Rainbow Wall

North American Classic Climbs

Rainbow Wall

Original (Hamilton/Herbst) Route

Beta Images Slide Show

		Description	Climbers*	Photo*	Date
LH05	LH05	Sorting gear before the first ascent.	JH	LH	4/73
30Y02	30Y02	The Rainbow Wall from the approach up Juniper Canyon. The Crimson Chrysalis route is on the left.	-	GC	5/13/02
30Y03	30Y03	If you crawl through this tunnel below boulders at the entrance to the canyon, you are on the right approach path.	GC	LC	5/13/02
30Y04	30Y04	Typical terrain on the lower portion of the approach. This is a tough hike with big wall gear.	GC	LC	5/13/02
30Y10	30Y10	After a long hike, the approach gets interesting with a fixed rope up a water groove. Above this are long slabs and terraces leading to the base of the wall.	GC	LC	5/13/02
30Y12	30Y12	Hiking the slabs, which are just steep enough to keep your attention.	GC	LC	5/13/02
30Y14	30Y14	The lower of several possible bivy sites. This one is in the shade, and a few hundred feet below the start of the route.	GC	LC	5/13/02
30Z08	30Z08	A higher bivy site slightly up and right of the start of the route, on solid sandstone.	-	GC	5/13/02
30Z09	30Z09	The base of the route, taken from the upper bivy site. Although flat enough, this spot is exposed to rock fall.	LC	GC	5/13/02
MI01R	MI01R	The route marked, with belay spots.	-	MI	4/06/02
30Y17	30Y17	Leading the slabby first apron pitch, relatively casual at about 5.7. Above here the wall is vertical.	LC	GC	5/13/02
30Z13	30Z13	Hauling the bag up the first pitch.	GC	LC	5/14/02
30Z10	30Z10	Looking down at the shelf at the top of p. 1.	LC	GC	5/14/02
MI04	MI04	At the crux (5.12b) of the nearly featureless dihedral of pitch 2.	MA	MI	4/06/02
MI05	MI05	A tricky mantle just below the belay, pitch 2.	MA	MI	4/06/02
30Z03	30Z03	The hanging belay at the top of pitch 2.	GC	LC	5/13/02
30Z04	30Z04	Looking up the very steep initial section of pitch 3. This is rated 5.8, but most consider it harder.	GC	LC	10/22/02
MI06	MI06	Following pitch 3, which involves some 5.11 climbing to get around a thin spot in the dihedral (or aid.)	MA	MI	4/06/02
MI07	MI07	Easier ground on the 5.11 pitch 4.	MA	MI	4/06/02
MI08	MI08	Leading pitch 5, another 5.11 (or 5.7 A1) pitch.	MA	MI	4/06/02
MI09	MI09	Making the crux free move around the roof on p. 5. The belay is a few feet above at the lip of the roof.	MA	MI	4/06/02
MI10	MI10	Leading a superb 5.10 layback, pitch 6.	MA	MI	4/06/02
MI11	MI11	Leading pitch 7, a rising traverse to Over the Rainbow Ledge. Pitch 8 is similar. These are the only non-vertical pitches on the route above pitch 1.	MA	MI	4/06/02
JH03	JH03	Leading a dihedral on the second day of the first ascent.	LH	JH	4/73
MI12	MI12	"Over the Rainbow" Ledge, the famous bivouac site. Headlamps are hardly necessary here due to illumination from the Las Vegas Strip some 10 miles away.	MA	MI	4/06/02
LH04	LH04	Leading the traverse pitch off the ledge, late on day 2 of the first ascent of the wall. There is no protection on this 5.7 traverse. This section and the summit overhangs presented the main uncertainties to the first ascent party.	JH	LH	4/73
LH03	LH03	Jumarring pitch 9, early morning of day 3 of the first ascent.	JH	LH	4/73
JH01	JH01	Aiding pitch 10 on the first ascent.	LH	JH	4/73
MA01	MA01	The same pitch, updated style. This pitch is either 5.12a or A2.	MI	MA	4/06/02
MA02	MA02	Nearing the belay, pitch 10.	MI	MA	4/06/02
LH01	LH01	"Nailing" the red dihedral, pitch 11.	JH	LH	4/73
MA03	MA03	Starting out on pitch 12, the other 5.12b crux of the route. There are two cruxes on the pitch: the thin slab traverse into the crack below the climber, and the roof above.	MI	MA	4/06/02
MA04	MA04	Leading the awkward crux roof on pitch 12.	MI	MA	4/06/02
JH02	JH02	Larry Hamilton leading the summit overhang on tied-off knife blade pitons, day 3 of the first ascent.	LH	JH	4/73
LH02	LH02	Joe Herbst arriving at the top of the wall after 3 days of effort and years of dreaming and planning.	JH	LH	4/73

*Climbers & Photographers: Gary Clark, Lynn Clark, MA: Mark Anderson, MI: Michael Anderson, Joe Herbst, Larry Hamilton.