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Rebel Wall

Colorado > Golden > Clear Creek Canyon
Warning Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures/CDOT Road Work DetailsDrop down

Description

Rebel Wall is the all-too-infrequently climbed complex of walls directly above Pete's Wicked Cave. The Wall faces South, is high enough on the hill side to get good sun most of the day, and has plenty of routes to keep the party going for most of the day. While there are some bolts here and there, the crag has been largely developed as a trad spot and consequently most lines chase obvious crack systems. Most of the lines currently developed are left of the wide overhang on the right side of the crag. Most guidebooks to Clear Creek Canyon are outdated and this is especially true for the Rebel Wall. Nonetheless, for convenience sake, numbering here follows the old Hubbel guide (1995) that lists 21 routes from left to right. Noto Bene: This crag sits directly above the road where the rock fall potential is dramatic, so take the usual precautions or more so.

Getting There

Park in the pull-out at the large black boulder 7.2 miles up the canyon. Rebel Wall can be approached from either the West or East via rough trails. The crag lies right above mile marker 264.

Eds. the 4th class can be avoided by staying further left (west) on the approach.

L->R:

A. Amy Is No Help, 4, 1p, gear.

B. Learner's Permit, 5, 1p, gear.

C. Unknown, 1p, bolts.

D. Dirty Girl, 8, 1p, 60', bolts, pin, gear.

E. Large Crack, 9, 1p, 120', gear.

F. Large Crack (Mabe's version), 9, 1p, 100', gear.

G. Mama Says Knock You Out (Epidote?), 11-, 1p, 80', gear.

above G? The Curse of Eve, 12+?, gear.

H. Epidot, 11, 1p.

I. Southpaw, 10-, 1p, 95', bolts.

J. Body English, 9, 1p, 90', gear

above J. Upper Cut, 10, 1p, 50', gear.

K. Make It So, 10+ PG-13, 1p, 75', gear & bolts.

above I. Make It Go, 9, 1p.

L. Jump Start, 11 R.

M1. Only The Strong, 11.

M2. Dreidel, 10, bolts & gear.

N1. Piedmont Boulder Toad, 10, bolts & gear.

N2. Siouxnami, 12, bolts & gear.

above N. Winter Kill, 12, 1p, 25', bolts.

O. Last Chance to Dance, 11+, bolts & gear.

P. Busta Move, 11+, 1p, bolts.

Q. Down To The Wire, 11, 1p, 60', gear or TR.

R. Floppy Boot Stomp, 8-, 2p, 195', gear.

S. Happy Crack, 9+, 2p, 200', gear.

T. Whistling Dixie, 6, gear. Below the main crag.

Routes from Left to Right

5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 5
Amy Is No Help
Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13
 1
Wayside
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 4
Learner's Permit
Trad
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 13
Dirty Girl
Trad, Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 6
Large Crack
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
Large Crack (Mabe's version)
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 4
Mama Says Knock You Out (Epidote?)
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 35
Southpaw
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 57
Body English
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 5
Upper Cut
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
 8
Make It So
Trad, Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 1
Winter Kill
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a R
 2
Down to the Wire
Trad, TR
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 13
Floppy Boot Stamp
Trad 2 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 1
Happy Crack
Trad 2 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Amy Is No Help
 5
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c Trad, TR
Wayside
 1
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 Trad
Learner's Permit
 4
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Dirty Girl
 13
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Trad, Sport
Large Crack
 6
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Large Crack (Mabe's version)
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Mama Says Knock You Out (Ep…
 4
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
Southpaw
 35
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Body English
 57
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Upper Cut
 5
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Make It So
 8
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13 Trad, Sport
Winter Kill
 1
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Down to the Wire
 2
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a R Trad, TR
Floppy Boot Stamp
 13
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Trad 2 pitches
Happy Crack
 1
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad 2 pitches

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The wall.
[Hide Photo] The wall.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

tobi p
CO
[Hide Comment] Info above is good, except it's not above Pete's Wicked.... May 18, 2003
Casey Bernal
Wheat Ridge, CO
[Hide Comment] Found some sunglasses here today and I would like to return them to the owner. Let me know if they are yours. Apr 20, 2008
Sam Benedict
Denver, CO
[Hide Comment] This is actually a nifty little crag, and it actually does sit right above Pete's Wicked Cave. The approach is from the next pulloff after the one with the black boulder (as for Pete's). These lines look like they would become a little more comfortable with some traffic. May 18, 2008
Doug Redosh
Golden, CO
[Hide Comment] For the approach, ignore the first cairn when walking upriver from the Rebel boulder; walk another 100 feet up the road to a second cairn. Follow cairned trail to wall, but go L and up to next higher ledge, which is where the climbs start. Apr 26, 2010
Leo Paik
Westminster, Colorado
[Hide Comment] FWIW, there are even ticks up here.

Also, the approach is suboptimal. Expect 3rd class. If you go above that, you are on harder than necessary terrain.

Finally, the crag is largely in the shade until late morning. May 6, 2010
Brian Russell
Highlands Ranch, CO
[Hide Comment] Great climbing spot, but the approach is pretty sketchy. You're pretty much on your own to find a faint trail to the crag. Jul 15, 2010
Hiro Protagonist
Colorado
[Hide Comment] Trail is still faint, cairns are intact though, follow them. Somewhat adventurous approach, just wear decent shoes and be careful. It's an interesting crag, I guess people don't like visiting random places as much as I do.... Aug 25, 2012
goingUp
over here
[Hide Comment] It might be a better idea to park at the Nightworm Pinnacle to hit the trail to Rebel Wall more directly. There is no great way to enter the trail off the road, but there is a cairn near a small shrub that leads through the switchbacks up. The trail is a bit faint and ends up being class 4-ish at the top, which can be interesting with a climbing pack but is straightforward enough.... Apr 9, 2013
Rob Meringolo
Denver, CO
[Hide Comment] Do not approach via the wash directly across the road from the black boulder listed in the description. Walk upstream and find a cairn that sits atop the hillside, carefully walk up loose dirt and rock, follow cairns to the base of the crag. The "wash approach" is nasty and a chute to send loose rock to the road. Climb Body English!!! Jul 26, 2014
[Hide Comment] Be advised: CAR BREAK-INS CAN OCCUR IN THIS AREA. During the early evening of Monday, May 11, 2015, the driver side window of my vehicle was broken by thieves. Thankfully there were two unknown climbers nearby who managed to scare off the thieves before they could take anything. To the unknown climbers: I am in your debt. To the thieves: rot in hell. May 12, 2015
Le Bob
Lakewood,CO
[Hide Comment] The guidebook says it gets all day sun, but during winter, it only rises over the canyon in the earlier hours. Jan 6, 2018