Wild Child is now four pitches in length. From the top of pitch two climb out the overhanging crack-chimney (10a dirty), at the third bolt undercling left onto the slab (do not climb straight up, it's more chossy). Cruise easy rock for awhile then friction past two bolts to reach Surette Ledge and a chain anchor. Actually it is more comfortable to belay off bolts found at the back of the ledge, the anchor I placed is for the descent. Pitch three is 10b.
Walk 15 feet right on Surette Ledge to a two-bolt belay station, pitch four is high quality and exposed 10d/11a. Start with a delicate undercling/layback past three bolts through a steep quartzite headwall to a crack, note the old ring angle piton in the crack (do not clip this). A long reach right allows you to clip the next bolt. Hand traverse right and fire through steep face (crux). Continue up 5.9 to a two-bolt anchor at the top of Mission Wall.
You can walk off to the South or rap the route.
Wild Child and most climbs on the Mission Wall are more adventurous than your standard Clear Creek clip ups. There are still loose sections, lichen, fractured rock and broken ledges. Surette Ledge is full of talus so be very careful. If you rap the route you may encounter rope hang-ups on pitch three. If you are inexperienced with multi-pitch or alpine-like rock this route is probably not for you. If you are a solid 5.11 leader who likes adventure then Wild Child is a fun outing.
I do not know how the bomb rating got in here. The fourth pitch is actually really cool 5.10d/11a. The third pitch is not super nice but the route is worth doing.
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO May 15, 2006
Thor, if you log in using your old id ("Thor Kieser", not "T. Kieser"), you can edit the route and change the Bomb rating to whatever you think it really should be.
The Mission Wall
RSS Feed
