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The Sports Wall

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The Sports Wall

Submitted By: Richard M. Wright on Jan 1, 2001
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
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Description 

The Sports Wall is an unlikely looking, but quite fine, West-facing crag. It sits a tad back of the tunnel entrance. There are at least three good bolted lines at 5.11 and 5.12 along with several moderate trad lines. For many years, The Sports Wall was frequently a climbers first introduction to Clear Creek, and most came away with the sense that Clear Creek was only for the hard core. While that is no longer true, The Sports Wall does not offer much for the moderate climber but a rather uninteresting 5.6 trad line on the left; lots better trad in Clear Creek. The main bolted lines, however, offer some fine tricky climbing on solid rock.


Getting There 

From the intersection between CO 93 and CO 58 head West along Clear Creek. Park immediately after the first tunnel at 3/4 mi. There is very little room for parking, usually no more than a few cars. If things do get crowded, more parking can be had 1/4 mi ahead on the South side of the road. The Sports Wall is accessed from a trail that starts on the South side of the road, just where the guard rail begins.


L->R: 

A. Unknown, 6, 1p, gear.
B. Unknown, 8+, 1p, gear.
C. The Happiness of Pursuit, 10, 1p, bolts & gear.
D. Unknown, 8 PG-13, 1p, gear.
E. Unknown, 9-, 1p, gear.
F. Generation Gap, 11-, 1p, 70', bolts.
G. Balkan Dirt Diving, 12-, 1p, 80', gear & bolts.
H. Pet Semetary, 11, 1p, bolts.
I. Coffin Crack, 9, 1p, 80', gear.
JK. Rufus' Roof, 12, 1p, TR.
K. Olaf's Roof, 11 R, 1p, gear.
LK. Rufus' Roof Variation, 10, 1p, gear.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for The Sports Wall:
Coffin Crack   5.9     Trad, TR, 1 pitch   
Generation Gap   5.11a     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   
Balkan Dirt Diving   5.12a     Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   
Browse More Classics in The Sports Wall

Featured Route For The Sports Wall
Matt working up through the crux, closing 2002 out in style.

Balkan Dirt Diving 5.12a  CO : Golden : ... : The Sports Wall
Here is another excellent route by the master of excellent routes, Ken Trout. Balkan Dirt Diving begins in the middle of The Sports Wall in a smooth yellow plate bounded by a corner on the right.Balkan Dirt Diving, like Generation Gap, delivers its crux right away. A thin seam move and a pair of clips leads quickly to a tricky traverse straight right into a shallow, left-facing corner. Hitting the corner dusts the crux at 5.12a. Chas...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO