A Date with Death

This is the classic pitch of hard Sandia trad climbing. Established in 1988 by the visionary John Duran, and first led clean by Cody Roth in 2011, the line follows a finger crack up the very aesthetic North American Wall. Previous publications list the route as difficult to protect, but the majority of the placements are as good as it gets. Gear is small and tricky to place for the initial crux section, but can hold falls (I’ve confirmed this twice … oops). Once the seam opens up, you are treated to ~50 feet of clean, well protected finger crack. At the top of the crack, shake out and prepare for a crux that goes at least three different ways. The crux headwall is protected by two bolts. In 2019, a party placed a new bolt a few feet left of the original first bolt (out of concern for the rock failing where the first bolt is placed). I swapped the modern hanger to the original first bolt and always clipped it (it is more in line with the climbing) and have never had issues. The last bolt can safely be skipped as long as you don't catch your leg behind the rope. Top-out is mantling on to a great ledge with bolted anchor.

The wall is more a part of the Yucca Flower Tower area, but the approach is the same for Bush Shark area climbs. Descend to the Bush Shark Spire and continue downhill until you reach the gully to the east separating the Bush Shark and Yucca Flower Tower areas. You will see North American Wall on the south side of the gully. A short and easy scramble gains a nice 6' x 6' belay ledge.