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Cathedral Wall Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Cathedral Wall

	Altar Boy T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
	Big Easy, The T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Blackstar T 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Dalke Route T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
	Flying Nun T 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
	Garden Wall T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R
	Jagged Arch T 5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13
	Kor Route T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
	Lever Action T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13
	Pew, The T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
	Running With The Bulls T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R
	Sublime Buttress T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R
	Tourist Tragedy T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Tourist Tragedy Too T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
	Winchester T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R

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Elevation:	10,852 ft	3,308 m
GPS:	40.2874, -105.66821 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	37,048 total · 122/month
Shared By:	Julian Smith on Nov 29, 1999 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Closures Details

Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."

For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.

General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.

Access Issue: 2022 Seasonal Falcon Closure Details

From the Denver Post, the Cathedral Wall is CLOSED beginning February 15, 2022. Reopening is expected July 31st if needed. Click the following link for more details: nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…

When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.

Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.

Description

Located in Loch Vale, Cathedral Wall towers over its western end. You can't miss it on the walk into Sky Pond and the Cathedral Spires. More than likely, the sun is rising as you approach, turning the whole wall into a glorious sheet of orange. There are perhaps a dozen routes that climb either the main or second buttress. They all top out in the same vicinity, with the descent being down the backside to the Andrews Glacier trail. This descent is far more complicated than is let on to in Rossiter's guide. Watch out for being cliffed out. There were few cairns in the summer of 2001. Carefully find a gully to downclimb, more or less directly below, but slightly left of where the route tops out. You can't see it until you are right on top of it. Many of the routes are described as serious, but good moderate climbing is to be had as well. Definately worth adding an ascent of this wall to your repertoire.

Getting There

From the Glacier Gorge parking area, follow the trail to Sky Pond. Access to wall is gained by traversing slopes of talus, just after the Andrews Glacier trail junction, but before you climb up to the waterfall on the Sky Pond trail.

Link to Cathedral Wall Ice

Link.

15 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Cathedral Wall

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

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 28 ● Tourist Tragedy Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R 6 ● Kor Route Trad, Alpine 7 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R 17 ● Dalke Route Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b 5 ● Flying Nun Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R 30 ● Sublime Buttress Trad, Alpine 7 pitches