Type: Trad, 850 ft (258 m), 9 pitches, Grade II
FA: D. Vockeroth & T. Auger July 1971, FFA B. Blanchard & K. Doyle 1981
Page Views: 6,775 total · 34/month
Shared By: Rich Kelly on Sep 14, 2007 · Updates
Admins: Dave Rone, Tom Jones, Richard Rose

You & This Route


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Description Suggest change

Excellent and varied climb that felt very solid (I assume due to lots of traffic - but not too much as the limestone has not been polished smooth yet). Kahl Wall tends to wander about so route finding is a challenge. Most of the climbing is moderate so you don't have to be a solid 5.10 climber. The crux pitch is very sustained and much harder then any other pitch on the route, but it is extremely well protected with lots of bolts and occasional gear placements so that no matter what one could get past this pitch.

P1 - 35m, 5.4 - Mostly an approach pitch. Scramble up 5m to sloping ledge with tree. Climb steeper corner above on right (5.4) to a ledge system. Traverse left on ledges to many belay stations, use the one farthest left.

P2 - 35m, 5.6 - Climb up a few meters in a a corner. At the bolt go STRAIGHT HORIZONTAL left (it is very tempting to keep going up in the larger crack but if you place a cam you're already too high). After a few meters left on a 2nd ledge (optional belay anchors), climb diagonal up-left to another ledge, traverse it straight left till the end to base of a corner and belay here. This pitch is more horizontal then vertical.

P3 - 40m, 5.7 - Up corner to ledge. Move right to another corner and up this to another ledge. Traverse right to wide crack and up this to a belay on the right.

P4 - 45m, 5.7 - Up to a ledge below a flaring chimney. Up this and near top before you reach the roof, exit right onto ledges. There should be a pin here to protect the 2nd as you now make a long traverse right. At end of traverse step down and across a depression, climb a short corner to ledge. Keep traversing right to a fixed belay.

P5 - 30m, 5.8 - From right side of belay, move up to large corner and climb this to a bolt and pin on right. Move right here (5.8) to a left-facing corner. Up this to ledge and move right to a belay.

P6 - 35m, 5.10b - Fantastic pitch! Lots of fixed pro so you can concentrate on the sustained, thin face climbing required. Move up to flake and move right around it (1st crux) into tiny corner and continue up steep face to ledge (2nd crux). Climb the corner above you till it becomes featureless, at which point step right to a slabby face, move up it to a roof and then step back left into the corner you had exited below. Continue up corner to fixed belay.

P7 - 30m, 5.9 - Climb corner above for 15' or so and then step right into groove and then step right again to easier ledges. Climb up and right past a pin and right some more to base of slab. Excellent climbing up this slab past fixed gear leads to a belay beneath the huge exit corner (easily seen from the base of the climb).

P8 - 45m, 5.8 - Up the corner. Crux is moving left when you reach a roof. Easier if you stay in the chimney as you move around roof as opposed to just using the main wall.

P9 - 20m, 5.8 - Finish up the corner which requires your 4" cam to minimally protect. Turn the roof at the top of the corner and easier climbing leads to the top. Lots and lots of loose rocks on top so be very careful as you belay up the second.

Descent - head down on a myriad of trails toward east end of Yam and back along base back to you packs.

Location Suggest change

After reaching the base of the cliff from the approach trail, traverse right 60 or so ft and move up to base of cliff at a group of small trees beneath an easy corner/ramp that leads left. You should be able to see a prominent left-facing corner at the top of the cliff above and a little right of you. This corner is the last 2 pitches of Kahl Wall.

Protection Suggest change

Like all routes at Yam, I recommend using double ropes and wearing a helmet. You will find plenty of fixed gear on this climb but nevertheless you need a standard rack up to a 4" cam.

Photos

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