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December Wall Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in December Wall

L › R R › L A › Z

	A Long December T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Arborvitae T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Brackets T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Caesar's T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Climb of the Anonymous Coward (Var) S 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Corner Bead T,TR 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Cove Trim S 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Crown Molding T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Door Jam T 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
	Great Tree Route T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	I Promise Not To Cam In Your Mouth T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Life After James S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Mnemonic Plague T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Moonstruck T,S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Nocturne T,S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Ranklands of Perfidy T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Red Tag T,S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Road Goes Ever On, The T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Seams Alright T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Short Takes T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Telegraph Road S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Telegraph Road Goes Ever On (Variation), The S,TR 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Unknown Brown Arete T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Winter Dreams / Gene and George's Excellent Adventure T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
Unsorted Routes:

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Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	6,271 ft	1,911 m
GPS:	40.19871, -105.33055 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	36,722 total · 126/month
Shared By:	Richard M. Wright on Dec 31, 2000 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: MM 23-29.5 - now ended daily CO 7 highway closure/delays Details

Per Kai Bouwman: the daily CO 7 highway closure/delay access issue is no longer a problem according to CDOT the construction finished as of Nov. 11, 2022.

From CDOT: Colorado Highway 7 is closed daily from MP 23-29.5. Motorists can only travel through the area between 6-8 am and 4-7 pm. During these timeframes, pilot cars will lead alternating one-way travel. Drivers should plan for delays, and this schedule will remain in place through Memorial Day 2022.

During the closure, motorists need to take US 36 to CO 7.

codot.gov/projects/co7-lyon…

Description

The December Wall is a large, South-facing rock band situated about 800 feet above the road in SSV Canyon on the North side of the road. The cliff can be logically divided into two sectors. The left 500 feet of the cliff holds numerous older trad lines running in grade from 5.8 to 5.10+. The right hand side consists of a small, steep sector containing only half a dozen routes. It is formed by the alcove composed of blonde colored rock, steep and on the right. All of the new routes here were put in by Mike Freischlag 4 years ago. The climbing on both sectors is a bit hit-or-miss inasmuch as quality varies substantially from pitch to pitch. Some of it can be truly chossy with excessive surface exfoliation. On the other hand, some of the granite is excellent. I did a Freischlag route several years ago that was truly superb, but the route immediately adjacent was not on such fine stone (sorry, Mike). Both sectors get terrific sun and can be climbed most of the year.

Getting There

From the intersection in Lyons, head up CO 7 along SSV canyon for 4.3 miles where a large parking area starts. The wall is the large, obvious hulk well above the canyon bottom. Walk downstream 100' from the parking lot, and look for the steep, loose "trail" across the road. Bushwhacking might be easier.

L->R:

Per Jay Eggleston:

Below?
A. Crown Molding, 9, 1p, 80', gear.
B. Door Jam, 9-, 1p, 40', gear.

December Wall
A? Moonstruck, 8, 1p, 80', bolts.
B. Seams Alright, 10+, 1p, gear.
C. Mnemonic Plague, 9, 1p, 80', gear.
D. I Promise Not To Cam In Your Mouth, 10-, 2p, gear.
E. Red Tag , 11+, 1p, 85', gear & bolts.
F. Arborvitae, 10, 2p, 145', gear.
above F. ??, 11, 2p, 145', gear.
G? Great Tree Route.
H. Short Takes, 10, 2p, 300', gear.
I. Nocturne, 10, 2p, 200', gear & bolts.
J. ??, 10, 1p, 95', bolts & gear.
K. Caesar's, 10-, 2p, gear.
L. A Long December, 11-, 3p, 200', gear.
M. Ranklands of Perfidy, 9, 1p, 120', gear.
N. Life After James , 11-, 3p, 220', bolts.
ON. Climb of the Anonymous Coward (Var), 11, 1p, 70', bolts.
O. Telegraph Road, 11, 2p, bolts.
P. Winter Dreams, 10, 250', 3p, gear & bolts.

Poison Ivy alert

Per Doug Haller: there is lots of poison ivy all year round!

24 Total Climbs

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Location:	December Wall Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at December Wall

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 32 ● I Promise Not To Cam In Your Mouth Trad 2 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 34 ● Mnemonic Plague Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 28 ● Caesar's Trad 2 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 18 ● Winter Dreams / Gene and George'… Trad 3 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 20 ● Nocturne Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 14 ● Arborvitae Trad 2 pitches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 19 ● A Long December Trad 3 pitches
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c 6 ● Climb of the Anonymous Coward (Var) Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 42 ● Life After James Sport 3 pitches
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 15 ● Telegraph Road Sport 2 pitches
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a 5 ● The Road Goes Ever On Trad 2 pitches
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 8 ● Red Tag Trad, Sport