Wildfire Wall

Approach

Wildfire Wall is part of the West Side Columns area located in the Lower Gorge. Follow the directions on the main page under Getting There: West Side Of Crooked River.

Once you hike down into the Lower Gorge, follow a climbers' trail that runs along the base of the cliffs (follow it upriver). The first wall you'll pass (somewhat above and away from the trail) will be the relatively short Parched Cat Cliff. The first set of columns that the trail gets close to after that is the Wildfire Wall. First route you'll hit on Wildfire Wall is Byrne's Revenge (5.11b R); the last route on the wall (most upriver) is Bolderdash (5.10a) according to Watts.

For exact route locations, see Watt's guide with its very detailed route overlays. In addition, look at photos included with each route below.

Route Descriptions

Wildfire Wall hosts 35 established routes (acc. to Watts). They range in difficulty from 5.9 to 5.12c. Real gems (3 or more quality stars) begin at 5.10a. Most routes are traditionally protected though some (hard) sport routes also can be found here. All routes are single pitch.

Wildfire 5.10b

This gem is located near the beginning of Wildfire Wall (downstream end of cliff). Crux is the stemming dihedral on bottom 25 feet - tips to finger crack and thin smears for feet in an acute dihedral. Going gets easier higher up with at least two hands-free rest stances. Double finger crack near top followed by a blind step around to the right to anchor bolts. Easy for the grade IMHO.
Gear: Many in the red Alien (or 0.5 Camalot) size. Double in green Alien to #2 Camalot size. Optional third #2 Camalot (for traverse at top).
Photos:

Gruff 5.10a

This route is located about 20 feet left (upriver) of Wildfire. Start by hand/finger traversing in from the left (a little bouldery) or attack directly from below (looks way hard). Mostly finger jamming with smeary feet and an occasional jug to pull on. Probably favors those with small hands (plenty of #1 Camalot sized crack sections). Double bolt anchor on top. Felt hard for the grade (big hands).
Gear: From green Alien up to #2 Camalot. 1 mid-sized nut. Triple #0.75 Camalots.
Photos:

Rim Job 5.10b

This route shares the start with Gruff which then takes off slightly right 6 feet up. For Rim Job, continue straight up the very thin crack - lower half is the crux consisting of a series of bouldery moves with several good rest stances. Higher up the crack opens up to hands and things ease off. Use anchor atop Gruff about 2 feet right. Gear: Good selection of micro & small cams & nuts. I placed 2 RP's (#5 & #6) but those are only useful if you're weak like me. Couple of hand sized cams for the top.

Badfinger 5.10b

This route is located about 15 feet left (upriver) of Gruff. Start via a bouldery stemming and flake pulling series (actually that part is easier than it looks) of moves right off the ground. This puts you at the start of a nice finger/thin hands crack. Overcome the first "mini" bulge using the crack and mantle onto a good stance right below the first obvious bulge (roof; pass on left). More finger/thin hands brigns you to the top bulge - more of a roof actually. Pull the roof via steep and hard finger crack. More sustained fingers (crux) above roof bring you to belay bolts. A GREAT route!
Gear: Doubles from green Alien up to #2 Camalot. The route eats #0.5 (=red Alien), #0.75, #1 Camalots - bring lots of those if route is close to your limit. Light set of nuts.

Titus 5.9

This route is located about 25 feet left (upriver) of Badfinger or about 15 feet right of the unmistakeable Pure Palm (bolted stembox, 5.11a). There's a 15-foot block/column at its base providing the starting squeeze chimney. Left side of this block looked easier. Move to top of block. Couple of thin hand jams quickly open up to wide hands and then fists and beyond. Bulk of the route is in the #4 to #6 C4 range. Follow the quite sustained OW to its top with occasional stem rest stances. Belay bolts above and on right. More Titus here.
Gear: Single yellow Alien (for chimney protection - optional), single #0.5 to #3.5 Camalots (not all of it was used). One medium nut was nice. Double #4 Camalots. Single #4.5. Double #5 Camalots and at least one #6 C4 which I pused up with me for last 15-20 feet of tipped out excitement.
Photos:

Cornercopia 5.10b

This route is located about 20 feet left (upriver) of Titus or immediately left of the obvious Pure Palm (bolted stembox, 5.11a). Look for a bolt 12 feet up. Move up face left of bolt, clip it and reach for the finger crack on the right. Follow this fun flake up 10 feet and start stemming. There's a good crack for pro all the way but it gets too thin to accept fingers for the last 10-15 feet. Gear: Single Aliens from black to red. Double or triple #0.5 Camalots. Double 0.75 Camalots. Single #1 Camalot. A few small to mid-sized nuts.

Images

View Wildfire Wall Image Gallery - 38 Images