Sundeck Wall (Aspen Alley), 5.8-5.11

Overview/Approach

Sundeck Wall (aka Aspen Alley on MP.com) is the friendliest cragging type wall at Tres Piedras.  Most of the climbs on Sundeck Wall are moderate and clean.  Most have rap anchors that consist of cold shuts.  As the name implies, it is a sun soaked (west facing) wall above a narrow alley of sorts filled with small aspens.  Zorro, 5.10a, is a classic mixed route at the grade that anchors the south end, utilizing some crack to bolts with a crux slab move to easier ground and fixed anchor.  An interesting, at the grade (5.8), unnamed trad climb follows a right leaning seam to the left of Zorro that shares the same anchor.  Gila Monster, 5.9+, offers steep face moves at its grade on an independent middle face.  At the far north end, is a short chimney that leads to a cool mantle slab move at the grade, 5.10a, and is also unnamed (2022). 

From the trailhead, stay on the old road as it passes a cabin.  Circumvent West Rock at its west end.  The aspens start to show up immediately and just follow them into the “alley” below the west facing wall that is Sundeck. 

Route Descriptions, Listed South to North on Approach, below the West Facing Wall

Zorro- 80’-5.10a/ Jackson’s guide calls this an “excellent” route and MP.com seems to like it as well.  Sundeck (Aspen Alley) harbors some of the friendlier mixed routes in Tres Piedras.  Zorro climbs an obvious seam crack in the middle of the wall and then pulls out left on the slab face.  Make the crux moves at the grade on steep slab with side pulls through two bolts to reach a crack that takes small gear.  Shared fixed rap with the unnamed right leaning crack route to the left.  Single to #.5.  Dow

Unnamed- 80’-5.8/ Excellent trad route for the experienced leader at the grade.  Climb the obvious right leaning thin crack.  Towards the middle you start to layback just a little.  The crack protects well with wires or offsets.  After a few crux balance moves at the grade, the remainder eases up as you continue to angle right to the shared fixed rap with Zorro.  Dow

Gila Monster- 60’-5.9+/ Another route at Sundeck labeled “excellent” in Jackson’s guide and similar to Zorro.  It is straight up through 4 well placed bolts to cold shuts.  This is a pure friction; slab climb with several crux moves in the middle pulling over a bulge. It starts between two black streaks just to the left of the previous two routes on an independent face.  Dow

Digital Dilemma- 5.11-/

Analog Analogy- 5.11b/

Blue Boy- 5.8/

Staircase to the Patio- 5.9/

Unnamed- 80’-5.10a/ In contrast to MP.com's description, its crux (slab) move was considerabley outside the chimney portion and was more challenging than anything on Zorro.  A no-hands balancey high step.  I placed no gear as five well placed bolts protected the climb to cold shuts.  Much of the 80’ is just scrambling up to and in the chimney to get started on the slab.  Located up the gully.  Look for a ramp leading to a short chimney.  MP.com has it a 5.10a, Jackson’s guide at 5.9+.  Dow