Sailor Wall, 5.9-5.10d

Overview/Approach

Sailor Wall is for the most part just an adjunct wall to Bracksiek’s Pillar.  It has a meager four routes in comparison to the many routes on Bracksiek and is located directly across from the popular southeast face of same.  Therefore, it is northwest facing.  

Handsome Sailor Boy, 5.9**, is the most popular route since it is fully bolted and most parties in Castle seem to seek bolted routes. It actually offers good movement at the grade.  Ancient Mariner, 5.10d**, is a mixed route to the right of Handsome and requires just one move of the grade which is off the deck but well protected by the lone bolt on the route.  If you wanted to pocket an easy 5.10d lead in the park, Mariner is a good candidate.  Nicely, Nicely, 5.9*, is a weird, long traversing, pitch that runs up the right side of the formation and follows a horizontal break across the face all the way back to the fixed anchor on the further left most route, Sirens of Almo, 5.10a**.  Both Nicely, Nicely and Sirens were soft for the grade.

You can make the approach to Bracksiek’s Pillar from either parking trailhead at Castle Rocks State Park in about 30 minutes. If parked at the Castle formation trailhead, follow the main trail (old road) to the right heading for the South Hills area. Pass the sign for True Grit and keep your eye open for the signed Bracksiek’s trail on your left. This trail circles the pillar. We have seen rattlesnakes on this trail. Sailor Wall is located directly across from the southeast face of Bracksiek’s.  It is an obvious face, shaded in the morning and lit up in the afternoon.

Routes Listed Left to Right as you Face the Northwest Wall

Sirens of Almo- 70’-5.10a**/ Far left route on the wall. Listed as mixed in the local guide although I thought the existing bolts protected the route well.  The gear options are on much easier ground near the end.  Move at the grade somewhere maybe but mostly 5.9 or less.  Mostly edges and side pulls. Fixed rap. Dow

Handsome Sailor Boy- 70’-5.9**/ Fully bolted.  Same as Sirens, mostly edges and side pulls, but more sustained at its grade than Sirens is at its listed grade.  Fun movement from bottom to top.  Fixed rap. Dow

Ancient Mariner- 60’-5.10d**/ An easy 5.10d to bag, just a move or two at the first bolt.  It is techy slab but you can clip off of a boulder before you commit.  A tips side pull out right and then an exact sequence gets you up to more positive climbing in short order.  Easy trad from there to a fixed rap.  Single to #.5 with a few wires.  Dow

Nicely, Nicely- 160’-5.9*/ The local guide has this route at 100’ which makes no sense at all compared to its topo or in real life.  Convoluted route at the right end of the formation.  The topo in the local guide shows it going up a mossy unprotected slab to gain a short crack.  But the intent no doubt is to climb the chimney to the right which gains a horizontal crack traverse at its start at the right end and traverse the entire wall back left to the fixed rap above Sirens.  Weird route, but something to do if you are climbing the other three which are worth climbing.  Dow