony Show". It felt about 5.9 and had some fun stemming.
17. Cassie starting up Glue Factory, an enjoyable 5.8 already established on the wall.
18. Nate exploring the arete just left of Glue Factory. Another new route.....
19. It's like a climbing gym on Pitch 1 of Neighsayer.
20. Breeders Cup Pitch 1.
21. We went up the arete on the left. I think this is Ponyboy Arete. Whatever it was, it doesn't get a lot of traffic.
22. Cassie cruising up the bolted patina face of Funky Gold Patina. Really fun climbing.
23. Fun featured crack on Sea Biscuit.
24. Cassie nearing the crux of Eagle's Beak Pitch 1.
25. The wildlife.
26. Horsehead Rock glowing in the late afternoon light.
27. The start of Charlie Horse.
28. Cassie lowering from "Trojan Horse".
29. Flowering cactus. 
30. Nate sending his new 5.12,"Black Riders".
31. Fun finger crack variation at the start of Glue Factory. 
32. Fun climbing. 
33. More fun climbing freshly equipped with bolts.
34. And more. 
35. Paul leading Glue Factory. 
36. The wild 5.12 overhanging arete of "Chestnut Mare", freshly equipped with some bolts.
37. Nate leading the wild overhanging 5.12 arete of "Chestnut Mare". Impressive lead! Photo taken by Bernard Gillett.
38. Awesome exposure. Photo taken by Bernard Gillett.
39. Steph somehow making it up the 5.12 section. Photo taken by Bernard Gillett.
40. Clouds in the valley below.
41. The finger crack start to De-Virginizing Stud Pony.
42. Cassie Feeling Loopy.
43. Government Mule climbs the corner through the roof.
44. Cassie enjoying the hand crack on the upper stretch of Government Mule.
45. Looking up Hippophobia.
46. Starting up Hippophobia.
47. The freshly-bolted line of "Prancing Pony".
48. Part of the adventure of developing a crag is trundling large blocks. Here is one of them. Better to be pulled off on purpose than by accident!
49. A beautiful evening.
50. Strange times back in the real world.
Date: December 4, 2021 (Sat)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

It had been 1.5 years since our Spring 2020 climbing fest at Horsehead, so we decided to make Horsehead our cragging destination on this sunny early December day. We enjoyed a pleasant day climbing several of the routes we had established in Spring 2020. 

51. Nate starting up Hippophobia (5.10). We concluded that this was the worst route we've climbed at Horsehead.
52. Looking down Prancing Pony (5.9), a fun bolted line we had put up in Spring 2020.
53. The route Dog and Pony Show (5.9) climbs the slot. Another fun route we had put up in Spring 2020.
54. Horsehead glowing in the late afternoon light.
Date: April 2&3, 2022 (Sat&Sun)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

Two pleasant days of early spring cragging. We put up a really good new route (5.11b or so) called "Headless Horseman" which climbs through an intimidating roof/undercling.

55. Tijuana Donkey Show (5.11-). On mountainproject this route is renamed TDS because its original name is apparently too offensive. Whatever the name, it's a great pitch of climbing!
56. Looking up pitch 1 of Eagle's Beak (5.10c). Engaging crack climbing.
57. Bushes....
58. ...gone!
59. Trimming bushes is....
60. ...addicting.
61. Nate on the first ascent of Headless Horseman (5.11b). Intimidating roof with great movement.
62. Sign on the way to Horsehead parking.
63. See the face?
Date: March 31, 2024 (Sun)     Partner: Nate Arganbright

I told Nate I wanted to climb some cracks. So we went to Horsehead. A gorgeous early spring day with 9 pitches of great crack climbing.

64. Fog in the valley below. While common in Washington (where I lived before this), fog is not common in Colorado, so we enjoyed the unique and beautiful wafting fog.
65. Approach.
66. We encountered the head of a decapitaed crow. A macabre sight out of a Steven King novel.
67. Our first pitch of the day was a warm-up lap of Neighsayer Pitch 1 (5.9). Always a fun pitch.
68. Breeders Cup (5.10).
69. Seabiscuit Pitch 2 (5.10-).
70. Funky Gold Patina Pitch 1 (5.10).
71. Toproping Eagles Beak Pitch 1 (5.10).

Mikey's Island

Some random photos from cragging at Mikey's Island.

(First Trip to Mikey's Island)

Date: May 10, 2020 (Sun)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

This was my first time climbing at Mikey's Island. You can see this pinnacle from Horsehead, and Nate had been telling me about the stellar finger cracks up to the top of the pinnacle. Indeed, they were stellar!

1. Mikey's Island. The two 5.11 fingercracks are The Discriminator (5.11) and Annie's Knotty Fingers (5.11). Nate led the left one and I led the right.
2. The Care Giver (5.8) ascends a crack on the right side inside the chimney.
3. The Care Giver (5.8). Super fun and a great warmup route.
4. Nate leading The Discriminator (5.11), the left of the two 5.11 finger cracks. The crux is a punchy finish.
5. How can you not enjoy this finger crack section of Annie's Knotty Fingers (5.11)?
6. We toproped the route on the right, which ascends the corner and ends on the bolted face above. The route is not on mountainproject (as of May 2020) but it is named Skillset (5.10).
7. A wide section on Skillset (5.10) (a #6 is nice on lead).
8. A view of Horsehead from Mikey's Island.
Date: March 26&27, 2022 (Sat&Sun)     Partner: Nate Arganbright

This was only my second visit to Mikey's Island, almost two years after my first visit. Over the weekend, we put up three new routes: A bolted route climbing a cool tower (5.10b, 6 bolts + 1 cam); a hand crack to wildly exposed arete (5.10, gear+bolts), and a trad route up a cool chicken-head studded runnel feature (5.10, gear). We also climbed a couple of pitches at nearby Checkerboard. I was reminded how good the rock and the climbing is in this zone. Still several new routes to put in!

9. Nate starting up Skillset (5.10).
10. Bring a #6 for Skillset (5.10).
11. Looking up the East Face (5.11) route, which I toproped soloed as Nate put in the bolts on our new route.
12. Nate on an FA on the east side. About 5.11 if you go directly up the prow (which we did on toprope, and need to put some bolts in to lead it).
13. Pinecones.
14. Bernard leading a new route on a pillar. 5.10.
15. Nate leading a new route on the arete. Wild 5.10.
16. Nate leading a new route on the arete. Wild 5.10.
17. New trad route up east side following a cool chicken-head studded runnel feature.
18. Dirt I removed from the new trad route. I buried the rope!

Palisade Mtn West Prow

Some random photos from cragging at Palisade Mtn West Prow.

(First Trip to Palisade Mountain West Prow)

Date: June 20, 2020 (Sat)      Partner: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillett

Bernard and Nate wanted to send a new 5.12a they had put up on the west prow of Palisade Mountain, so we headed up there for the morning. Both of them sent the route first try, nice work! I toproped the 5.12a and also did some toprope soloing on a nearby 5.11.

1. Pretty sunflowers on the approach.
2. Looking up Real Training (5.11).
3. Nate leading Not Throwing Away My Shot (12a), Bernard belaying. Send!
4. Giant dandelion.
5. Hiking out. Hey, wouldn't it be awesome to traverse that skyline?....

Jewel of the Nile Wall

Some random photos from cragging at Jewel of the Nile Wall.

(First Trip to Jewel of the Nile Wall)

Date: January 16, 2021 (Sat)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

This wall caught our attention when we saw it from the top of Horsehead in Spring 2020. Jewel of the Nile Wall is the sheerest, cleanest looking wall on the entire mountain. There's even a splitter crack running up its middle...There are three documented routes on this wall, but Nate and I only ended up climbing the splitter, as the other routes were either difficult to protect or vegetated. We found a new route on the left side of the formation that we toproped. After that we topped off the rather warm winter day with a couple of pitches at Horsehead.

1. Jewel of the Nile Wall.
2. Jewel of the Nile Wall - Route Overlay for three main routes. There are a few more routes on this wall now.
3. We climbed the obvious splitter, called Pearly Burly Brooke (5.9, 200').
4. Splitter!
5. Rap off tree to climber's right.
6. Looking up at right side of Jewel of the Nile Wall. There are two routes there but we backed off of them because of lack of protection or vegetation.
7. We spotted a short route as we rounded the corner of Jewel of the Nile Wall. Let's climb it!
8. The short route on the left/SW side of Jewel of the Nile Wall. Felt about 10b or so. Two cams and two bolts.
9. Funky Gold Patina (5.10) on Horsehead Rock, where we finished off the day.
Date: April 13, 2024 (Sat)     Partner: Nate Arganbright

Nate, Bernard, and Paul had recently added a few fine new routes to Jewel of the Nile. So this was our destination on this warm spring Saturday. I thought the new routes were quite good.

10. Pearly Burly Brooke (5.9+). A classic 200-foot pitch.
11. New 2-pitch unnamed 5.10c. Great exposure on the second pitch!
12. New unnamed (and yet unlead) 5.12. Sustained on great rock.
13. Country Mile (5.10d).
14. Family Jewels (5.9).
15. My first pasque flower spotting of the spring.
16. Pasque flowers.

Skull Rock area : Skull Rock and Subskull

Some random photos from cragging at Skull Rock Area (Subskull and Skull Rock)

(First Trip(s) to Subskull)

Dates: January 24&30 (Sun&Sat) & April 8&25 (Thu&Sun), 2021   Partners: Nate Arganbright & Scott Kimball

On these two back to back winter Saturdays, Nate and I decided to go cragging at the Subskull area of Skull Rock. The first weekend was sunny, but bitterly cold, so we ended up climbing just a couple of pitches and then we went exploring for a couple of hours. The second Sunday was much warmer and we squeezed in about 10 pitches and Nate got a send on the 12b he had been working on there. We came back in April and put up 4 new routes on the right side of the wall.

1. Approaching Skull Rock area.
2. A fun 5.6.
3. A 5.12a called Numbskulls.
4. Lots of rock up there...
5. First pitch of Channel Surfing (5.9-).
6. Second short pitch of Channel Surfing (5.9-).
7. Nate leading Deathly Hollow (5.12b).
8. The fun offwidth of Stacks (5.9+).
9. New rock to explore! We put 4 new routes up on the right side of Subskull.
10. Scott leading Beautiful Things (5.9).
11. Scott leading Gain of Function (5.7).
12. A new route called Cervical Vertebrae (5.9).
13. The first flowers of the spring! I think these are Western spring beauties.

(First Trip(s) to Skull Rock)

Dates: February 28 (Sun) & March 7&9&19&20&28 (Sun&Tue&Fri&Sat&Sun) & April 3&6&25&26 (Sat&Tue&Sun&Mon) & May 8 (Sat), 2021   Partners: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball, Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar, Shawn May, & Cassie Vendegna

We enjoyed several weekends days and after-work half-day here in the winter and spring of 2021 developing the crag, adding over 10 new routes ranging from 5.8+ to 5.12. The rock here is surprisingly good.

1. Skull Rock as seen on approach.
2. Nate drilling a new anchor.
3. Some new routes on the left side of the formation.
4. Nice hand- to fist-crack on Splitter Hitter.
5. Scott climbing a new route (we later named The Profit (5.9+)) on the left side of the wall.
6. Lots of rock up here.
7. Nice exposure.
8. Nate embarking on a lead of The Temple (5.11a), one of the best routes on the formation.
9. Looking down The Profit (5.9+), a nice new mixed route we put up on the left side of the wall. Great rock here!
10. Phrenology (5.11).
11. Upper thuggy corner on Phrenology (5.11).
12. Nate deciphering out the lower half of Inca Gold(5.12b).
13. New route up a chimney, called Superspreader Chimney(5.9).
14. Nate is the king of finding the best belay spot.
15. Chimney fun on Superspreader Chimney (5.9).
16. Chimney fun on Superspreader Chimney (5.9).
17. Nate adding a bolt to the first crux of Phrenology (5.11).
18. Nate leading the crux upper corner of Phrenology (5.11).
19. Bernard leading Phrenology (5.11).
20. Some wild roof cracks.
21. Wild roof cracks.
22. Nate installing an anchor.
23. Some nice cracks.
24. Snow lily on approach - a sign spring has finally arrived!
25. Snow lily on approach - a sign spring has finally arrived!
26. Bernard in Superspreader Chimney (5.8) about to head out on the first free ascent of Kicked in the Head (5.11d ish).
27. Bernard on the first free ascent of Kicked in the Head (5.11d ish)!
28. Nate bolting a new route, Tiger Lily (5.12+).
29. Nate working his new route, Tiger Lily (5.12+).
Date: January 23, 2022 (Sun)     Partner: Nate Arganbright

Bernard had put up a few new bolted routes on Subskull and Skull Rock since the last time Nate and I had climbed there in the spring, so on this sunny winter day Nate and I made this our cragging destination. Bernard and Paul showed up midday. Great company, great rock, 50° temps in the sun, and 8 pitches of 5.9-5.11 climbing!

30. Looking up Dishonorable Discharge (5.10c) at Subskull. This was one of the new routes Bernard had bolted up.
31. Bernard leading his new route Bang Your Head (5.10a) on the far left side of Subskull. This route is named for a painful head bonk while Bernard was putting in the route.
Date: January 29, 2022 (Sat)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

Back again for another winter day of cragging in the sun.

32. Looking up The Middle Man (5.10a) and Salon Pas (5.10b).
33. Fun bolted face on These Ol' Bones (5.9).

Saddle Tower

Some random photos from cragging at Saddle Tower.

(First Trip to Saddle Tower)

Date: March 6, 2021 (Sat)   Partner: Nate Arganbright

This tower sits high in the Palisade Mountain crags. Bernard Gillett's guidebook makes mention of a nice 5.11a route up the face of the tower. So Nate and I had to check it out. Worth the adventure but probably not worth returning.

1. Route overlay.
2. Looking up from base of route.
3. Nate pulling the roof crux in toprope solo mode.
4. Some nice cracks midway up.
Dates: March 29 (Wed) & April 1 (Sat) , 2023  Partner: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillett

Every spring for the last few years we've focused our route development efforts on something at Palisade Mountain. Spring 2023 looks like it will be Saddle Tower....

5. Three new routes Bernard and Nate put up on this nice section of rock.
6. A new bolted 10a route just left of Lariat. Nate and Bernard put this route up. A fun climb.
7. Toproping a new 10c route just left of Lariat. Nate and Bernard put this route up. A fun climb.
8. Toproping an excellent fingercrack on the right side of the formation. Nate led this 11c route a couple of hours later. Nice lead Nate! This is my favorite route on the wall so far.
Date: March 10, 2024 (Sun)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

One pitch at Saddle Tower followed by five more pitches at Fairview Wall on this warm late winter Sunday.

9. Pitch 1 of Lariat. At 10c, a stout warm-up for the day.

420 Wall

Some random photos from cragging at 420 Wall.

(First Trip to 420 Wall)

Date: March 27, 2021 (Sat)   Partner: Nate Arganbright

This wall sits above Skull Rock. We climbed a center crack (excellent), installed an anchor at the top, and toproped two mediocre routes on either side.

1. Fresh snow on the approach to 420 Wall.
2. Fresh snow on the approach to 420 Wall. Dry sunny rock up there!
3. 420 Wall.
4. Nice patina on Gorilla Glue at 420 Wall.
5. 420 Wall. Gorilla Glue follows the center crack system.
6. Twisted stump.
Dates: April 17&21, 2022 (Sun&Thu)    Partner: Nate Arganbright

We climbed five new routes (all led ground up after installing bolts if needed) and installed four new anchors and three protection bolts. A couple of productive days of climbing!

7. The first flowers sightings of the spring: star lily.
8. The first flowers sightings of the spring: spring beauty.
9. Nice featured rock.
10. We found an old cam. Someone had been here before. But there were no other signs of anchors.
11. Nate drilling an anchor.
12. We climbed the crack on the left to the arete and the corner. Both were excellent, perhaps 5.11-. We installed an anchor at the top and came back a few days later for the FA on both of them. The left one we called 421 (5.11-) since it was sent on April 21, and the right one we called Roach Clip (5.11-).
13. Nate climbing 421 (5.11-). He led this ground up a few days later, on April 21.
14. Nate leading Roach Clip (5.11-).
15. A pitch on Fooled Again (5.10) on the upper wall. Not as good as it looked from below. Hence the name.
16. Nate installing a protection bolt on Hypnotized Never Lie (5.11-), an excellent pitch we put up the left side of the wall.
17. Nate on the FA of Hypnotized Never Lie (5.11-).
18. A nice photo of the SW Face of 420 Wall where our new routes are.
19. More star lilys.
20. Yay, it's spring, the ticks are out!

Jungle Wall

Some random photos from cragging at Jungle Wall.

(First Trip to Jungle Wall)

Date: April 11, 2021 (Sun)    Partner: Nate Arganbright

A long 'schwacky approach, a few ticks along the way, a couple of 1-star climbs, but at least we checked out a new crag at Palisade Mtn. There were some hard looking wild roof lines but we probably won't be back for awhile.

1. Nate starting up the crack. Decent rock but kind of generic climbing.
2. A nice section of slab we toproped. Again, nice rock, but not too remarkable.
3. Some nice wild roof climbs to the right. These are routes and actually look pretty good, but also difficult and a bit dirty.

World's End - Lower Cliff

Some random photos from cragging at World's End - Lower Cliff.

(First Trip(s) to World's End - Lower Cliff)

Dates: May 1&7, 2021 (Sat&Fri)   Partner: Nate Arganbright

Nate and I had spotted this area of rock (a lower and an upper cliff, which we ended up calling World's End) while climbing elsewhere on Palisade Mountain a few weeks previous. Shortly thereafter, we attempted to access the wall from above, but failed to find a good way down to it. About a week later, on a sunny Friday morning, I forwent my usual gym session and spent the morning scrambling up the slopes of Palisade Mountain to scope out a potential approach from below and to check out the wall. I did indeed make it to the base of the wall after a 1.5 hour approach. The rock looked great, and had probably never been climbed. Nate and I returned the next day. We put up six new routes at the lower cliff! And with the quality and the amount of rock up here as well as the sunny ambiance with great views, we plan for several more...

1. View of World's End area from Jungle Wall.
2. Star lily on the approach.
3. Yellow flowers. Golden aster I think.
4. Spring beauty.
5. Approach gully. 1h15min to base of lower cliff.
6. Looking up at Lower cliff. Lots of good rock to climb!
7. Looking up at Lower cliff. Lots of good rock to climb!
8. Nate starting up our first first ascent of the day: Stellar Jay (5.9).
9. Good climbing on Stellar Jay (5.9).
10. A two-nut anchor to rappel back to the ground.
11. Splitter on Applied Analysis (5.10a).
12. Roof on Applied Analysis (5.10a).
13. Nate starting up a first ascent of Star Lily (5.8).
14. Cool features on Amtrack Joe (5.7).
15. More good rock on Evidence of Fraud (5.9).
16. Harlem Shuffle (5.8) climbs the chimney. Good climbing.
17. Cool flake feature on Harlem Shuffle (5.8).
18. Nate drilling a bolt anchor.
19. Toproping to scope out route potential.
20. Toproping to scope out route potential.
21. Toproping to scope out route potential.
22. Rapping from new bolt anchor. We didn't bring chains and even though we will be back I'd rather just leave one biner than two....
23. Vegetated corner. But if cleaned it climbs quite well.
24. Nate enjoying a relaxing belay spot.
25. A new pet.
Date: January 15, 2022 (Sat)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

A pleasant winter day putting in a set of anchors and three more new trad routes.

26. Toproping an 11a section on a new route we were working.
27. Granite and shadow.
Date: November 13, 2022 (Sun)      Partner: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillette, Paul Bodnar

Nate, Bernard, and Paul spent a couple of weekdays working hard adding some bolts to some of our lines and some new ones (I had work so couldn't join). This crisp and sunny fall Sunday was sending day. Five new awesome routes (5.10b, 5.10c, 5.11a, 5.11b, 5.11, all with at least a few protection bolts, some mostly bolted).

28. Nate leading False Profit (11a), our first route of the day.
29. Unnamed 11b. Another great route
30. Nate nearing the top of Logarithmic Spiral (5.10c). Fun in the sun.
31. The top section of Logarithmic Spiral (5.10c).
32. Bernard nearing the top of Daddy Long Legs (5.11).
33. Bernard nearing the top of Daddy Long Legs (5.11).
34. Nate entering the crux section on Daddy Long Legs (5.11). 
35. Bolt.
36. Pink fuzz on the anchor. I named the route below Pink Fuzz (5.10b) as an ode to all of the pink fuzz this rope left on World's End. It had been out faithful rope ever since we discovered the crag.
37. Fairview Wall glowing in evening sun. This wall need some routes. Coming up....
38. This rock looked too much like a tombstone for Nate to resist.
39. Cookies (chocolate chip and ginger snap) I made the evening before and brought along for everyone to enjoy when we got back to the car after a day of climbing. 
40. Cookies (chocolate chip and ginger snap) I made the evening before and brought along for everyone to enjoy when we got back to the car after a day of climbing. 

World's End - Upper Cliff

Some random photos from cragging at World's End - Upper Cliff.

(First Trip(s) to World's End - Upper Cliff)

Date: May 7, 2021 (Fri)   Partner: Nate Arganbright

Nate and I had spotted this area of rock (a lower and an upper cliff, which we ended up calling World's End) while climbing elsewhere on Palisade Mountain and had checked it out the previous weekend, when we climbed at the lower cliff and put up six new routes. We saw a lot more potential and made plans to return. Over the course of the week, we shuttled up a stash of water, rope, gear, drill, and bolts, so that we could stay up there overnight for the weekend. We put up a couple of new routes at the upper cliff and a few more at the lower cliff. We plan to install some bolts and anchors and a few more routes before we reveal where this place is...

1. View of World's End area from Jungle Wall.
2. Wall of cracks on the left side of the upper cliff. We ended up putting an anchor above these.
3. More steep cracks on the right side. Some potential lines here...
4. From the size of this pile, it must be bear scat. Still warm when we found it.
5. For fun, we decided to hike up the evening before and bivy at the base on the upper cliff. There is not water up here, so we had to haul up our own which made for heavy packs. But worth being up there overnight and waking up to climb.
6. Nate led the crack in the center of the photo.
7. The crack system Nate led. Actually pretty good climbing.
8. We toproped a couple of these cracks. Unfortunately they were a bit dirty and vegetated and hence a little uninspiring.
9. Nate drilling a bolt anchor above the wall of cracks in the previous photo.
10. One of the cracks we toproped.

The Checkerboard

Some random photos from cragging at The Checkerboard.

(First Trip(s) to The Checkerboard)

Date: March 26&27&31 (Sat&Sun&Thu) & April 28 (Thu), 2022   Partner: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillette

The Checkerboard might be obscure, but it's well worth the trip. Lots of good rock with crack and featured face. We put up some new routes here and have more in the works. I even played hooky to join a first ascent of a stellar 5.11 route (24 years of schooling and only 4 weeks left of classes to take, and this was my first time ever skipping class.....and possibly not my last...). 

1. We climbed a route on the left (5.9) and then a route through the roof crack (5.10c). These were recently put up by Nate and Bernard and Scott. Quality climbing.
2. Looking up Pitch 1 of a new 2-pitch bolted 5.10 that Bernard and Paul put up.
3. ooking up Pitch 2 of a new 2-pitch bolted 5.10 that Bernard and Paul put up.
4. Roof on Pitch 2 of a new 2-pitch bolted 5.10 that Bernard and Paul put up.
5. Paul toproping a new 5.11+ in progress: great rock and great position. 6/5 stars!
6. Bernard installing bolts on a new 5.11+ in progress: great rock and great position. 6/5 stars!
7. Bernard on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c), an awesome and sustained bolted route that climbs a steep and featured pillar on the right side of The Checkerboard.
8. Bernard on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
9. Bernard on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
10. Bernard on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
11. Nate on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
12. Nate on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
13. Nate on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
14. Nate on FA of Triple Crown (5.11c).
15. Steph on the FA (toproping) of Triple Crown (5.11c).
16. A cool stembox called Zugzwang (5.10b). Games like chess and checkers have "zugzwang": a player must always make a move on their turn even if this is to their disadvantage.

Fairview Wall

Some random photos from cragging at Fairview Wall.

(First Trip to Fairview Wall)

Date: April 18, 2023 (Tue)   Partner: Nate Arganbright & Bernard Gillette

Fairview Wall is a beautiful plaque of rock high on Palisade Mountain. Nate and Bernard are putting in some new routes here and discovering that the wall holds potential for several great 4-pitch link-ups. I took a midday break from work to join Nate and Bernard and check out the wall; I did one toprope solo pitch before heading back to work.

1. Fairview Wall glowing in evening sun. Taken in November 2022 after cragging at another area at Palisaede Mountain.
2. Fairview Wall as seen from Saddle Tower.
3. Exploring new terrain with Nate and Bernard.
4. I toprope soloed up this. It felt about 5.11- on an FA toprope solo, which probably means it's about 5.10+. It was fairly decent climbing.
5. An old piece of protection. Someone has been here before.
6. A short splitter torwads the end of the pitch I toproped soloed.
7. I had to leave to get back to work. Nate and Bernard are still hanging out on the wall in this photo.
Date: July 1, 2023 (Sat)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

A four-pitch (5.10a, 5.9, 5.10+, 5.10+) link-up from the base of the route to the top, including an FA of two pitches along the way. These were all new pitches that Bernard, Paul, and Nate had established this spring. A pretty awesome route.

8. Route overlay for the linkup we did (in red). (High resolution image will not be available until after the guidebook to this area has been published...)
9. Nate leading the first pitch. (Coefficient of Friction, 5.10a).
10. Steph following the first pitch. (Coefficient of Friction, 5.10a). Photo by Nate.
11. Nate leading the second pitch. (Three Sigma, 5.9).
12. The tape marked the fact that Pitch 2 had not yet been climbed on lead.
13. Nate staring up the third ptich. (Pitch 1 of Ministry of Truth, 5.10+).
14. Looking down the third ptich. (Pitch 1 of Ministry of Truth, 5.10+). Really great rock on this pitch. Photo by Nate.
15. Paul following the third ptich. (Pitch 1 of Ministry of Truth, 5.10+). Really great rock on this pitch. Photo by Nate.
16. Paul leading the third ptich. (Pitch 1 of Ministry of Truth, 5.10+). Really great rock on this pitch.
17. Nate leading the final ptich to the top. (Pitch 2 of Ministry of Truth, 5.10+). Awesome exposure on the arete.
18. Bernard leading the final ptich to the top. (Pitch 2 of Ministry of Truth, 5.10+).
19. Sunflower.
20. Harebell. 
21. Indian paintbrush. Photo by Nate.
Date: Sept 4, 2023 (Mon)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

Labor Day Monday. A three-pitch (5.9, 5.10+, 5.10+) link-up from the base of the route to the top, including an FA of two pitches along the way. These were all new pitches that Bernard, Paul, and Nate had established this spring. A pretty awesome route.

8. Route overlay for the linkup we did (in pink). (High resolution image will not be available until after the guidebook to this area has been published...)
22. Pitch 1. I think this pitch is called Room With A View (5.9).
23. Pitch 2 (5.10+). I think this is the first pitch of Pentagram (2p).
24. Pitch 3 (5.10+/11-). I think this is the second pitch of Pentagram (2p).
25. Taped bolt to mark the fact this final pitch had not been led yet. Nate did a one hang so he could come back with Bernard to claim the first no-hang ascent together.
26. Awesome 5.10+/11- finger crack on Pitch 3.
27. Steph enjoiying the climbing. Photo by Nate.
28. Lunch.
Date: March 10, 2024 (Sun)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

One pitch at Saddle Tower followed by five more pitches at Fairview Wall on this warm late winter Sunday.

29. Looking up from the base of Fairview Wall. A nice wall of granite.
30. Fun crack near the top of Lower Wall Right 2 (~5.10a).
31. Coefficeint of Friction Pitch 1 (5.10a). A great pitch of climbing.
32. Three Sigma (5.9). Another great pitch of climbing.
33. We toproped this pitch since we rappelled over it. Impeccible rock. Quite challenging with a blank 5.11d move (which neither of us figured out on this day, although Nate had gotten it in the past.)
Date: June 20, 2024 (Thu)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

Three pitches (5.10c, 5.11a, 5.11d) to the top before a squall sent us hustling back to the car.

34. Route overlay for the linkup we did (in green). (High resolution image will not be available until after the guidebook to this area has been published...)
35. Pitch 1. 5.10c.
36. Pitch 2. 5.11a.
37. Pitch 3. 5.11d.
Date: Day MOnth, 2024 (day)      Partner: Nate Arganbright

xxx

1. xxx
2. xxx
3. xxx
4. xxx

Wild Rose Wall

Some random photos from cragging at Wild Rose Wall.

(First Trip to Wild Rose Wall)

Date: March 2, 2024 (Sat)   Partner: Nate Arganbright

A new wall that Nate, Bernard, and Paul recently developed. A warm but windy March day.

1. Rappleing down from the top of the wall, from a new bolt anchor Nate installed.
2. A fun 5.10b bolted arete.
3. A bolted 5.11 with a hard crux move.
4. Lots of rock....

Sinking Sun

Some random photos from cragging at Sinking Sun.

(First Trip to Sinking Sun)

Date: Month Day, Year   Partner: Nate Arganbright

Sinking Sun is high on the West Buttress of Palisade Mountain, facing south. It is a very warm place to climb in mid-winter. Currently there are about seven routes in the immediate area, with plans for about three or four more. What the area lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

The routes are slightly off-vertical to vertical. Some protect with bolts and gear, while some protect with just gear. The rock can be very dirty, but the quality is excellent.

1. xxx
2. xxx
3. xxx
4. xxx

Temple of Tao

Some random photos from cragging at Temple of Tao.

(First Trip to Temple of Tao)

Date: Month Day, Year   Partner: Nate Arganbright

This wall sits high on Palisade Mountain, above Skull Rock and 420 Wall (which you pass on the way).

1. xxx
2. xxx
3. xxx
4. xxx

previous and next adventures

(April 2020: First time cragging at Palisade Mtn)