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The Long Walk Wall Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map This is our best guess at this area's location.
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Routes in The Long Walk Wall

L › R R › L A › Z

	Apocalyptic Lightning Storm T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Choking Orangey T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Chop 'em Down T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Last Caress, The T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Last Daze Of Pompeii T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Nate's Solo T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Patina Palace T,S 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Rapture Of The Honeybees T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Ring Of Fire T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Sample Collector T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R
	Western Web T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c

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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.

GPS:	40.4032, -105.5182 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	jason seaver on Oct 4, 2008
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Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24 Details

From the Denver Post 7/21/24: some of the raptor closures have been lifted, officials announced.

Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.

Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.

Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.

Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)

Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.

Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!

Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:

Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock

Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.

All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.

Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - 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

**THIS CRAG IS ACTUALLY NEVER CLOSED.***

The Long Walk Wall is a backcountry crag at around 9500' with excellent rock, beautiful crack lines, great views, and a lengthy approach. Anyone who's done a route on the right side of Sundance, or come down the gully descent from Sundance, has seen this small, steep wall off to the East. It's located directly above (North of) the Parish, and below and right (Southeast) of The Sundance Needle. As visible as it is by Sundance climbers, we found no evidence of previous activity.

The Long Walk Wall faces Northwest. The sun doesn't hit it until almost 2:00, making it a good late spring and summer destination, although early spring and fall afternoons are well within reason. There are currently eleven routes on the wall with room for a couple more independent lines and a few variations. The routes are between 60 and 100 feet in length and range from 5.8+ to 5.11+.

Walking this far for a single pitch crag is not going to be everyone's cup of tea but, if you make the effort, you will be rewarded. You get splitter cracks on excellent, and unique, Lumpy granite in a secluded setting.

Getting There

It's difficult to give specific approach directions, but with the following info and an adventurous mindset you should be able to find it. The Parish is the first major formation East of Sundance Buttress. The Long Walk Wall is directly above the West side of the Parish. Leave the Black Canyon Trail a few hundred yards before the Sundance approach trail and head directly uphill. Whenever possible, keep your bearings on The Parish and aim for its left side. You want to hike steeply up along the West wall of the Parish until the cliff peters out and there is a saddle on your right. At this point, you'll see an unimpressive looking formation up above this saddle. The Long Walk Wall is the Northwest face of this formation, accessed by continuing uphill left of it. It's not visible until you round the corner to your right. The total hiking time, from the new parking lot (2007), is about an hour and 20 min. After you leave the Black Canyon Trail, the hiking will be steep and rugged.