[Hide Comment] We got about halfway up this route the first time we visited Angel Food Wall. It took us about 3 pitches to figure out we were not on "Tunnel Vision!" What we did of it was fun. Jan 2, 2008

[Hide Comment] So maybe I've done this route. If so, it was great. Began left of TV, climbing an easy crack to a juggy roof. The crack/groove above narrowed until it squeezed shut under a dark chimney. Ascended into the darkness to a ledge, then traversed right towards some light. Exited a small hole with a bolted belay.

I think the route goes straight up from here but, for full value, we traversed right across a nice face to the base of the tunnel pitch on TV. Compared to the dark abyss on our route, the TV "tunnel" was light as day and a cake walk.

I thought this was one of the coolest routes I've done at Red Rock, and I've done a lot of climbing here. Way more interesting than clipping bolts up Levitation, in my mind. Plus, we were back to our car in about an hour. Fun stuff. Nov 24, 2008

[Hide Comment] This route looked fine for a starter at RR, but we had a late afternoon start and belayed off the first rap anchor, where we should have gone to the second rap anchor. After that, it was suddenly 3:30 when I was scrambling into this deep, poorly protected dark chimney filled with bat guano. It didn't look like anyone had been thru it, and I wondered if the route was out on the face to the right. The dark chimney was the proper route, but we decided it was crappy and we bailed, as our second group wasn't going to make it before dark. While just rapping from the 2nd rap station to the first 50 feet lower, rope got stuck and had to climb up to free it and then rap down again. Then, the team after us got their rope sucked while rapping down from the first rap anchor so they had to commit to coming back the next day to do the route again... and it made their whole next day suck. But, that's a story they can tell you. Thankfully, after 1.4 pitches of this turd, we did Tunnel Vision and were partially redeemed.

TL;DR, Sandy's Hole is a bat shit filled rope-eater. Nov 28, 2012

[Hide Comment] We climbed this route a few years ago and found it pretty damn fun for 5.6. Go up and through the squeeze chimney that is full of shit, but you stay right of the shit, top out where the chimney stops and head to the light to the right, the route heads to the left to the walk off, or you can head up and right the the Tunnel pitch of Tunnel Vision. This gives you 2 interesting Tunnels.

Prod. May 14, 2013

[Hide Comment] We recently climbed this route, having arrived at the base of the Angel Food Wall to find 3-4 parties on all the other routes. We read the minimal beta in the guidebook and set off for a "quick" climb so we could do one of the other routes.

It did not end up being quick, but it was a definitely a classic Red Rocks adventure. You will know you are on the right route when you head up the sandy hole in the dark chimney. We did not find there to be that much poop, although it had just stormed recently so maybe we got lucky. We pitched it out like this:

P1: climb into base of chimney, belayed above the 2nd tatty rap station. 200+ ft pitch (we had 70m ropes).
P2: tunnel through sandy hole in back of chimney, horizontal ledge traverse back out of chimney.
P3-4: wandery climbing on jugs diagonally up and left. I think we ended up finishing near the top of Tunnel Vision, although we could have escaped left on a ledge about half a pitch lower.
Walk off.

While this route isn't gonna make it into the SuperTopo any time soon, it was good quality fun and a great and fairly mellow adventure. Plus we didn't have to deal with the hoards on the other routes. It's totally worth doing once. Dec 2, 2013

[Hide Comment] +1 for steve and lizzys comments. for a 3 pitch 5.6 this did turn out to be quite an adventure. one of the most unique bits of climbing I've done crawling through that tunnel, way more intense but just as easy as tunnel vision. as steve says, easy to link over to the base of TV tunnel for a good day of vertical caving. great alternative when other routes are busy. don't be afraid, just keep heading up into that darkness! Mar 24, 2014

[Hide Comment] This seemed much more difficult than the grade suggests due to 2 overhangs and exposure which is impossible to safely protect. The top of of the first pitch has the first which is visible in the picture submitted. You must climb over the left overhanging edge to the ledge on top in order to find rappel slings wrapped around a chock rock deep and slightly high in a corner. Then easy climb till chimney where we had to negotiate around a huge pile of bat guano which was in the middle of the preferred (safer route). We then went up the squeeze chimney which was very tight for me due to my stocky build. Then the easy traverse was not that easy with someone with a fear of heights (like me). The exit was overhanging and with no visibility of the route above as there seemed to be a lot of exposure and minimal areas to place gear. What we could see of the wall seemed like the left wall (as you are looking out) had good hand and foot holds at first and turned slabby after 8 feet of climibing. We could only see 16 feet at most up the wall and it looked pretty vertical to us so we bailed as it was getting late. I had to leave a 9,10 and 11 stopper at the ceiling of the chimney w/ webbing and quick link for a rap anchor. I would definitely suggest that if you haven't climbed long(like myself) that you consider the rating to be STOUT! Oh and we got rope snagged in three different places on rappel. Two of which I was able to climb up but the final rappel had to leave rope and come back the next day to retrieve . Apr 13, 2015

[Hide Comment] We attempted this today. When we found it, we wondered why someone bailed 7 meters up a 5.6. About 30 minutes later we found out why and took advantage of the same bail nut.

Agree with a few above, this is STOUT - aka, this is not a 5.6. The squeeze is not only awkward, but lacks as well.

If you are on vacation and find yourself climbing Cookie Monster, Cat in the Hat, Great Red Book, Lotta Balls wall... avoid this route as a "fun" day. It's anything but. Obviously we cannot say we even began to climb the route - maybe it's a cakewalk after the first moves...

Perhaps we should have given the proper Tunnel Vision a go instead. Mar 16, 2016

[Hide Comment] I've done Sandy Hole 5-6 times, and the route has some interesting moves on it. Essentially it comes down to technique, like the beginning which requires stemming/chimney/smearing/mantle/layback in the first 20 ft. This is the crux, well protected with a #4 cam in the OW. I would say it's 5.7 and a little weird, but there's no way this route is 5.8. It's not a linear route like Birdland, it can be confusing and scary at times, but this does not change the climbing grade. The gear opportunities are sometimes creative, and the traverse at the top past the squeeze can be sewn up. Belay at seat/bolt on tcus. It's not a normal bolt, but I use it anyways. Crank up steep ground outside the hole and traverse right across ledges to find the bolts of Eigerwand, then right and up again to Tunnel Vision.

Bailing anywhere on that route is going to suck A LOT. Apr 27, 2016

[Hide Comment] we climbed this route on 3/12/17 after seeing the line for TV(get up early), anyways we think we left a C4 .4 at the first belay(actually it could be anywhere, we don't really know for sure other than its on the route somewhere). If you find it, and happen to read this, and feel like being really cool(buy you a beer or three?)and returning it...hmu Im a Vegas local and could pick it up from you anywhere in town. 702-266-6403 Mar 13, 2017

[Hide Comment] Once you get over the whole “5.6” thing, this route is pretty cool. (Literally, too: we did it very comfortably on a 90-degree day.) Helpful to trail packs in the chimney. Above, trend further left than you think to arrive at the end of the Tunnel Vision cave pitch; the upper pitches of Eigerwand might make for a less crowded finish, but we didn’t explore this option. May 7, 2018

[Hide Comment] I'm in the "This was a lot of fun." category. And honestly the bat poop might be the coolest thing about it. There is a TON of old, ancient, piled up guano. Literally a few piles the size of a bus load each. And they are all off to the side and not ever near anything you remotely need to touch. More like a museum display of centuries of poo.
First pitch has the one thrutchy crux move but it's really well protected. (I'm sure there's more elegant 5.6 beta than the beached whale move we executed- and the grade given is probably accurate.)
Everything else was quite tame, I thought there was more than ample protection in the chimney, but I have no idea how anyone with a stocky build could get up through it. It's tight. Easy but exciting stemming traverse back out of the chimney to wind up directly above your belayer 40 feet below you. Protect your followers :)
Used my headlamp to build anchor at end of chimney cause the daylight was blinding.
Walkoff is simple.
Bailing would suck.
Wouldn't bring a pack.
Wash hands before eating dinner. Apr 1, 2019

[Hide Comment] Just did this route the other day. For the first pitch I did not start right in the dihedral immediately left of the gear up spot for Tunnel Vision but just slightly left of that which looked a bit easier. Once on the blocky ledge I went back right to be inline with that first mentioned dihedral which has the wide crack on the left and up it. #4 is tipped out, but OK. #5 may be better. Kinda weird climbing here, armbar, layback, underclinging blocks which I hoped were jammed solidly. Then a chockstone with some old cord was slung with a double length sling. Next I traversed left and used face and crack features to get up on top of the large boulder / ledge.

As of 8/13/19 there is a rope and 1" webbing wrapped around a horn with a ring up here. It didn't look terrible, but I temporarily backed it up with my cordellette and belayed my partner up to here instead of doing a monster 200' pitch.

Then up easy face and crack climbing towards the chimney. Some hollow stuff, some shitty rock, but it seemed pretty easy to identify what was good to use. Built belay just to the right of the slinged chockstone bail anchor mentioned in the description with #0.5 and 0.75 sized cams. A slightly more comfortable belay may be building it like 5' higher so you can stand on that slung chockstone and stacking rope as you belay into like an Ikea bag or whatever.

Chimney pitch was wild. Just keep going deeper and up until you reach the obvious Sandy ledge. Here there are stacked blocks in the chimney which you can use for pro and for hand/foot holds so it's not 100% chimney technique. There are a few feet on the face too. Everything is covered in sand so it may be worth dusting some things off before using them (including your shoes).

Above it looks like you can squeeze left / deeper or right. I went left and up. It's a bit tight with all the junk on your harness. You will find a nice ledge to grab and mantle up on and around now more useful features start to appear behind you.

My large chested partner got kinda stuck with a boob jam for a minute in trying to reach this ledge. If this describes you, you can still get through, but it may take some creativity and may be best that you second this pitch.

As for pro, after squeezing up, the chimney above you pinches down to a crack of various sizes for many cam options. Extend your pro (as you should be doing everywhere) and if you can use something like a DMM Revolver carabiner or other pulley to reduce rope drag here as now you are traversing hard horizontal right / out of the chimney. Take your time, protect it for your second. I found a surprisingly good pocket for a #1, though it was a bit lower than I wanted. There are options. I traversed completely out of the chimney, above the old bolt which was hard to spot, to a crack on the face where I put a great #3 and a #0.4 a bit below it. A #4 above would work too. Some of the rock around here is a bit broken up so be careful with your placements. The dihedral of where the chimney meets the face would require like a #6, probably. There are other options if you have nuts and solid handcrack size options a bit higher, but if you use those I'd suggest extending the hell out of them and down climbing to belay back down even with the exit of the chimney so you can see and communicate with your partner / to manage rope drag.

Next pitch is easy face climbing up a little bit, then look right towards the arrete and spot the bolts about 20' right of the crack/dihedral you are in. Extend and traverse over how ever you want. Diagonal would be good if you can protect it adequately. Clipped a bolt with slabby worring looking face climbing above... Then traversed a few feet further right and found a perfect hand crack that made it chill. Up this and a bit to the right to the ledge at the start of the tunnel of Tunnel Vision. I used a #3 and #4 in the perfect crack on the left wall when facing into the chimney, then walked back toward where I came from allowing the cord to catch high on a lip of the rock and keep the masterpoint comfortably high as well as allowing a great sit down belay. Should have took a pic.

On TV you can link the tunnel traverse and the easy pitch above with a 70m if you extend everything very well. You will have almost no rope left and communication will be hard, but possible with a competent partner and saves you from a less comfortable belay after the tunnel. Oct 14, 2019

[Hide Comment] For leaders with newer followers, be wary of the rope on pitch two before exiting the "sandy ledge" chimney (p2). The rope will tend to swing outward (towards the light) into harder chimney terrain. I was unable to find any good pro before I started the traverse except for right above the giant piece of guano so I avoided it but maybe you'll have better luck. Your follower will either end up with a potential for a swing or end up in harder chimney climbing.

Pitch 1 going into the dihedral and under the roof definitely felt like a 5.7+ move but after that it was fairly smooth climbing. Mar 8, 2021

[Hide Comment] This is a fun and worthwhile route if you're looking for another moderate. It may be challenging for larger folks, as I did a bit of twisting and turning past constrictions in the chimney. I would recommend topping out on Tunnel Vision instead of doing P3-P4. Its a short traverse right over to the tunnel pitch, and then you get two pitches of fun chimneying!

Posting more beta below:

P1: the start goes up the left corner--theres a huge alcove where we started belaying but its actually better to belay from one ledge below. Eventually when the corner peters out and you won't be able to fit your head into the corner, there is an exit to the right on blind but pretty good holds. This move feels airy but you can find good pro beforehand. This pitch took almost all of our 70m rope, but several intermediate stations can be found. Final belay takes various sizes 0.4-#3.

P2: Even though the chimney has a few constrictions which may be harder for larger folks to navigate through, most of the chimney, seemed like it should be OK. I am 5'4" and ~150 lbs. I had to take my helmet off at some point, so i could fit my head through a constriction. If you can do this without a backpack, it would be ideal since dragging my large backpack on my belay loop was very annoying. It's pretty hard to protect the upper portion of the pitch. My partner couldn't make it through and eventually swung over to challenging climbing, but wider chimney territory. I was able to aid-haul him through this section, though he still had to do some body scumming to get up this part. Belay is on 0.4-#1. Its possible to set up a belay higher that would reduce the angle of the rope *slightly* and may be more comfortable, but it puts you squarely on the Sandy Hole finish (instead of traversing to tunnel vision)

P3-P4: P3 climbs up until the crack peters out then traverses left to an alcove. I didn't place much gear but the rope drag was bad enough that I set up a belay at an obvious alcove (various sizes 0.5-#3) at the base of the final corner/crack feature. Final climb up the corner/crack feature gets you to a large ledge where you join the tunnel vision descent.

Most anchors take a variety of sizes so I would just take singles from 0.2-#3, and a few double sizes (eg. 0.4-#2) that you like for gear anchors. Oct 17, 2023