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All Locations > New Mexico > Albuquerque Are… > Sandia Mountains > La Cueva Canyon… > Hole in the Wall

Occasional Freshman

5.7+ YDS 5a French 15 Ewbanks V+ UIAA 13 ZA MVS 4b British


 Avg: 1.2 from 6 votes

Routes in Hole in the Wall

Another Pair of New Shoes T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
Birth of the Cool T,S 5.11- 6c 22 VIII+ 22 E3 5c
Body Nazi T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII+ 22 E3 5c
Dr Jeckle T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
End of My Rope T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
Insane Clown Posse S 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
Miss Piggy T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
Mouth of a Sailor S 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
Mr. Hyde T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
Occasional Freshman T 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Paydirt T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
Rastafari T,S 5.11- 6c 22 VIII+ 22 E3 5c
Sailor Slang S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
Senior Prom S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
Sister Sledge S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
Sophmoric Sandbag T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Strike It Rich T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Three Little Birds T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
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Type: Trad, Alpine, 220 ft, 2 pitches, Grade II
FA: Carlos Buhler, Sue Giller, 1974
Page Views: 221 total · 2/month
Shared By: George Perkins on Jul 18, 2007
Admins: Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Brinckerhoff, Marta Reece, Drew Chojnowski

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Access Issue: Seasonal raptor closure for some areas in the Sandias Details

Description

Pitch 1: Climb the left-facing corner or the face just to its right for 50', then stay in the left of two cracks to a belay on loose blocks below a chimney/slot (5.6).

Pitch 2: Climb upward through an easy chimney to a squeeze chimney with a big chockstone. Pass around the chockstone and move to the the top of the flake, or tunnel through behind it if you're tiny. From here, hand traverse 8' left on dubious rock with minimal protection to a gully (5.7+, described this way in Sandia Rock), or face climb straight up from the top of the detached pillar and soon you'll reach some finger cracks (also about 5.7+, better pro, I'd recommend this alternative).

Note that "Sandia Rock" rates this climb as 5.8 rather than the 5.7 found in older guides; considering the less-than-ideal pro at the crux, best to be comfortable at 5.8.

Location

When approaching from the La Luz, this climb starts 15' right of the bolted routes (Body Nazi, and Rastafari), in a left-facing corner.

Protection

1 set nuts, 1 set cams to 3".

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Chillin in the chimney of the second pitch of Occasional Freshman
Chillin in the chimney of the second pitch of O…
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Preparing to climb the poorly protected face on Occasional Freshman.
Preparing to climb the poorly protected face on…
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Start of the first pitch of Occasional Freshman
Start of the first pitch of Occasional Freshman
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3 Comments

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Karl R. Kiser
 
Karl R. Kiser  
 
The first bolted route to the left is Body Nazi. Rastafari is the next route left, look for a high bolt. Body Nazi is a mixed route. The first pitch (5.11-) goes to the same belay ledge as Rastafari (5.11-). The second pitch (5.10-) goes right and up to another bolted anchor. The left retro bolted line (with permission of the FA party), off the anchor, is the second pitch of Rastafari (5.10). You need a 70m rope to rap off the first belay ledge. Mar 31, 2008
Chris Cox
Logan, UT
  5.7+
Chris Cox   Logan, UT
  5.7+
I found the first pitch to be basically a free solo for the most part, but pretty easy. (5.6) Belayed at a rap station consisting of a rope around a horn a bit right and below the chimney. The second pitch protected relatively well. At the top of the chockstone I went up and right to the top of a huge detached pillar that forms the chimney. I think that is what most people are calling the "flake". Then straight up the middle of the face with a minor runout to funky pro, followed by a move and good pro to the top. I dont know where the "airy traverse left" was as described in "Sandia Select" (Schein 1999) May 26, 2008
Cody Eilar
Albuquerque, New Mexico
  5.7+
Cody Eilar   Albuquerque, New Mexico
  5.7+
I agree with the first pitch being pretty poorly protected, but I think it was harder than 5.6. I found the chimney part of this climb quite fun and interesting despite the poor protection (which wasn't that poor). I climbed to the top of the detached pilar and climbed up the face. At first I thought I would have to do a little runout, but I found a nice crack where I was able to jam a red metolious tcu hence avoiding runout. My friend and I linked this climb with Miss Piggy for a pretty fun, G rated day out in the Sandias!

Also, the falcon guide book recommended to do this climb in three pitches, but we found 2 pitches with a 60m rope to work out fine. There was a bit of rope drag when belaying the second climber at the top of the climb, but not enough to be too alarming. Jun 6, 2011

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