Levitation 29 5.11c

 
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Eagle Wall


Red Rocks, Nevada USA


Trip Report
Getting to Eagle Wall, Red Rocks
Sunday November 19, 2017 2:04pm
*This is the route my wife and I used when approaching Eagle Wall. I can't guarantee it's correct or that we took the easiest route through the terrain so please don't follow it blindly, use your own judgement!*

My Wife and I decided that we'd follow the easiest approach as described by Handren as we were short on light, but shortly after the two large pines the cairns died and we were confused as to where we should be. Instead, we descended to what we thought was the 4th class approach pictured in the Handren guide (middle approach) and followed that.

The photos and GPS track contained here were captured on the descent in the hope it might avoid others getting lost.

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This roof is visible on the left (looking up-creak in Oak Creek Ca...
This roof is visible on the left (looking up-creak in Oak Creek Canyon) where the middle approach (as shown in the Handren guide) starts.
Credit: Paul B
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The 4th class starts here, where a slippery slab meets the wash. Trave...
The 4th class starts here, where a slippery slab meets the wash. Traverse the thin ledge which unhelpfully ends just before you can gain the rocky shelf pictured.
Credit: Paul B
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Carry on this way...
Carry on this way...
Credit: Paul B
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Probably the steepest section of the approach/descent. Head this way u...
Probably the steepest section of the approach/descent. Head this way until you get to an obvious junction where you need to turn climber's left.
Credit: Paul B
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Up here and then turn right at the top.
Up here and then turn right at the top.
Credit: Paul B
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Head this way across the weather slabs aiming for a break in the small...
Head this way across the weather slabs aiming for a break in the small overlap.
Credit: Paul B
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Continue across this way (over the overlap) aiming for the IBM...
Continue across this way (over the overlap) aiming for the IBM boulder which will soon come into view.
Credit: Paul B
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At the IBM boulder turn climber's left and aim for the RHS of the smal...
At the IBM boulder turn climber's left and aim for the RHS of the small arch feature shown.
Credit: Paul B
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...this way.
...this way.
Credit: Paul B
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Follow weaknesses across the slab and then back towards climber's left...
Follow weaknesses across the slab and then back towards climber's left (near a pile of three larger rocks).
Credit: Paul B
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At these rocks, head up the gully on the LHS turning right at the top.
At these rocks, head up the gully on the LHS turning right at the top.
Credit: Paul B
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At the top of the gully turn climber's right, and head towards a small...
At the top of the gully turn climber's right, and head towards a small roof with a large boulder just beneath it, go to the LHS of this boulder and then descend the gully towards the Eagle Wall and your chosen route (you can just make out the Eagle in thi
Credit: Paul B
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A GPS track of our descent. N.B. the GPS has done a few odd things so ...
A GPS track of our descent. N.B. the GPS has done a few odd things so shouldn't be solely trusted!
Credit: Paul B
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The GPS track (N.B. - don't rely on this by itself, use your own judgement!) is available to download here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_icqsbVgcrUAFYb_L-y5ij-aflnNfuHa



  Trip Report Views: 4,299
Paul B
About the Author
Paul B is a british climber, resident in the NW of England who loves nothing more than suffering on American trad.

Comments
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
sawatch choss
  Nov 20, 2017 - 06:09am PT
When city folk meet the wilds...
Paul B

Big Wall climber
Sheffield, UK
Author's Reply  Nov 20, 2017 - 09:48am PT
Yeah I mean, having been climbing since I was in my early teens, toured European sport/trad extensively through 2007, spent 2013 as our 'honeymoon' (getting married in Red Rocks) traveling from Colorado, through Utah, Nevada, California and then up into BC visiting every major area we passed (there wasn't anything beyond climbing), and now living in a rural hamlet, I guess you could call us city folks, after all we did stay in one for a while after university.

In all seriousness though, if this helps somebody else go car-to-car on a short Winter's day without worrying about wasting it/cutting it short by getting the approach wrong then I'm happy.
deschamps

Gym climber
Flagstaff, AZ
  Nov 20, 2017 - 03:48pm PT
There's nothing wrong with letting people get lost.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Nov 20, 2017 - 04:55pm PT
Very cool beta. Let the haters whine. Bring on the intel. Thanks for taking the time to write this up. Looks like this approach is a fun little adventure in itself!

Scott
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
  Nov 20, 2017 - 09:58pm PT
Paul, I appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge, which I'm sure some people will find helpful. I will do my part to contribute to the discussion.

First of all though, if you, or anyone reading, are not already aware, there is a great approach description on Mountain Project for Eagle Wall. To be honest, these days, I find MP to be a better place to share beta because there are more active climbers there and people who visit the route beta pages, by default and by definition, are appreciative of others' effort in sharing, unless they are hypocrites.

I did the climb a few days ago and just wrote up a mini photo trip report. Included is this image showing my track for the MP "wily climber approach" (in red) overlay'ed with yours (in blue). I think that the MP approach plus the Handren descent would make the most sense as already suggested on MP.


Happy climbing and traveling!
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
  Nov 20, 2017 - 08:14pm PT
Thanks Paul B for sharing your experience . . . looks like an involved approach. Approach beta can save lots of time!
Paul B

Big Wall climber
Sheffield, UK
Author's Reply  Nov 21, 2017 - 10:38am PT
"There's nothing wrong with letting people get lost" - sure, but there's nothing wrong with furnishing others with information either. You don't have to seek it out.

Mei - I was uncharacteristically unprepared in terms of reading Mountain Project, Summit Post, Supertopo etc so I'd missed that. At least I don't have another language to contend with like when looking for Euro route descriptions.
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
  Nov 21, 2017 - 04:10pm PT
After Lynn, Joanne U. and I did the FFA we repeated the route several times and never had a problem with the approach because we didn't try any shortcuts. Folks get turned around and strung out on this one because they get impatient and try a shorter, more direct line to the face. You have to hump up a bit to gain the wall but it's not as involved as getting to the base of Sentinel or Watkins or Quarter Dome etc. But if you can't enjoy the desert touring, the hike will feel long.
El Gato

Trad climber
Golden, CO
  Nov 29, 2017 - 10:25pm PT
To start I should probably admit that my wife and are are infamous for having climbed “everything but the last ten pitches” of Levitation 29. So we have some experience getting lost on that approach.

Apparently, there’s nothing wrong with that though.

TRs like these and info on these approaches can be useful. So thanks to those who have contributed. This was a while ago, but as I recall there were really only 3 parts to the approach: (1) follow the wash, (2) leave the wash, and (3) ascend the slab. Simple enough, but step #2 was the standout crux. Following the wash can be a hassle, but it’s pretty straighforward. Ascending the Slab looks entirely improbable, but it’s just fine if you’re in the right spot. But leave the wash at the wrong location and you’re gonna get lost.

Not to worry, though. When you’re in the totally wrong spot, you will find cairns. These cairns will lead you to either somewhere or nowhere. None will lead you anywhere you want to be, but they will make for an interesting day.

Ok, maybe some magical set of cairns exists out there somewhere, on one of these ‘wrong turns’, but we didn’t find it...and we followed a LOT of them. The dozen or two sets which we followed led us to 5th class climbing, cliff-outs, or around in circles to the aforementioned cairns. In a few cases, the cairns seemed to lead us into the ‘beyond’ section of Beth Bath and Beyond. I’m pretty sure we passed a few hours there, although I don’t remember any of it. Or maybe we were abducted by aliens?

As I recall, the exit from the wash which we were looking for was at a bush. Not near a bush, but at a bush. Actually IN a bush. There may have been a cairn there, but we didn’t think much of it because there was a big bush on the right side blocking our egress. Apparently that was the bush we were supposed to whack through.

Anyway, the GPS tracks are cool, but not likely to help me much. And the cairns, forget about it. What I think people need is a good solid reference as to where to leave that wash. Pics help. Unfortunately I didn’t take any. Or maybe that’s fortunate, considering this story, and potential alien abduction.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Nov 30, 2017 - 03:53pm PT
hey there say, paul B ... wow, thank you for sharing your trip, and all the photos, and for the time you put in to doing the share...

neat stuff...

didn't get to read it all yet, but i am, :)

wow, OKAY, i DID read and see all of it,
(i thought the link, had more trip info)


:)
bit'er ol' guy

climber
the past
  Nov 30, 2017 - 03:52pm PT
Avoid the Turd-in-a-bags in the brush filled gulley.
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