Start with a tricky lieback, and gain a stance below the large crack in the corner above.  A short runout up and left leads to the 3rd bolt, and starts the crimpy and pocketed headwall on an aesthetic prow. 

  Currently, there's a wasp nest in one of the pockets near the top, don't get stung.

Put In Pump

Shake-n-Bake

Unnamed Face Right of Put In Pump

False Consciousness

Aurora's Diving Board

Swallow Your Karma

Black Book

Originally one of the best hard routes in this area (as described in Taos Rock). Now it seems the swallows (who were already close) have taken over the bottom of this route. It is possible to start up Put In Pump and move left to gain the still classic second half of this route.

With "Swallow your Karma" currently a swallow rookery, this is probably the best hard climb on River Wall, with sustained climbing up a clean face for its upper section. 

  A runout easy blocky start leads to a hidden bolt, then a ledge.  This beginning is shared with Aurora's Diving Board. (If you don't like the runout you can maybe start on the bolted line to the right.)  Follow the bolted line from here to the right, beginning with a sequency crux up a glassy face.  Move right, to what is sort of an arete, and pull on thin crimps through the a 2nd crux in the steepest section to an easier finish.

This climb follows the vertical white headwall face, with just enough positive ledges and pockets.  I found the monopocket move at the 2nd bolt on the headwall to be the cruxiest, but overall this climb was crimpy/forearm pumpy rather than tweaky. 

  How you reach the headwall is up to you- you can start with a bolt-protected boulder problem, which is the beginning of the climb Put In Pump 5.11+; or you can begin with easy blocks to the right. 

  This climb would be quite good, if it saw more traffic so the holds weren't sandy.

The leftmost arete at River Wall is pretty fun climbing up a thin face on a prow.   

  Start behind a juniper tree.  Hike up easy blocks at the bottom.  Midway up, the climb enters an overhanging crux section with a move to a 2-finger pocket followed by two or three moves off thin crimps to a slightly easier finish.

Climb blocky chossy 5.5 unprotected to a bolt just below a big ledge, the Diving Board?  Follow the crack up and left from here- keep an eye out for the occasional nut and cam placements... once you reach the more vertical (crux) portion of the crack, the pro is good, but the rock is just as dirty. 

  This climb I felt was not full-on 'R', but is not a good lead for a 5.7 leader either.  Don't blame me, though.

Climb up dirty blocks passing a couple bolts to a ledge below the obvious black corner.  The dihedral is fun stemming the whole way up.   Like most on River Wall, with more traffic, this climb would clean up nicely.

Steep basalt crack and face climbs. Could use more traffic.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in River Wall