Warpy Moople, 5.9, 7 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Warpy Moople was the scene of a tragic accident claiming three climbers that sounds extremely confusing as written up by the AAC in 1997.  In any regard it was user error.  The route is one of several moderate classics on Muralla Grande’s west face in Chimney Canyon of the Sandia Mountains:  Excitable Boys, 5.9+, Warpy Moople and Second Coming, 5.8.  It carries an “R” rating on MP.com and the printed guide discusses the runout on pitch 5 as well, but not at the grade.  This is a more sustained and challenging route than Excitable Boys in that it wanders all over the face looking for natural pro, requiring route-finding skills. 

I combined pitches 1 and 2 as well as 3 and 4.  The way I did it offered up a small ledge to separate the two leads but did make the 2^nd lead a full 230’ (70m).  The first pitch climbs up a clean short right facing dihedral left of a large dank left facing corner with large roof.  You meander the face and ledges atop the short corner to below a small roof up and left.  The guide describes moving out right of this roof, but stemming through the roof offers the better climbing.  The 2nd pitch is the crux of the route.  Follow the arcing corner up and right.  The final few meters of traversing under a roof are the crux, hand jams with minimal feet.  Pull out of the roof up to a corner that lands a small ledge where you can place a micro piece high and sling a block for the belay.  To start the 3^rd pitch, step down and traverse right, cross over a dangerous teetering block (2021) and then angle up and right below a roof to its right side which puts you directly below a significant corner above.  Meander up this blocky face to the corner which you actually only climb in for a few meters near the top.  Mantle out of the corner to a mixed belay (bolt and gear) on a comfortable small ledge.  The start of the 5^th pitch is a 30’ traverse out left.  Pass the first seem and find a better crack (5.9) to start climbing up and back right.  The crack peters out and you are in route finding mode again. Keep trending right until you are above your belayer and in a corner.  It ends and you are meandering up face yet again.  Continue to trend up and right to a comfortable ledge with a fixed belay.  The sixth pitch climbs through a piton seen from the belay (2021) and at half way starts to climb the wide crack on Excitable Boys.  Belay on a ledge below a small hanging corner (scene of the before mentioned accident) that is the belay for the final 200’ of 5.6 climbing that eventually tops out a chimney on top of the wall.

Chimney Canyon has one of the more straight-forward approaches relative to the other canyons/walls reached from the Sandia Crest.  From the last switchback climbing/hiking parking area (2020) off the paved road, hike due west to the North Crest Trail.  Hike north a few minutes until you reach a trail intersection.  Take the left most trail (to the right of four posts-2020) back south as it heads down to below the limestone band.  At the next intersection, take a trail that heads southwest.  Several switchbacks lead to an aspen covered flat grassy area.  This is a good spot to leave your pack if you brought one from your vehicle.  Hike south and down into Chimney Canyon which skirts the southern end of Muralla Grande.  Continue down and contour north to the true west face of the Muralla Grande.  The route starts almost dead center of the face.  Locate the large left facing dirty corner below a roof.  Warpy starts just to the left of that corner up a much smaller right facing corner.  One of the beta photos shows the direction of the first four pitches.  This is a relatively short approach compared to many in the Sandia’s.

Route Description

1^st/2^nd Pitches- 200’-5.9/ I combined the first two pitches but if you do this, because the line wanders, you will have some rope drag at the crux of the 2^nd pitch.  The first pitch climbs up a clean short right facing dihedral left of a large dank left facing corner with large roof.  You meander the face and ledges atop the short corner to below a small roof up and left.  The guide describes moving out right of this roof, but stemming through the roof offers the better climbing (5.9).  The 2nd pitch is the crux of the route.  Follow the arcing corner up and right.  The final few meters of traversing under this roof are the crux (5.9+), lie back to hand jams with minimal feet.  Pull out of the roof up to a corner that lands a small ledge where you can place a micro piece high and sling a block for the belay.

3^rd/4^th Pitches- 230’-5.9/ To start the 3rd pitch, step down and traverse right crossing a dangerous teetering block (2021) and then angle up and right below a roof to its right side which puts you directly below a significant corner above.  This is a significant traverse, if you are combining pitches as I have, you will have to place gear sparingly to avoid rope drag.  Meander up the blocky face below the large corner above which you actually only climb in for a few meters near the top.  Mantle out of the corner to a mixed belay (bolt and gear) on a comfortable small ledge.

5^th Pitch- 135’-5.9/ The start of the 5th pitch is a 30’ (easy) traverse out left.  Pass the first seem and find a better crack (5.9) to start climbing up and back right.  The crack peters out putting you in route finding mode again. Keep trending right until you are above your belayer and in a slight corner.  This crack/corner ends and you are meandering up face, trending right, yet again.  Continue to trend up and right to a comfortable ledge with a fixed belay (2021).

6^th Pitch- 135’-5.8/ Climb through a piton seen from the belay (2021), trend right and start climbing the wide crack corner on Excitable Boys.  Belay on a ledge below a small overhung corner that is the belay for the final 200’ of 5.6 climbing that eventually tops out a chimney on top of the formation.

7^th Pitch- 200’-5.6/ The shared finish with Excitable Boys.  If you want to keep it 5.6, step up and traverse left vs climbing the slightly overhung short corner above (5.8).  Either way, keep trending up and right on blocky and sometimes loose ground.  Enter the easy chimney and climb to the top of the wall.  Sling a block on top for the belay.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Same way you approached.  You are at a junction that you passed on approach.  You can clearly see the communication towers on top of the mountain, aim for the north side of those towers.

Essential Gear

Single rack to #3 plus off-set cams and/or a set of off-set nuts.  Ten 60cm slings or more.  Route stays in the shade until past noon.  70m rope if you want to combine pitches.