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Nirvana Wall Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Nirvana Wall

L › R R › L A › Z

	22 Rats T,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	BEM Route T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
	Black Line, The S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Dirty Corner Crack T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Ecstasy Enchiladas TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Gnar Butter T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Heavenly Hamburger TR 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Hellish Haggis TR 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	JOTD TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Ledge Luncheon S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Nirvana S,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Paradise Peanuts TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Pillar Crack Left T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Pillar Crack Right T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Piton Pilsner T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
	Psych Cream S,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Pump Pasta S,TR 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Shred Bread S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Slab Salad TR 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Stanley's Crack T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Step Ladder S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Stoke Sandwich S,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Truly Hell S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	White Line, The S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c

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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:	8,036 ft	2,449 m
GPS:	38.98746, -104.90827 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	12,440 total · 178/month
Shared By:	Ben Roberts on Apr 13, 2020 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: Raptor Closures & Located on USAF Academy Details

Per Justin Williams: the area is closed for raptor nest April 1st until July 31st for all but Stanley's Crack.

Follow proper procedures for base access at usafa.edu/visitors/getting-on-base/

Description

Nirvana Wall is situated in the Stanley Canyon on a sunny, southwest-facing slab just north of the creek. This area features decent quality granite slab and crack climbs of varying steepness and difficulty. It also features the first bolted sport climb on the Air Force Academy. Although there are better climbs in the area, it is a great option for cadets who are restricted to base and are looking to get on rock.... Full sends only!

Getting There

Use the Stanley Canyon area information for directions to the Stanley Canyon trailhead. Follow the Stanley Canyon Trail (#707) west for 0.6 miles or about 18-20 minutes of walking. You are getting close when you pass Stanley's Crack climb to the right of the trail. Continue around the corner along the trail, and climb off trail to the right up a small gully to the base of the southwest-facing wall. You have gone too far if you begin to climb up a steeper portion of the trail.

Per Finn W: a .gpx file with the approach trail is posted.

History

The idea of developing outdoor climbing at USAFA, specifically on Nirvana Wall, first came about in the Spring of 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Ben Roberts, and Trey Walker were a couple of Firstie cadets prepping for some big wall ascents in Zion and Yosemite later that spring/summer, but when USAFA leadership realized the risk of a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 due to the close proximity of cadets, they made the decision to restrict all Firsties to the base (to graduate ASAP) and send all lower-class cadets to their home residences (for remote learning). Although travel restrictions later prevented their big wall climbs, the need to train somewhere on base fueled their exploration of the many undeveloped granite cliffs on base at the time. They would hike up to Nirvana Wall nearly every day over the course of a few weeks to envision and establish the routes Shred Bread, Gnar Butter, and several others. The area would continue to be developed fully through the efforts of Finn Westenfelder and Hayden Richards by Spring 2021.