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Main Wall

New Mexico > Los Alamos & Wh… > White Rock > Gallows Edge

Description

The Main Wall at Gallows Edge has the largest concentration of routes at Gallows. 8 bolted routes and a few crack lines are found here.

Carlo Torres, Jon Butler, Lucas Laeser, and Mike Lyons discovered this wall, and solo'd most of the 1st ascents.

Getting There

Follow directions for accessing Gallows Edge.

Routes from Left to Right

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a PG13
 30
Butler Route
Trad, TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 56
Planet of the Apes
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 7
Unknown Crack Route
Trad
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 35
As You Wish
Sport
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 5
The 6-fingered Man
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 18
Prince Humperdink
Sport, TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 75
The Fire Swamp
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 53
Westley
Sport
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 77
Princess Buttercup
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 72
R.O.U.S. (Rodents Of Unusual Size)
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 88
99 Red Balloons
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 11
Unknown Crack
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 69
Once Were Warriors
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 66
Pejos Route
Sport
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 65
The Giant Killer
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 26
Fezzik (Andre the Giant)
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
 4
Gallows' Girdle
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Butler Route
 30
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a PG13 Trad, TR
Planet of the Apes
 56
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Unknown Crack Route
 7
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
As You Wish
 35
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
The 6-fingered Man
 5
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Prince Humperdink
 18
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Sport, TR
The Fire Swamp
 75
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Westley
 53
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Princess Buttercup
 77
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Sport
R.O.U.S. (Rodents Of Unusua…
 72
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
99 Red Balloons
 88
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Unknown Crack
 11
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Once Were Warriors
 69
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Pejos Route
 66
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
The Giant Killer
 65
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c Sport
Fezzik (Andre the Giant)
 26
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Gallows' Girdle
 4
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The routes of the Main Wall of Gallows Edge. Topo by Jason Halladay.
[Hide Photo] The routes of the Main Wall of Gallows Edge. Topo by Jason Halladay.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM
[Hide Comment] I was the one that originally placed the "fixed" biners on the chains at Gallows last year. I used a mixture of steel hardware store clips and aluminum carabiners, just using what I had around my gear room. Certainly steel biners are best but more expensive. Aluminum biners wear much faster (especially if people are routinely TRing through them rather than using their own draws to TRing until the last person lowers) so perhaps those aluminum biners wore out to the point of being scary and someone removed them on account of safety. I'm cool with that.
What amazes me are climbers like the one Chris was climbing with who are either too thick-skulled or too cheap to realize that biners on chains aren't just there because someone forgot them or someone has loads of money and leaves biners each time they lower and that it's OK to remove them.
I plan to purchase some steel biners and fix them to the chains with bailing wire at Gallows Edge. Certainly the bailing wire is not a real deterrent to those that are determined to score "booty" biners but at least the wire will signal to those that are clueless that the biners are meant to be there for the safety and convenience of everyone that climbs the route.
Actually, I was recently given a box of new hardware for anchor replacement as a part of the Climbing Magazine's Anchor Replacement Initiative (ARI) climbing.com/community/ari/ and perhaps Gallows is a good candidate for these. What do you think? Sep 9, 2008
[Hide Comment] We followed the silly yellow line on the MP maps. Don't do it!! For approach: Once you are down the first bit of trail you can go left or right, cut right down to the gallows. IMO R.H. biners always walk and wear out faster then forged tow hooks. One can find 1 ton hooks for $1.98ech online.
This is an amazing entry level crag in a great and quite setting. All routes have chains and lower offs. Yahhhhoooo! Jun 2, 2021