Qual Wall

There is a supposedly classic bolted line at Governor Dodge called Secret Agent Man. Does anyone have any info about this route? I have heard rumblings about the route over the years, though I have never gotten solid information.

I don't know the names of any of the climbs, but I did do the most classic line within my ability. The line was the first one you come across and was about 10-12 bolts....the longest of the group. I think the rating was about 11a/b, maybe a bit harder.

Had to back clean a couple draws in order to make it to the top. The thing was kinda like the Energizer Bunny...kept going and going.

Secret Agent Man...great DEVO tune. Kinda dates me I guess.

Going back this weekend

Hey Jay:

There is a small bevy of really good bolted routes at "The Gov" to be found near the horse barn area. I do not know names for these routes and I have not climbed (or attempted) all of them but I can tell you they are very fun and hard routes. 9 bolted routes total plus a few typically sketchy southern WI sandstone trad leads as well. I haven't attempted all these routes but I can tell you that the far right one on the cliff band as one looks up at the routes from below could maybe be the route you are asking about. It is a good route for Wisconsin. Long, steep, sustained, pretty well bolted, great exposure at the top, and a tough devious crux near the top. The whole route is in your face and I really liked it. Couldn't nearly climb it clean but you can bet I am going back to make another go at it. Grade- hard 5.11, maybe harder. The moves for me (especially the crux) felt as hard or harder then "Amy's Route" and "Stroke the Ego" on the Rhumbus at Gibraltar.

Burt

To anonymous:

I pulled a carabiner (looked like a bail biner) off the bolt at the crux of the route (we are raving about here) last Friday. Is it yours? Let me know what the make and model is and it's yours!! Are you TG? Just wonder'n?

Burt,Can you send me directions to these routes? Gov D is so big...I looked for them once but couldn't find them. The bail biner is not mine.

Secret Agent Man is supposed to be hard 5.12 maybe .13. Does there look to be a climb in that range among the nine climbs you described?Thanks.

Yeah, it's mine. An old oval, probably REI. 2nd to last bolt if I remember correctly.

It was getting late....no excuses though, stupid to leave it. I'm headed back tomorrow and it was my intention to remove it.

I hate leaving stuff like that behind, especially when we're trying to keep on the down low.

Anyway, keep it. You deserve it. It's never been dropped, so consider it good to go. Thanks for cleaning up my mess :)

I'm AK, not TG.

I just want to take a moment to fill in some gaps about the routes at Governor Dodge. I found the wall by the horse barn in 96/97. I called it the Qual Wall. Seth Dyer and I started bolting the best looking routes in the fall of 97. Our intention then was to have one area in the park with decent climbing and easy access. After hiking nearly every ridge in the park, I knew that the Qual Wall was about it, aside from Rich Bechlar and Rob Drysdale's esoteric Deutschelander Uber Alles near Cox valley. If you find this route, Rich wants it left as a toprope. There is a pin in it to keep you in and a few other lines nearby.

So, at the Qual Wall from left to right.

1. A Schmitt/Sepsen route? Large underclings to pockets to face. 5.10? I don't know the name.

2. A Schmitt/Sepsen route? Face. 5.10-? Don't know the name.

3. A Schmitt/Sepsen route? Face. 5.9+? Don't know the name

4. Now or Never. 5.11+/12-. Steep crimp ladder/black w/ green streak.

5. A Red Recollection. 5.11- Steep layback rib to roof. Now featuring anchors.

6. Secret Agent Man. 5.13-? (Some holds have broke) Can't miss it. Arete, to corner, to roof, to sweeping arete. Climbs the left side to anchors.

7. Schmitt/Sepsen route. I toproped it before the bolts, but don't remember much. Starts on Secret Agent Man and goes to the right side of arete in chimney. No anchors.

8. Schmitt/Sepsen route. Thin face leading into chimney??? Haven't been on it. I have heard a 5.13 grade rumored though. Don't know about anchors.

9. Unlisted Number. 5.11/11+ depending on how tall you are. Technical face to a sweeping little headwall.

10. Schmitt/Sepsen route. 5.12- Long face, some dubious rock.

That's about that. I have been down in AZ for long time but back for a while. See y'all around.

P.S. Help keep Wisconsin's routes clean- Git on 'em...

I was just at Gov. Dogde this past weekend for the first time (for climbing). That layback route "A Red Recollection" is pretty sweet; we noticed it just as we were leaving. I had only enough time to get past the first few moves, before we had to leave. I'm def. going back next week to send it though. The rock seemed to be in pretty good shape as well, although it is pretty soft and crumbly in other spots.

JJ-

Any chance of you throwing Qual Wall up on the site? I was there a couple of weeks agao, and it was sweet. It should really be up as an area, and I figured you were the person to post it.

Cheers,
James

James,

I was waiting to get some excellent photos of the routes, but I am now back down in Arizona for the winter. I may just post it anyway sometime soon... JJ

Does anyone have any further information about route #8 JJ posted about a little ways up in this discussion? I did it this last January on a rather cold day and had been told this was an fa...Just curious if there was any truth to that? I avoided use of the chimney/left wall/crack, and continued on the thin face, eventually joining Unlisted Number at the top. Fun route with a vicious boulder problem through the first few bolts, the third was hard to clip until I was above it, which led to a few rather exciting, ground-nearing falls. Thanks.

any info on the line that goes up the arete on the left side of the secret agent wall, no bolts yet. It looks like someone is projecting it. Any guess at the grade.

Ive seen that too, and have been curious, looks a little rotten though doesnt it?
so I havent heard anything about that one dobbe, but i got on the face between S.A.M and the 5.10 crack. If you climb the face then move right ,and finish with the crux of S.A.M i think it would be about a 13something.

Qual Wall Topo

Above is an updated topo to the Qual Wall at Governor Dodge. Big thanks to Brian Runnells for updating this topo for me. At some point the link above may expire due to lack of visitors, but I think Brian will have the topo on his site too(linked above). Otherwise drop me an email and I will get it to you.

Have fun out there!

I'll have it up on my site as well at the link below. We will see who expires first :) Thanks for putting it together Jason.

Qual Wall Topo @ ClimbingNarc

Nice work, looks super good.

Thanks for taking the time in putting together and updating this topo online.

What kind of condition are the bolts in currently, have any of the bolts broken or pulled out since they were initially placed. I would love to get on some of these routes but im a little concerned of the age of the hardware.

Last I checked, the bolts looked good, in general. Of course, it's not a bad idea to take a look at them when you're climbing, especially in the Governor's soft sandstone.

I have been on most of the lines on the Qual Wall in the past 15 months or so and everything I clipped seemed solid. With the recent press about bad bolts it does make you wonder... I can tell you from repeated whips that bolt #5 on Secret Agent Man is solid anyway.

has anyone been to the secrets of the dodge wall? i was looking forever today and couldnt find it to save myself

You sandbagger Huston!

Wow, so basically what you're telling me is I spent half an hour slogging through mud with my dad who has a heart condition for nothing? Oh well, the rock wasn't climbable that day anyways...

Left hand anchor bolt on "Red Recollection" is loose, I will get some epoxy on it when I can. Still fine to rap on though.

I thought the "Warm Up" routes were not for the new leader. They have distinct cruxs and some slight run outs between bolts.

Stop pulling so hard Rhoads, your hurting the rock man! J/K. That's super good to know and epoxy would help the situation.

He guys I've been alerted to an parking issue at Qual Wall. Here is what the park staff said regarding the grassy parking area across from the barn.

"This parking area is the spot that has been designated for the day use horse unloading area for 15+ years. During the week, there is little problem with the lot filling up with horse trailers. However, on weekends, the lot does usually fill up with horse trailers. As this is their only area to park, they have no other options.
Cars on the other hand can park along the road shoulder so long as they are off the surface far enough to prevent obstruction to moving traffic. There is also the group camp shower building parking area (up the road from the horse day use parking) that could be used by climbers."

The reason for this alert is that a friend of mine had an issue with some horse trailer people that we adamant that he couldn't park there.
Since this is their only area to park we don't need to make an issue of it, thus, park on the road during weekends or if it is busy.

Thanks Rhoads, that's great info to have. Plus it's easy to work around at least. Can we post this in the description or directions area for the Qual Wall?

Sorry, on vacation. Done now.