The crag is located on top of the hill above the New River Wall. It is an excellent crag that receives lots of sun. This makes for great winter crag. The routes here tend to be vertical to overhung, often containing small roofs to navigate. The bolting is generous and safe. Overall, this is a great area, but the twenty minute approach limits its popularity. That said, this cliff makes for a less-crowded climbing area if you are willing to walk a little. Most routes are in the 5.10 - 5.11 range, with a few 5.12s that are very good. It should be noted that many of the 5.10 lines are soft for the grade and make good routes for the 5.9 leader who is aspiring to lead 5.10. Most of the routes are on solid stone, but some of the less traveled routes will have some loose rock, still. In general, the right (main) wall is very solid, while the routes on the left side tend to be a bit more loose.
Getting There
Park at the large paved pullout before Tunnel 2. Walk up the road on the right side and cross the bridge. Then look to your right and locate a small climbers trail heading back dowstream (same as for The New River Wall). Continue on this trail above a treacherous section of cliff and past Twitch Rock. The trail continues up to a flat area, where the faint trail for New River Wall heads right and downstream. Stay on the main trail (left fork), heading up hill. Continue up the trail, with some slabby rock sections for about 400 yds to the top. The trail will put you a little left of a prominent, right-facing dihedral with two bolted lines on it (Peer Pressure (5.12a) and Peer Review (5.12b), and a trad climb in the corner. This is the main division of the wall and represents the landmark for the wall, splitting it into right and left sides. Routes listed will be in reference to this dihedral. Allow 20 minutes for the approach.
Addendum: some may use the optional, riskier Tyrolean.
This is a killer line! A simple concept: run up the left side (face) of the main dihedral, pull a small roof, chase on up to a second roof, a head wall, and the anchors all for close to 100 ft. Problem is that it never worked out that way; not yet anyway. The bolt on the first roof was placed on rappel with the recognition that it would very likely have to move once the proper sequence through the roof was determined.In 1996, I watched ...[more]
Just want to say thanks to those who envisioned the ideas and then made those ideas a reality for us to share. These routes are well thought out, well constructed and a real blast to climb!!
RATTLESNAKES! FYI - starting seeing and hearing the rattlers, early July, there was one hanging out right below Resume and one near Dirt Me - They are there, but they don't seem to mind climbers much as long as they are left alone.....
The Highlands aka Highlander
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