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Winslow Wall

Arizona > Northern Arizona > Winslow- Hwy’s… > E Clear Creek

Description

Winslow Wall is a wonderful little crag tucked away in an unlikely location. Those willing to do the drive and complicated approach & exit will be rewarded with a beautiful, secluded canyon filled with many sport & trad routes that scale the steep sandstone walls.

The rock is mostly very good sandstone, and often covered with a hard, dark patina a la Red Rocks. Trad routes tend to be steep, splitter-style cracks with occasional face holds and good pro. The sport routes are generally steep, and often feature patina crimps and/or technical face climbing. Winslow Wall is also known for scoop routes that feature technical stemming through 1 or more scoops, body to bus sized huecos.

The prime season to climb at Winslow Wall is late Spring through mid-Fall. The water levels are generally too high during early to mid Spring, and late Fall can be too cold in the canyon. The hottest summer days can be nice if you chase the shade. Most routes are single pitch, but there are a few 2 pitch routes to be found. To my knowledge all single pitch routes can be climbed with a single 70 meter rope, and for many 60 is adequate. Although there are a few easier routes, enough for a day or so, most routes are solid 5.10 or higher.

To the best of my knowledge, early routes at Winslow Wall were of crack lines, most notably The Kingsnake, The Hanging Judge, Darkstar, and Stick It. First ascensionists include Tim & Larry Coats, John Steiger, Ray Ringle, Jim Haisley, Tim Toula, Stan Mish, and others. Later on several sport lines were developed on the faces between the cracks. First ascensionists include David Bloom, Rodney Blakemore, Doug Lafarge, Rich Ludwig, Chris Hahn, and others. There is still a tiny bit of FA potential in the main area. There is a ton of FA potential up-stream from the rap in gulley, but you will want a boat (a small inflatable works best) as the water gets deep. Please do not bolt near gear placements, squeeze between routes, or alter existing routes.
Morning at canyon rim, as viewed from the camping area.
There is a small amount of primitive camping at the parking area. If the camping is full one can drive a short bit back the way they came in to find some other camping spots. However, if camping up the road please make sure you are not doing so on private property. The area is barren, so expect exposure to wind/sun/etc... There are no toilets, water spigots, trash cans, or designated campsites. Pack out ALL trash. Use existing fire rings instead of making more. Take proper pooping precautions. Don't trample or otherwise damage vegetation. You know the routine.
Winslow Walling...
Winslow Wall is an isolated, delicate, environmentally sensitive, & incredibly beautiful area. Please keep it that way. Please pack out EVERYTHING you bring in. Please poop only above the rim.

A few considerations:
-Watch out for occasional patches of poison ivy in the canyon.
-Please avoid excessive chalk & clean off any tick-marks before you leave.
-The area is occasionally used by boaters floating up from Ft. McHood. Please be courteous & considerate of them.
-The darker rock is often harder than the lighter rock, but not always.
-A couple of the older routes on the West Wall have anchors atop the 1st pitch, but climbing the second pitch requires topping out, walking downstream on the rim to the end of the climbing area, scrambling down another gulley, then rappelling back into the canyon.

Getting There

To get there: Start on highway 87. Turn east on highway 99 (1/2 mile south of Winslow) and drive for about 6 miles, passing over the Ft. McHood bridge (east Clear Creek) along the way. At the 6 mile mark there is a left hand turn, which is the signed Territorial Road. Just after this is a fence on the right. Immediately after the fence is a dirt road to the right. Turn right on this dirt road and follow it for about ¾ mile as it parallels the aforementioned fence. Some of this road is on private property, and continued access is appreciated, so please be very respectful of the area. After almost mile the road comes to a Y. Bear left at the Y (leaving the fence) and follow this road for about ¾ mile until it ends. Park here.

At this point you will be able to see the canyon below. Follow an obvious trail that parallels the canyon rim for a short while (maybe 1/3 mile) to a small slot leading into the canyon. Scramble down this for a short way to reach the fixed rappel & haul lines. Rap in & enjoy! Most of the routes are to the right (downstream) of the rappel, but there are a few great ones to the left also. To exit, most people either climb out the rappel gulley (5.4-ish) using a gri-gri on the fixed ropes, or just jug the fixed ropes. One can also climb out via a few routes that top out.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Doctor sends Bocephus (11+) while Rich belays on a beautiful summer day at Winslow Wall.
[Hide Photo] The Doctor sends Bocephus (11+) while Rich belays on a beautiful summer day at Winslow Wall.
chillin' at the Winslow Wall
[Hide Photo] chillin' at the Winslow Wall
Scoping Routes In The Canyon
[Hide Photo] Scoping Routes In The Canyon
Morning at canyon rim, as viewed from the camping area.
[Hide Photo] Morning at canyon rim, as viewed from the camping area.
Matt beginning the raps.
[Hide Photo] Matt beginning the raps.
Summer monsoon sunset as viewed from the camping area.
[Hide Photo] Summer monsoon sunset as viewed from the camping area.
View down-creek from the beach near Has Bro.
[Hide Photo] View down-creek from the beach near Has Bro.
Looking upstream at the Winslow Wall, the rap lines are in the gully on the left. The prominent chalk marks on the right are Hasbro (5.11d)
[Hide Photo] Looking upstream at the Winslow Wall, the rap lines are in the gully on the left. The prominent chalk marks on the right are Hasbro (5.11d)
The idyllic setting of the Winslow Wall (East Clear Creek Canyon).
[Hide Photo] The idyllic setting of the Winslow Wall (East Clear Creek Canyon).
chillin at the winslow wall
[Hide Photo] chillin at the winslow wall
Two short routes here, just left of Cleon Jones. "Om on the Range" maybe?
[Hide Photo] Two short routes here, just left of Cleon Jones. "Om on the Range" maybe?
Lincoln at the Winslow wall enjoying the day.
[Hide Photo] Lincoln at the Winslow wall enjoying the day.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Manny Rangel
PAYSON
[Hide Comment] Get Tim Toula's guide to northern AZ, it will get you to WW and identify the trad lines. None of the sport lines are in print yet. When driving south on 99 turn right on dirt road after Territorial Road. Drive on the south side of the fence til you reach the canyon, gets rocky, then turn left along the rim to the parking area. Sep 10, 2007
JA T
Cave Creek, AZ
[Hide Comment] Directions

1.) From the 87, turn east onto the AZ-99
2.) Travel for 5.9 miles. At 5.9 miles you will see a road on the left called Territorial. Directly after that will be a cattle guard. Cross the cattle guard and you will see an immediate turnoff onto a dirt road on your RIGHT.
3.) This dirt road will parallel a barbed wire fence on your right. Follow this dirt road for 0.6 miles. At this point you will see an obvious dirt road heading LEFT. Take that.
4.) Follow this dirt road for another 0.6 miles. The road will lead to an obvious parking area with a stone fire pit.
5.) There is an obvious trail to the right of the parking lot marked along the way with cairns. This trail follows the canyon south.

The descent ropes get replaced over time but definitely get weathered. Exercise caution before using a fixed line.

In addition, please consider packing out your waste as there are no good places to relieve your #2. Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet bags (also known as WAG bags) can be purchased from REI or Amazon and cost just under $3 per bag. You can also make your own for cheaper and the process is super simple. 1 gallon Ziploc bag + doggy waste bag filled with some cat litter. Go #2 in the dog bag, place it in the Ziploc bag, pack it out, throw it away. Some wet wipes in a Ziploc sandwich bag take care of the wiping, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer ensures that you don't give your climbing partner a dirty high five afterwards. Oct 11, 2009
Catherine Conner
Phoenix, AZ
[Hide Comment] I LOVE this place. Went September-can't wait to go back when it warms up, wonderful!!! Definitely is like having a little Red Rocks in AZ. Combo this with some deep water soloing not far away, what a weekend!!! Jan 21, 2010
Jeff L
Valley of the Sun
[Hide Comment] The Winslow Wall is the most unique climbing area in the U.S. The WW is only a small section of East Clear Creek. Need I say more? For better deep water soloing check out Chevlon canyon, the next canyon to the east. Bring a canoe! Mar 21, 2011
[Hide Comment] I noticed recently that someone chopped down a bunch of the vegetation in the canyon. specifically the tree next to aqua vulva, and one farther down. I believe this occurred over the weekend of the 4th. I find it sad that some climbers do not have respect for the beautiful place WW is, and request the all climbers the visit treat the place with respect. Its a beautiful place lets keep it that way. Jul 18, 2011
JJ Schlick
Flagstaff, AZ
[Hide Comment] After talking it over quite a bit with Mike K, we decided the best way to render the information on the Winslow Wall more usable was to break it into a simple East/West split. Mike will sort the routes when he has some time, and that should be a step in the right direction. Though not all the lines down there are posted on MP, one day they will be, and this change should help folks navigate the depths and find routes more easily. It may take a day or two for the route counts to sort themselves out. May 21, 2012
JJ Schlick
Flagstaff, AZ
[Hide Comment] Big thanks to Mike K for his help in organizing the WW info. Just in time too, as more new routes start sprouting up... Jun 29, 2012
NC Rock Climber
The Oven, AKA Phoenix
[Hide Comment] AMAZING! I went there for the first time on 10/19 and was totally blown away. This is a truly special and amazing place to climb. There was a few feet of water in the middle of the stream, but there were dry spots in front of all the climbs we wanted to do.

The driving and approach directions are clear enough, and it is easy to find the obvious trad lines like King Snake and Dark Star once you are in the canyon. After that, identifying most of the routes is easy. It took us a little bit longer than expected to get out, but ascending the fixed lines or climbing the gully with a pack is not all that difficult.

I cannot say enough positive things about this crag and cannot wait to go back! Oct 20, 2012
[Hide Comment] Does anyone know if this is accessible by boat if you put in near the Fort Mchood bridge? Sep 19, 2017
JJ Schlick
Flagstaff, AZ
[Hide Comment] Approaching by boat is a cool way to do it. When you arrive at the climbing area it feels like you're in another world. Sep 20, 2017
[Hide Comment]
  • WARNING* the nut on the 4th bolt of Beer Snake is hand tightened. When I was cleaning the route last week i noticed that the hanger and nut was loose but didn't have anything to tighten it. If anyone is going to the winslow wall and wants to get on the route, bring a 9/16 socket and wrench! I pretty sure you could go in direct to the 3rd bolt and reach it.
Nov 10, 2017
JA T
Cave Creek, AZ
[Hide Comment] As of Sat, 9/1 the blue rappel rope is core shot and the sheathing has peeled back, exposing about 2ft of the core strands. Rope needs replacement ASAP. New rope should be a static. I did not have a rope to contribute and am not sure I can get back out there until Nov. Happy to help contribute to a new rope if someone wants to buy/replace. Sep 2, 2018
[Hide Comment] Hopi sign-in station: FYI, all of the climbing at the main area of the Winslow Wall is located on state land, not Hopi-owned land. The parking/camping area is on state land, not Hopi land. The approach trail is mostly on state land, entering Hopi land for just a couple hundred yards near the descent gully. At the rap ropes, you’re back on state land. For those who use the Hopi sign-in station to obtain a ranch pass while visiting the main area of the Winslow Wall, it is 100% accurate to indicate that you are "crossing to state land." Indicating at the sign-in station that you are “climbing” may cause Hopi concern that an activity considered legally to be inherently dangerous is occurring on Hopi-owned ranchlands. There’s no reason to give an inaccurate impression, heighten Hopi concern about legal liability, and jeopardize convenient drive-in access. Jun 18, 2019
Luke Bertelsen
Tucson, AZ
[Hide Comment] Just had our first Winslow Wall visit this past weekend. Below are a few notes:

-All of the descent rope/hand lines are pretty F'd. Bring a rap line or be prepared to deal with some pretty gnarly mank.

-Lots of loose hangers. Loc-tite would be a great public service to the community. Every sport climb we got on had hangers that could be easily removed by hand.

-The climbing here is insanely good. I can't believe it took me this long for a first visit. Thanks to all of the WW route developers. Sep 29, 2019
Davis Badger
San Luis Obispo
[Hide Comment] Made my first trip out to the Winslow wall last week and WHAT A GEM! Beautiful spot to spend a day or two climbing on pretty much any grade your heart desires. As of 5/18/2020 the fixed lines seemed in decent enough shape, I kept looking for the core shot or manked sections of rope talked about from some other commenters but couldn't find it. Someone may have replaced them or retied them so that these sections are no longer on weight-bearing sections of rope (I did notice a core shot section on the other half of one of the ropes). As for exiting the canyon I don't know why people would want to jumar up the fixed lines. The 5.6 route Slabalanche just next to the fixed lines is an easy jaunt even for the least experienced climbers. Even free-soloing this little route should put you at very little risk and save plenty of time, but bolts exist for the more cautious. Get out here and enjoy this place, but KEEP IT PRISTINE! May 22, 2020
JA T
Cave Creek, AZ
[Hide Comment] Just a friendly PSA regarding human waste at WW. On a recent trip my climbing partners and I discovered several small piles of human waste/TP at the base of Girlfriend Route. It certainly could have been kayakers who hiked in to explore, but could have also been climbers. Let's face it, nature calls and the reality is that WW has no good places to relieve your #2. The most responsible option is to pack out your waste completely. Please consider preparing yourself for this prior to visiting.

Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet bags (also known as WAG bags) can be purchased from REI or Amazon and cost just under $3 per bag. You can also make your own for cheaper and the process is super simple. 1 gallon Ziploc bag + doggy waste bag filled with some cat litter. Go #2 in the dog bag, place it in the Ziploc bag, pack it out, throw it away. Some wet wipes in a Ziploc sandwich bag take care of the wiping, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer ensures that you don't give your climbing partner a dirty high five afterwards.

We (climbers & outdoor enthusiasts) are responsible for maintaining the beautiful public lands that we recreate on. This is one great way to do that and help ensure a pleasant experience for others. THX! Aug 16, 2020
Nolan B
Sedona, AZ
[Hide Comment] Rap line replaced on 6/7/21. Where the rope rubs on the ledge seems to be the Achilles' heel. Maybe someone has a good way of padding the rope at this spot. I.e. a rope protector. Jul 2, 2021
AMT
[Hide Comment] rap line replaced 6/1/22. if someone has an extra rope protector or bit of old fire hose, it would be great to bring it with you for the orange rope on the rap lines. May 2, 2022