The Painted Wall

Winter shot

Description 

The Painted Wall is the tallest cliff in Colorado and has a well-deserved reputation for loose rock and committing climbing.

Before climbing on it, and to acquaint you with the general downstream layout, I suggest a short (two hours round trip) hike to the top of the Painted Wall along the north rim. From the ranger station follow the North Vista trail past Exclamation Point (near here one catches a good view of the Escape Artist buttress) and towards Green Mountain. Well past here, as the trail turns noticeably uphill it is necessary to head overland, crossing a large meadow before reaching the trees, and with routefinding difficulties, the top of the cliff. The last part of the hike should give you some respect for the inevitable late-night trudge back to the campground after climbing on the Painted Wall.

Another excellent prep session, and something easily done the same day as the rim hike, is to descend SOB Draw and walk the river downstream to the Painted Wall. Depending on season and water levels, this can be an enjoyable romp, or a brush with Death by Poison Ivy. You will pass all the Arete climbs, from Laurens and the Russian all the way to the Porcelain, the last, most elegant and shadowed of these adventure climbs.

As you approach the Painted Wall from below, several features come into view. You first pass the Northern (sometimes called Eastern) Arete of the Painted Wall, a climb with good 5.10+ down low and the worst bush thrashing in the Black up high. Just left of this is a sloping talus field perched several hundred feet (of lower 5th class climbing) off the deck; from this platform the Dragon and Serpent routes, and several others, begin. Left of the terrace is a massive rib of rock descending to the river and forming a large R-facing corner. This is the start of the Forrest-Walker, Stratosphere, the Southern Arete, and several other climbs.

Climbing on the Painted Wall involves either a very long day and lots of climbing, or a big-wall approach. If you plan on the campground-to-campground approach, bring a headlamp and plan on climbing fast. This style of climbing works for only the Southern and Northern Aretes, and Stratosfear, although even on these routes an unplanned bivy should not be unexpected. Ascents of the aid routes and the spectacular Serpent still require porta ledges and haul bags, although someone soon will climb the Serpent in-a-day. The climbing season is short due to bird nesting closures from April 1 to July 31, effectively eliminating the prime time to climb (May, with long days and cool temperatures). August and September can be very hot; the winter months, frigid.

The nature of the rock on the Painted Wall is troubling, although after a few ascents it doesn’t feel all that bad. The rock can be stereotyped as shattered, sharp, and loose, and formed into blocky passages without distinct lines. This results in a climbing experience at once challenging, but also quite nebulous and fuzzy. Remember to interpret any route description with caution. Treat any climb on the Painted Wall as a major undertaking for the experienced climber only.

Getting There 

From the North Rim campground, head down the SOB Draw to the river, then downstream to the Painted Wall (45 to 60 minutes or more).

Featured Route For The Painted Wall

Southern Arete 5.10 R  CO : Gunnison : The Painted Wall

The Southern Arete takes on the massive left shoulder of the Painted Wall in roughly 20 pitches, less if you simul-climb. This is one of the longest climbs in the state, and at a somewhat moderate grade should be climbed more. Expect a very long day of climbing with routefinding problems and generally sound rock.Begin at a white slab and corner about 200 feet above the river, in the large R-facing corner described in the Painted Wall intro. (N...[more]

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