West Main Wall

Access to the West Main Wall:

Drive to 35.5 mile on the Goat Lake Mainline, you will see an old road that takes you down to the river where you will find an old landing area. Walk into the trees at the west end (up river) and find a cable that crosses the river. once you are across the river you will find a trail that takes you east or down river to the continuation of the old road. hike up the road keeping left at a road junction about 1 km, continue on till you come to another old road to your left. take this junction and hike for about another 2 km, you will find a steep trail on your right that takes you up a rib of trees to the west end of the West Main Wall.

3) Hot Naked Yoga 5.10 (Andy Durry, John Rapp 2011)

This 5 pitch route is well worth the effort to get there. Hike the trail to Itsy Bitsy Spider, at the main gully hike down 50 m and cross into the trees. Follow the trail down the side of the slabs, hand lowering down 3 different ropes to the base of the Freeworld. Hike along the base and up till you get to another rope, hand over hand up this rope to the starting ledge. The first pitch starts off the far right of this ledge. Don’t leave any gear at the base of the route, read the decent description.

(p1) At the far right of the ledge climb the left facing dihedral to a 2bolt belay, 5.8. (p2) Head up the pretty little finger crack to a 2 bolt belay 5.10. (p3) Continue up the same crack and belay at a small bush. 2 bolt belay 5.9. (p4) Head left below a small roof to belay on a bushy ledge. 2 bolt belay 5.6. (p5) Head left across the slabs past 4 bolts, step down to clip the 3rd bolt. Continue left to the crack then up to the belay. 2 bolts 5.10.

Decent: from the top of the 5th pitch continue climbing up and left across the easy slabs, connecting ledges until you hook up with the bottom of Itsy Bitsy Spider, hike down the gully to the trail.

Gear: 1- 60m rope, single rack to 2 inch, draws and slings.

4) The Mainline VI 5.11-A4 (Colin Dionne, Rob Richards 1993)

The Mainer is a mile wide and nearly 3000 feet (900m) tall. Any wall that approaches the size of El Cap is going to be a serious undertaking. At the time this book was written there has been no second ascent, therefore any party attempting it should take a bolting kit.

(p1) Climb the easy left facing corner to a belay ledge. Gear belay, 5.7 (p2) Continue up the left facing corner to a sloping belay. Gear and 1 bolt anchor 5.10. (p3) The corner becomes steeper and the crack thinner, work your way up to a 3 bolt belay. 5.9, A3 (p4) Aid up past some loosness using a bolt and bathooks, continue up the arch to the belay. A2 (p5) Head up and right across the slabs to a shallow left facing dihedral, belay at the top of the dihedral. 5.10 (p6) Free climb to an A1 finger crack, belay at the sign. 5.10, A1 (p7) The relentless Pitch!! Aid up the seam to a large horizontal break below the Arch of Time. 5.10, A4+ (p8) The Arch of time! This 40 foot roof split by a seam is the focal point of the route. A3+ (p9) Continue up the seam onto some unprotected slab past a bushy ledge to a belay/ bivi ledge. 5.10+ NOTE: This is the bottom of the long haul, (p10) Head up and left following a groove to a belay stance. 5.8 (p11) Continue up the easy unprotected slabs to the base of the lower headwall, tension traverse to the left to a small bushy stance. 5.9, A0 (p12) Continue traversing left across the slabs to the left end of the upper headwall, “no real pro” 5.10 (p13) Head up and right on a ramp into the splitter crack above the lower headwall. 5.9+ (p14) Continue up the crack to the base of the upper headwall, tension traverse right and climb up to a stance above a water runnel. 5.9, A0 (p15) Move the belay right along the ledge to the top of a corner. 5.3 NOTE: This is the top of the long haul wall, the top of the 9th is several hundred feet below. (p16) Climb dthe steep featureless rock past 2 aid bolts, a dramatic pendulum left gets you to a dirt filled crack. Head up to the tree-bolt belay. 5.11 A3 (p17) Aid out right along the bottom of a roof, past the dreaded Shelob’s Lair to a seam that takes you through the bulging headwall. A3 (p18) Finish this spectacular route with a beautiful dihedral to a huge cypress tree with a lost arrow in it. 5.10.

Decent: Hike up to the summit and head left toward the main gully between the Backwall and the Mainer. Descend the gulley to the base of Itsy Bitsy Spider, connect with the Freeworld trail and descend the Carag-Dur trail back to the CAD Memorial Camp.

Gear: 2- 60m ropes, power drill or hand drill kit with bolts and hangers hooks, various copperheads, various leepers, 6 small 6 medium 6 large (2in) angles, bugaboos, 2 sets friends + double half sizes, 1 set camalots, 2 sets walnuts, 1 set slider nuts, 2 sets tricams, triple set RP’s, many biners and runners, portaledge and haul gear,

6) Call of the Granite 5.12+ (C2) (Aaron Black, Ope ?? Jean ?? Sean ?? 2010)

A note regarding the grade, there are 2 ways of climbing this route either 5.12+/C2 or 5.11/A1. A must do classic for the big wall connoisseur and definitely the largest completed project in the Eldred. Wow. Four seasons of work produced this very rad, twenty-three pitch, free climbing extravaganza. Hard but well protected climbing takes you up and through the overhangs of the scoop. Red pointed with one aid pitch on “easy 5.13 terrain” and one pre-placed bivy.

Decent: Original decent by Aaron Black: Walk North, traversing the edge of the cliff through bushy alpine forest for 150 ft until you reach some slabs, continue north along the top of the slabs (can be treacherous when wet) to their end. Down climb a short step and look for anchors on a north facing block, or down climb a 4th class section into the forest. Follow old flagging tape (may no longer be there) down through the forest to a logging road, follow the road down to the river and cross to the Goat Main. Walk down the road for 3-4 km to the trailhead parking, it is a good idea to leave bikes or use 2 vehicles rather than walking the main road.

Guidebook authors recommended decent: Hike south toward the main gully between the Backwall and the Mainer. Descend the gulley to the base of Itsy Bitsy Spider, connect with the Freeworld trail and descend the Carag-Dur trail, cross the river cable back to the CAD Memorial Camp.