The long and pumpy EKV .12c at Slavery Wall.
Tucked into the Western slope of the Big Horn Mountains Ten Sleep Canyon has miles of dolomite cliff line offering nearly 1000 rock climbing routes. You will find pockets of every shape and size along with edges, flakes and a perfect texture for sticking to climbing shoes no matter where you place them. The climbing in Ten Sleep often tends toward longer single pitch sport climbs requiring technique, endurance and a cool head. Highway 16 links this canyon from top to bottom providing access to dozens of individual crags and Old Road 18 parallels it on the other side of the river providing loads of free camping and more crags. The weather is typical of arid high desert and provides year round opportunities to get out cragging.
Mike Snyder grappling with the bouldery finish of Electric Jesus .13b at Downtown.
Author Mike Snyder’s initial Rakkup offering for Ten Sleep Canyon includes the main wall in the Upper Canyon stretching from Downtown all the way up to The French Cattle Ranch. In addition, Lake Point and the newest dope spot, Crag 6 are included as well. Other crags will be added periodically until the guide includes all crags and routes in the canyon.
Downtown, the lowest crag in the Upper Canyon has a gentle approach to 40 climbs. High quality and never crowded, you will find classics such as The Band is Just Fantastic .10a, Big Boy Pants .11a, Robot Steamroller .12b and Shaker .13b. Just up from Downtown are Metropolis and World Domination Sectors with long soaring routes like Crux Luthor .9/.12d, Jesus Christ Super Jew .11b, Bobby’s Got A Dirty Mouth .11c and Napoleon’s High Chair .12a/b.
The very first area in the Upper Canyon was the Mondo Beyondo which spawned tons of good routes and crags extending in both directions. Smack dab in the middle of the Mondo and directly up the trail from the main parking area is the Slavery Wall, hosting the oldest routes in the Upper Canyon and the inspiration to continue seeking out more and more walls/routes to develop. When you visit, try Beer Bong .10b, Wagon Wheel of Death .11c, Blackalicious .12a, EKV .12c and Gold Member .13d. There are also satellite crags extending off to the right and left providing different grades and angles of climbing for everyone in your posse.
Always on you from the word go, Esplanada .12d at French Cattle Ranch is a classic.
Up a little farther into the trees is Valhalla with areas like Vietnam, Munitions, the Oblivion Roof and Sex and Drugs. The 5.11’s and 5.12- routes in this beautiful part of the woods are superb. Bikini Girls with Machine Guns .11a, Hanoi Hilton .11c/d, Pump Me Like A Shotgun .11d and Cocaine Rodeo .12a. Wander high enough in the woods and you’ll find the Superratic pillar, this jaw dropping clean swath of bullet stone holds a high concentration of 5.13’s. The Great White Behemoth .12b , Hellion . 13c and F’d in the A .14a, will make you want to try everything there. Go ahead, you won’t be disappointed.
Hardman Ethan Pringle unlocks the bouldery start of He Biggum .13d at Superratic.
The French Cattle Ranch lies beyond all the rest at the highest elevation on the main wall. The Shinto wall has beautiful dark streaks defining its routes, while Sector D’or et Bleu and the Grashopper Wall look like multi-colored french limestone. The Matrix Pillar and the Back Forty host moderate Charlie Kardalef masterpieces. Many long vertical puzzles await including Euro Trash Girl .10b, I Just Do Eyes .11b, Center El Shinto .12b, Esplanada .12d and Galactic Emperor .13d.
The highest developed crag in the canyon is Lake Point. Its almost difficult to leave the parking area walking across the CCC constructed dam and gazing out across the lake, but rest assured supreme pocket tugging awaits. Ringed with horizontal pocket lines (HPL’s) found not often enough at other crags in the canyon, Lake Point has ’em in spades. At all different angles and facing in a multitude of directions, the climbs at Lake Point are a climbers dream. Check out Suits and Boots .8, Dirt Gator .10b, The Gooey Grasshopper .11d, Triple Double .12a and Bonnie and Clyde .12c.
Longtime developer of classic moderates Charlie Kardalef scored a home run with his first route Schools Out .10d at Slavery Wall.
Crag 6, so secret, we had to hide it way up on top, two miles South East of Ten Sleep Canyon. So far this concentrated climbing nugget has stayed off the radar, however all is revealed in the new Rakkup guide. Find the Mushroom Tip and the Rap Stars Wall jam packed with some of the best 5.13’s anywhere. There are some .10’s and .11’s too of equal quality. Warm up on The Buffalo has Landed .10b, Mr. Hyde .11b. Try Sniggity Nutz .12a, Swamp Thang .12b and Special Delivery .12c. Then throw yourself at any of 10 of the coolest 5.13’s out there.