Lost Horse Wall, 5.7-5.11b

Overview/Approach

The southern orientation of Lost Horse Wall along with its height (300’+) makes it a must visit during cold winter days. Lost Horse Wall offers several of the better classic moderate winter climbs at Jtree: Dappled Mare (5.8) and Bird on a Wire (5.10a). Dappled Mare was established in 1973 and Bird on a Wire in 1977. Both routes run up the same end of the wall (east) for approximately three pitches and are worth doing back to back during a short winter day. Lost Horse Wall is mostly south facing. Bird on a Wire is included in Miramontes “must-do 5.10 cracks” list and Dappled Mare makes his “12 terrific trad moderates” list. Other notable climbs on the wall include The Swift (5.7) and Lost and Found (5.11b).   Lost Horse road is northwest of the Hidden Valley campground. Drive due south on Lost Horse road (dirt). Pull out left at the #5 turnout (about ½ mile). Follow the trail east in the wash for a short distance before you are below the main Lost Horse wall. Scramble up and left out of the wash to the east end for the two classic routes mentioned above. A round patch of varnish easily identifies the start of the second pitch for Bird on a Wire and thus makes for a great point of reference for the rest of the routes. 

Routes Listed Left to Right; West to East at the Left End of the Formation

Enos Mills Glacier- 5.11aR/

Cretin Bull Dancer- 5.11bR*/

Terror in De Skies- 5.10b/

Hesitation Blues- 5.10b*/

Happy Landings, Linda- 5.11b/

A Woman- 80’-5.11a***/ An excellent relatively new fully and generously bolted route just to the left of Just Another Crack from LA.  Sustained in the 5.9-5.10 range with a techy crux between the 9^th and 10^th bolt (11 total).  The crux is slabby (still a bit dirty in 2023) feet with slab hands via intricate, but well protected, moves.  Fixed anchor (cold shuts) at approximately 80’.  11 draws, South facing.  Dow

Just Another Crack from LA- 80’-5.9/ On the right side of the left end of Lost Horse Wall. Despite no recommendation from the guide, this is a worthy route and starts from the base of a relatively new (not in the local guides as of 2023) excellent sport route, LA Woman, 5.11a.  Just Another Crack is a pure trad route whose crux might be the unprotected first few meters to reach a small ledge that traverses right into a short corner. From there, fun climbing follows a steep and varnished hand to finger left facing corner above.  The guide references 120’ and a rap off the back side.  But there is a slung block (2023) at the top of the final corner, in a sloping gully, at about 80’.  Most of the rest to the top of the formation is just scrambling.  Single from micro to #3.  Offset wires and/or cams.  South facing.  Dow

 Routes Listed Left to Right; West to East on the Main Wall

The Swift- 3 Pitches- 5.7**/ I soloed this route on site, it is a secure solo climb for the competent soloist.  The crux and/or exposure for soloing is a traverse right high up on the route out of the corner onto low angled slab.  Dow

Bird on a Wire- 3 Pitches- 5.10a***/ Bird on a Wire starts left of Dappled Mare and is easy to identify as it climbs directly through a distinct round patch of varnish on the lower wall. The first pitch follows twin finger cracks that merge into one at a fixed rappel in approximately 80’. I continued the first pitch up to where Bird on a Wire intersects Dappled Mare (at the top of the left facing angled dihedral) and built a gear station there. The last pitch goes straight up from there on much easier ground until you come to a left and right crack for the finish. I have climbed both and prefer the steeper right hand crack option which is more in line for the grade of the climb. There is a decent feature at the top of the right crack to sling. If you chose the left, there is a medium crack to build a station in. Dow

Hairline Fracture- 160'- 5.10a*/ MP.com had one route log signed in on this route (2023).  It described the route as runout and “the hardest” 5.10a they had climbed in Jtree.  It is a heady lead to be sure and a bit sandbagged at the grade even by Jtree standards.  Climb up to the shared ledge with Dappled Mare and climb up blocks just to the left of it to reach a horizonal.  Place gear and make a mantle move at the grade to balance up on a prominent foot hold.  The crux is making a stout couple of slab moves with dirty feet trending up and left to reach a thin seam (thus the name of the route) on a blunt arete.  Continue up with delicate gear and good varnished rock to reach an obvious traverse right to the fixed rap on Dappled Mare.  A competent team can rap from here with a single 70m rope with a small amount of easy down climbing.  Single from micro to #2.  Off-set cams and/or wires.  70m rope.  Sunny wall.  Dow

City Slickers- Single Pitch- 5.11b*/

Dappled Mare- 3 Pitches- 5.8***/ A fun route to combine with Bird on a Wire for laps up the wall. First pitch (short solo) is 5th class if even. Second and third pitches offer enjoyable moderate climbing. Best way to finish that long third pitch is on Bird on a Wire, taking the right option at the very top which makes for another decent pitch. Dow

Roan Way- 200'- 5.9*/ This is an optional finish to Dappled Mare.  From the only fixed rap on Dappled Mare, instead of traversing down and left to finish that route, continue straight up.  It is runout off the deck at or near the grade to reach micro gear. Then continue up easier ground.  Continue through lower angled ground and climb the hanging corner directly above Roan.  This is not an established finish in the guide but is in direct line with Roan and makes sense, although more at 5.10 than 5.9, but it does protect. Below the hanging corner, traverse in from the right where you can get a solid piece.  Place a micro piece in a shallow seam and then reach for a hand jam and place a hand piece whilst hanging before surmounting the fun and steep, well varnished, crack/left facing corner.  This finish is in line with Roan and if you have done the other routes on this face, makes for a variable fun finish.  In my opinion, if the start of Roan does not bother you than this finish to Roan makes sense.  Single from micro to #3.  Sunny route.  Dow

Edgar Rice Burros- 3 Pitches- 5.10c/

Headbanger’s Ball- 2 Pitches- 5.11c*/

Mare’s Tail- 3 Pitches- 5.9*/ The first pitch is just an easy rightward traverse on the ramp, past Bird on a Wire, then Dappled.  Start Mare's Tail between the final two bolted routes on the right side of the wall, at the base of an obvious crack with a few mini-roofs in it.  The official second pitch is the good climbing and if you extend your placements well, with a 70m rope, you can just make the top of the wall without stopping.  Pull through the fun hand crack bulges.  This first crack ends at a slab (crux) used to move left into a  flaring finger crack.  You can protect an ankle busting fall in a horizontal out right, then a micro cam fits in the base of that crack out left.  Follow the finger crack up to a horizontal hand rail.  Move left again and up past a large chock stone.  Either belay on top of this chock stone or continue up the wide right-angled crack to the top.  C4#4 helps with the final gear belay.  Dow

Lost and Found- 3 Pitches- 5.11b*/