Type: Trad, Aid, 2500 ft (758 m), 24 pitches, Grade VI
FA: John Middendorf, John Barbella - September 1985
Page Views: 1,526 total · 59/month
Shared By: Ryan Rex on Dec 31, 2022
Admins: Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes

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Description Suggest change

The Atlantic Ocean wall is an off-the-beaten-path adventure that follows a wandering, natural line up the eastern edge of the North America diorite. This 1985 Middendorf and Barbella line visits some cool locations on a lesser-traveled panel of the wall, with a top-out guarded by a couple pitches of bold slab climbing. 

From the el cap tree, navigate up to one of the wildest roofs around. Pull over the roof, hoist the mainsail, and set sail into the open granite ocean. Your voyage will visit the bay of pigs, the Florida swamps, and the Boston tea party ledge before merging onto the New Jersey turnpike and joining Iron Hawk to the top. 

Expanding flakes and traversing pitches are the name of the game. Most pitches are thoughtful, due to loose rock. On our ascent we pulled a few blocks off, and delicately tip-toed past a few more. Every pitch traverses, and some pitches traverse a lot.

Location Suggest change

Start up the first 1.5 pitches of Tangerine Trip, 3 more pitches of free climbing bring you to the el cap tree. Haul directly to here with 2 ropes (intermediate station). (The FA's original independent start fell off, was re-established, and fell off again)

Protection Suggest change

Standard A4 wall rack + couple large cams. Sloan's recommended rack is good. I’d recommend less iron (No KBs, angles), more large beaks, couple heads, (incl. circle) and a butterknife to remove deadheads. Used a #6 for one placement on the bay of pigs. It was nice for that pitch, though you might(?) be able to get by without it. Emphasis on small cams, BD 0.3 equivalent and smaller. Don’t forget the free shoes, and chalk.

All AO belays have good bolts, most are spread out for a nice hang. A few iron hawk belays could benefit from the addition of a 3/8. Belay 16 (Sloan) is gear with 2 old 1/4 bolts.

No good ledges between el cap tree and Boston tea party. Belay 15, 19, 20 have decent ledges

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