WALL OF THE WEEK
by Patrick L. Welsh
Parley’s Canyon: The Iron Curtain Wall
This is a good bolted protected, smooth red and orange quartzite wall that runs 110 feet at its highest point. The area is perfect for a quick and nearby climbing session, and has some fun intermediate to advanced climbs. Most of the development occurred in the late ‘80’s by Brian, Jonathan, and Vicki Smoot.
Though the site is good at most times of the day, the wind can be gusty coming down the canyon from late afternoon into evening. You'll see a lot of small wildlife such as squirrels, lizards, mice and even rattlesnakes. Watch for hawks and other birds floating the many thermals of the canyon’s mouth.
Routes: The routes here are listed east to west down canyon:
Pick Pocket, 5.8: Two bolts and two pitons take you up a short smooth face to a two-bolt anchor.
Mutation, 5.9: Four bolts to a two-bolt anchor up more smooth edging.
Motley Cruise, 5.9: Four bolts and a piton up a smooth face to a two-bolt anchor.
Up In A Flash, 5.8: Nine bolts up an edgy, juggy and tall face to a two-bolt anchor. The crux is getting to the first bolt up a smooth face to a bucket/ledge followed by easier climbing above. P.S. This route is long and will require either a 70m rope or an equalized anchor extension of slings or a cordelette to reach the ground.
Gotta Be Tall Or Else You’ll Fall, 5.9: Five bolts to a two-bolt belay across positive, edgy climbing.
Perestroika, 5.10: Eight bolts to a two-bolt belay. Getting off the ground is the challenging crux, followed by continuous climbing left of the corner and up a short roof section.
Iron Curtain, 5.10 a/d: Five bolts and two pitons follow a challenging line from finish to a two-bolt anchor. The 5.10d section angles left at the fourth bolt for a fun variation.
Out Of Touch, 5.9: Eight bolts to a two-bolt anchor. Continuously challenging climbing past three airy roof sections.
One With The Rock, 5.11c: Seven bolts to a two-bolt anchor. The most challenging line on the wall flows up a smooth technical face on the western most end of the wall.
For detailed topos of the cliff, check out the Falcon Guide: Rock Climbing
the Wasatch Range by Stuart and Bret Ruckman and the website
MountainProject.com., an excellent online guide book/ community climbing and
mountaineering website.
TO GET THERE: Getting there: Turn South off of I-80 onto I-215. Exit onto 3300 S. Head
east on 3300 S to stop light at 3300 S and Wasatch Boulevard. Go east through the stoplight and follow the curve north past a yellow school (Eastwood Elementary) and along a frontage road next to a wall. At the end of this road there will be a marked parking area next to a mini-park space. Here you will see a trail going east up the hill. Shortly up the trail, a trail will veer left to the north before you come to a small brown power shed. The trail will take you to a stand of square boulders (a few fun boulder problems here). Right before the boulders a trail will head east down a steep section that angles north to an even steeper section (wear good footwear) that drops you at the base of the wall on the left (west). You will soon be able to see the first bolts of Pick Pocket.
Patrick Welsh, 26, has grown up exploring the Wasatch his whole life. He is
currently an employee of Black Diamond Equipment and Alta Ski Lifts, and has
climbed for 8 years throughout the Western US.