[Hide Comment] Certainly a great route, although is definitely more chossy than its neighbors. I'm guessing it will clean up over time just like the other routes. I also find some moves to be unpleasant if you're short, especially exiting the tufa feature with a shoulder wrenching gaston move at full extension. Overall, I'm psyched for this addition and certainly having a route of this difficulty level so close to home. Thanks, J Star and Elliot! Oct 14, 2016

[Hide Comment] Curt, I think you need some fresh beta, man! There are 3-4 different ways to do each crux in the tufa section. I have seen shorter and taller dudes do each way, and none of them (that I've seen) involve a full-extension shoulder-wrenching gaston. Good luck, and shoot me a message if you want specifics. Oct 25, 2016

[Hide Comment] The first 1/4 of the route is a bit funky and chossy. The last 3/4 is some of the best climbing ANYWHERE. Absolutely amazing. Jan 25, 2018

[Hide Comment] PSA for Seal Rock/Walrus Climbers:

A couple of weeks ago I was made aware that the Walrus was altered, in that a manufactured hold was added at the first crux in the Spring of 2022. This is just above the kneescum rest once the tufas are gained. The hold was a large, glued, 7-finger, full-pad, incut edge that made the first crux significantly easier; in the range of V3, from what before was a difficult and delicate V7/8.

I spoke with quite a few Seal climbers, gained info about the hold, and eventually spoke to the person who manufactured the hold. He claimed to have only brushed a very small, never-before-used edge at this crux, and the more he brushed, the more a crimp/edge came into existence as pebbles fell away. Here is his story:

"it was still super fragile, like it would have definitely broken more had I continued to crank on it. I went up there with glue to reinforce a different edge higher up (above the hand-sized hole. I think everyone uses it for both hand and foot) that broke on another climbers redpoint attempts. Then and there, I decided to also reinforce the edge I had cleaned lower down so it would be useable not just for me but in the future. The glue itself added a small amount of volume to the hold, so it's understandable why people wonder where this hold came from."

This person was apologetic about gluing without first speaking to me. Nonetheless, I was super disappointed to learn that the route had been altered, however unintentionally, and made easier. When I developed the Walrus, I tried to use as little glue as possible and only on holds I thought were absolutely essential.

Many people have sent The Walrus without this new hold, prior to the Spring of 2022. As such, and because this hold only exists due to glue, I asked the person who did this to break the hold off as soon as he was able, and return the route to its original state. This was done last Sunday, June 25th. Fortunately, due to the exfoliating nature of the rock around the tufas, there is little evidence that any of this ever occurred.

I thought this went without saying; but gluing established rock climbs, without first speaking to the rote developer about gluing intentions, goes against so many ethics we stand for as climbers. Not only this, it threatens access to the crags we love. Development in the Flatirons is extremely sensitive. This is pretty damn basic. One simply does not have the right to glue holds on someone else's route. At the very least, the original route developer should be made aware (if possible), and asked for approval.

The route was dumbed down and made easier by glue. Not by natural exfoliation that created a new edge. The edge was brushed into existence and glued into something useable. As such, the hold needed to die, and so it did.

Please don't glue other people's routes. For me personally, it boggles my mind to even think about bringing glue to an established climb...and I hope everyone who climbs on I am the Walrus enjoys the process as much as I did! Jun 27, 2023

[Hide Comment] Well said, Elliot! When I first heard about this a while back, I was pretty upset about it as well. To think of that crux, which required so much tension and definitely started the clock after the kneebar rest, being manufactured down to a V3/4 is a shame. I honestly have no real issues with folks creating holds when necessary on routes that they cleaned and established, but adding holds and glue to a well established route that people who previously sent fought so hard for is really unacceptable regardless of how much I respect the parties involved.

Thanks for getting this handled and reestablishing the route to its true form! Jun 29, 2023

[Hide Comment] Hearing about these recent news has me pretty worked up. To set the record straight, The Walrus has THREE cruxes:

1. Surfing right to the tufa right after the approach climbing.
2. The crux at 2/3s up, which is either done via:
a. a kneebar if you are a card carrying AARP member or
b. a heelhook.
3. The crux at the chains.

Claiming there is a new crux on a well-established route is just ridiculous. Please do NOT pull new cruxes out of thin air without consulting the community and prior ascensionists. Especially in a place like the Flatirons where access is fragile, we cannot have the authorities hear about new cruxes being established on existing climbs. Please, please calibrate on your nearest benchmark Moonboard problem before doing something like this again. Jun 29, 2023