Climb the arete to the right of

Little Mecca

.  Occasional rest down low so make good use of them,  It is full on for the last half.  This has great sequences on grippy, unpolished rock.

Lime and Punishment

Little Wolfie

Regroovable

The Opportunist

Primal Urge

The Dune

Pocket Laureate

Time Square

River of Rabbits

Liquid Pork

Jump for Cholla

Wee Man

Armistice (AKA The Armisist)

It Takes a Village

Cattle Prod

Single Gun Theory

Perilous

Utopia

Rodao

Holy Sheath

Sticks And Stones

Dough Boys

Knot Head

Taos Hum

Fossil Fueled

Scary Carrie

Shithouse Traverse

Scruples

Spike aka BR 1

No Place For a Lady

It's Miller Time

Pesko Sour

The Apple Bites Back

Silverado

Limestone Politician

Metropolis

Truancy

Apple Jam

Suburbia

Little Mecca

Here Comes Midnight With The Dead Moon In Its Jaws

Enterprise

Top Fun

No Tomorrow

Energizer

Dead Tree Crack

Jelly Bellies

Tinsel Town aka BR 2?

Gotham City

Phase Dance

9 to 5

Cholla My Valentine

Agent Orange

Trick-or-Treat

Dr. Howard's Digital Exam

Farts of Horsemen

Limestone Lady

Unknown

Curious George

Cumulocrimpus

Hide n' Seek

Tortuga

Strangeways

Renaissance

Cave Troll

Aretissima

Porkus Non Grata

Sprayburn

The List

Cactus Drop

You Snooze, You Lose

Spinney Dan

Grand Cru

High Pockets

Turbo Road

Cactus Carrie

No Place for a Gentleman

Big Froggy

Monster Man

Short Slaughter

Slamdance Cosmopolis (aka It Takes a Village)

Vail Athletic Club

Awakenings

Bitten by a Manpris

Slipper Queen

Not So Killer Bees

Spice is Nice

Little Red Badge of Courage

Black Rib

This is about halfway down Contest Wall (left side of Sand Gulch).  It is the rightmost route of three on the left wall of an inside corner (

Cactus Drop

to left, and

Little Mecca

to its left).  This is a fine route that ascends a clean face via edges and pockets.  One admires the moves as one moves through interesting cruxes over small overlaps.

Follow the first 4 bolts of

Sticks and Stones

until it is possible to bust right towards an overhanging flake with decent hands and minimal feet. Prepare yourself for a sequence of monos and minuscule underclings that constitute the first crux of the route. Afterwards, enjoy the long reaches between pockets and crisp edges that lead up to the overhanging bulge at the top of route. Muscle your way up and right through the second crux until it is possible to float left on flawless limestone features to the anchors.

This route starts 10 feet left of Knot Head in the Dune alcove.  It is the third bolted line left of Dune, and doesn't appear in the Van Horn or Knapp guidebooks.

Climb the steep dark face to the anchors. Staying to the right of the bolts is easier, but following the bolt line more directly is also possible.

Sustained and interesting climbing; an excellent warm-up route.

Per

Nate Oakes

: this is pretty sustained - I didn't feel like there was a definite crux anywhere on this route. There are plenty of crimper ledges all the way up, as well as good feet. Watch for a little rubble on the ledges starting about halfway up. There is a great view at the top!

Eds. this is a combination of submissions that were for the same route.  The newer submission's content was moved to this page.

This is a vastly sandbagged climb at Shelf! It is three climbs in one with three cruxes. Do a boulder problem start. There is a difficult mid-way sequence with possible ledge out and a final roof problem.

This is a decent line up a face just left of an arete. The climb is located about 1/4 of the way down the wall from the mouth of the "canyon". Check the guidebook for the details.

Climb about 15 feet of 5.9 to the first bolt. The second bolt is only a few feet higher and protects the first challenge, a crimpy face section to a large ledge. Upon reaching the ledge, clip the 3rd bolt. Note: a flake that provides bomber hands about 5 feet left of the 3rd bolt was moving. Please be careful as it is directly above your belay!  Continue over what I felt was the crux to the 4th bolt and another ledge. Move up through some fun climbing to the 5th bolt until you gain yet another small ledge. From here, you can climb the short distance to solid anchors using two cracks, a larger and a smaller.

There seems to be ledges every 10 feet or so that provide easy rests.  The route is just to the left of the colored portion of the photo.

This newer route (listed in the appendix of Van Horn's guide) is located up on a pedestal to the left of You Snooze You Lose. It may be a notch easier than 12a. Forget the grade and get on the route for while you're solving the pocket puzzle you'll be having a blast. One can reduce the grade further by stemming out right across the dihedral, quite often if one is tall or flexible. I suggest you resist the urge and pull the pockets directly. Quality stone and thoughtful moves, yet a little short and gets sandy on the right due to runoff.

Eds. this is a consolidation of 2 entries for the same route.

This is one of the few beginner/intermediate climbs you are going to find at Shelf worth doing.  The anchors are located on the right side of the dihedral at the top.

Per

Glen Charnoski

: this is a great beginner route! The route starts a bit vertical, but good edges lead to numerous ledges. The arete to the right can be used for support or the face climbed in its own right. The crux seems to be getting enough height to clip the anchors! (There is a crack to boost yourself up to it.)

This undocumented route is located 5-10 feet to the left of

Renaissance

, 5.11a, and

Silverado

, 5.11b.  This short but fun route tackles a fun panel of rock with a brief crux at the fourth bolt.  The hard climbing involves some liebacking, pockets, and heelhooking.

This quality variation adds an indirect "direct" start to

Porkus Non Gratis

.  Liquid Pork Traverses into Porkus at the third bolt, adding 30 of fun, mostly juggy climbing.  Begin a the far right end of the large boulder.  The first crux comes immediately after the first bolt, with a long crank between good holds.  From here, brave the unnecessary runout on crisp edges & vertical slots to some large huecos.  Traverse left to the third bolt, mindful of the potential for rope drag.  Continue up through the reachy crux of

Porkus

to the anchor.

This route is the second route right of

Turbo Road

, 5.11d. The first black bolt is about 35 feet up. Don't let this stop you from doing this route. It is a lot of fun.

Get on top of the flake, and follow 5.8 rock to the first bolt.  A #0.75 Camalot can be placed in a pocket about 10 above the large flake. Clip some old Star Dryven bolts and a drilled piton. A newer bolt connects this route with the anchor on

Cattle Prod

, 5.11b, on the left. There are anchors on the ledge above you. The slings are a little old, but at least one of the bolts is somewhat new. You should think about rapping the line.

Eds. This was retrobolted. It was originally done on gear.

This is a fairly short route, but it's got some fun climbing. Tackle a short face (crux) below a shallow, left-facing corner. Fun and somewhat easier climbing leads up the arete to the right of the corner. Traverse right to the anchor on easy terrain.

Start atop a block just around the corner to the right of

The Dune

and left of

The List

, make some delicate moves past the third bolt and don't stop until you reach the roof! Clip the bolt above, shake out, step slightly left, choose your holds and power over the roof to the anchors.

This is the first bolt line to the right of the arete (left of

Suburbia

and

Slamdance

). Climb into and through the V-slot. There are some reachy moves, but it's all there... until the crux at the top. Clipping the anchors is the hardest part of the route unless you slink left around the arete.

This route is a couple of routes left of Little Mecca when you are facing the Contest Wall.It is tucked into a little corner with 2 routes - on the left is Turbo Road (11d) and on the right is Cattle Prod.

Van Horn's book gives this 11b/c, but I can't see why - this can't be any harder than 11a.

Anyway, the climbing is reasonably interesting and worthwhile.Starts out tricky between the first 2 bolts, then eases up, then gets tricky and a little steep up high (crux).Stay out of the crack/corner to the left to keep this route 11ish.

This is a clean line up impressive and intimidating buttress between

Jelly Bellies

and

Dough Boys

. It pulls several small roofs on thin holds.  It is strenuous for the grade.

Scamper up the dihedral and pocketed left face to a ledge. Trend left to follow the prominent black streak that runs down the tan face. A horizontal split provides a nice rest before tackling the cryptic sequence of pockets and seams that define the crux of the route.

This route was named after the perils of establishing new routes, namely the trundled blocks that severed an almost brand new rope and the persistent snake who kept inhabiting the area. After being inadvertently flushed out at the start of development, what appeared to be a juvenile rattler was relocated far down the hill from the route. To our great surprise and terror, we saw the same snake return, even after some major rockfall. After consulting the Colorado Herpetological Society, it turned out, it was in fact a Nightsnake, not a rattler, a completely harmless and somewhat rare snake to find. Please do your best not to disturb it, but at the same time, be wary of any snake found in the Shelf area.

Utopia has sustained fist jamming crack climbing up the bottom half of the route. It narrows down to a finger crack up high in the crux bit. There are plenty of face holds to help you through. Exit onto the block up top, and hang your rope on the bolted anchor. Watch out for loose rock hiding in the cracks.

This line will send you for a good ride if you don't hold on tight.  Only two bolts before and two after a roof.  You can tie your lightweight belayers to the log on the trail, so they can lasso in any falls on this somewhat runout line.  Don't diss the climbing up to the roof.

This undocumented route is 15-20 right of

Little Red Badge of Courage

, 5.11c.  It follows an arete between black rock on the right and tan on the left.  The start and finish has a little sharp rock, the center section is fun with good sidepulls.

Work up a black, pocketed face to gain a crack system that splits the center of the panel.  Pinch/compress the embedded feature until gaining a ledge that provides a nice rest before the headwall.  Crank through a series of pockets that lead to a steep, overhanging, left- facing dihedral and the anchors.

This route is located on the left end of the contest wall just past "Liquid Pork" and can be spotted easily as it is a bolted crack with another bolt line just right (using first 2 bolts of this route). This route is fairly straightforward and a little dirty but decent. It is a good warm-up, although warming up on cracks for pocketed limestone may be a bit much...?  Have fun with this one, and then move on to something better. Cheers.

Per

Mike Dallin

: I found this to be a quality route, made safer with the recent retrobolt. Balancy climbing past the first two bolts (can stickclip the second) leads to jugs. Then head underneath a roof (with some loose stuff - I broke off a foot and handhold in this area), turn the roof to the left, and handjam/stem your way to the anchor. Watch for bird crap under the roof. I thought it was harder than 10a, and I would call it more like 10c. The 1990 Mark Van Horn guidebook called it 10c/d.

Knot Head is an old trad route that has been retro-bolted into a sport route.  It is the second bolted line left of Dune, just left of Phase Dance, on the left wall of the alcove.

Follow thin to hand-sized cracks and face up the steep wall to the anchors.  Be careful to avoid a loose flake at the top.

A good warm-up route.

This is a bolted corner down low with some interesting face climbing up high make up this entertaining and long route.

Leave your rack at the car and clip six bolts as you climb up the fun corner while grabbing flakes, finger-locking and stemming your way up to a rest on a ledge about 2/3rds of the way up below the final face.

Commit to the face and make a couple of somewhat tricky moves past a faint bulge. Past the bulge, enjoy the final moves to the anchor.

Mislabeled, as best I can tell, on both this

and the 2010 D'Antonio book, Fossil Fueled climbs a line through a blocky dihedral down low to tricky moves through a bulge on the blunt arête to easier but still engaging face climbing to the anchors.

After the 1st bolt, veer left towards the crack in the obvious inside corner.  Layback and stem up the inside corner to a small roof and then to a much larger roof. Do a scary traverse left under the large roof to the face around the corner. Once firmly established on the face, climb easier ground up to the anchors.

Please note that we tried to remove the suspicious looking flake under the big roof. It wouldn't budge.

Not really on the Contest Wall, but....

Go to the Sand Gulch Campground & find the conspicuous 'rock' that resembles a small house.

Attempt a complete traverse.  It has been suggested to begin with a sit start.

This is a good route that deserves more attention.

Climb the start shared with

Limestone Lady

to the big hueco, then wander up and right to hidden anchors.

Climb the crack right of

Miller Time

and left of

Tinsel Town aka BR 2?

. The route was a little chossy.  We cratered a softball-sized rock.  Bring a helmet for the belay.

An excellent climb with multiple climbing styles. Crack to crimp to roof.

This was a fun route, for my partner. I left a lot of blood on this one when I created a spurting tip by grabbing a hold to quickly.  It is on the arete right of

Suburbia

on Contest Wall.  It has sequential and balancy climbing (Van Horn's words hold very true here).  Watch out for sharp holds near the top (and near the top of many Shelf routes as they slab out).

This route ascends the shorter and somewhat dirtier corner system immediately left of

Turbo Road

.  Tricky face moves down low give way to stems in the corner.  Face/roof moves up high and a somewhat awkward traverse right take you to the anchor near a small tree and a ledge.

This is also located on Contest Wall about 7 routes and 80 feet past

Porkus Non Grata

.  Easy climbing to a high first bolt leads one to the business - nice technical climbing up the clean face.  The pump will build, so certainly milk any rests you can find as you work towards the anchors.

Like "

Regroovable

," the best seemed to wait 'lill last when it comes to stellar moderate 11s on the Contest Wall. Just past Little Mecca sits a trio of routes marked by all home-boy hangers. Silverado is the middle and by far the best of the 3 and sports hangers that have to be read to be believed! Burma Shave ads for climbers (if any of you still remember those) and the climbing is even better ! Very continous, technical, and pumpy this route packs in a huge varity of climbing with little chance for a shake. Keep it together as it's not over 'till you reach the anchors that Renaissance (the route to the left) shares. There is a wiggly block seemingly jammed about 3/4 of the way up that I have used,pulled, stood on, etc. and seems to be solid, but use your own judgement! This is a very long route with 11 or 12 clips plus the anchors. With my 60m rope I can comfortable make it back down but there isn't a lot of rope left so pay attention if you're using a 50m! Enjoy!

This is a nice line with a thin, techy sequence around the 4th and 5th bolts. The difficulty eases after this.

This is a SUPERB route, if you are into the grade and are at the Contest Wall, do this route for sure. The crux comes early and there are great moves throughout this route.

This route starts with the crux, getting to and past the first bolt then is in your face again at the last bolt, finishing with a great mantle/heel hook for shorter people. This route is very well sustained and will be enjoyable for all. It is on my top 10 list for Shelf Road so far....

Truancy starts on a ledge with a tree.  Climb onto a disintegrating ledge, and establish on a techy 11- slab/blunt arete for 3 bolts. Gain a large ledge, and climb a powerful pockety face for another 3 bolts.  The PG-13 in my opinion is the first bolt on the face, which if you are not at least 6' tall, you cannot clip until you pull a pretty tough boulder move. If you come off here before clipping and don't stick the ledge under your feet, the fall would be very, very ugly as the last bolt is quite a ways below.  Considering, the actual climbing is pretty fun.

Apple Jam is like Devil's Tower; it is a good jamming crack, & each bolt is easy to clip.... Between each bolt is like safely bouldering a new problem.  Just about each clip is at a jamming rest.

This is an excellent climb, rightfully popular.  Climb the left wall of an inside corner about 1/4 of the way down Contest Wall (left side of Sand Gulch) -

Metropolis

and

Miller Time

are on the right wall and right arete.  Climb through fun moves past the first few bolts and puzzle out the continous upper moves around the upper bulge before you pump out.

This is another nice climb about 1/2 way along Contest Wall, just left of

Cactus Drop

,

Regroovable

and

Lime and Punishment

.  Start up the initial bulge with a powerful sequence  past the first bolt to thin pocket and edge climbing up the blunt arete.  A slightly hidden heuco near the third bolt provides a rest, otherwise the climbing is continous to the anchors.

Follow the first 2 bolts of

Perilous

past a short band of chert, and step right to follow a series of discontinuous cracks on the right-hand panel. Towards the top, commit to the right face, and crank through the steep flake/crack.

This is a GREAT route!  It gets plenty of sun in the morning.  The holds are fairly large and straightforward, not many small crimpers or side pulls.  Beware the rubble, I dislodged a few pebbles on this route last month.  The crux occurs near the top, between bolts 7 & 9.  Stay off the face to the right, and reach high with a left hand for a decent horn.  Use hand jams in an obvious horizontal crack just past the crux to attain the summit.  Take your time at the top and enjoy the view!

Top Fun starts in the right-facing dihedral to left of

Truancy

. It is runout unless you bring a #0.4 and #0.5 Camalot, since the first bolt is 35 feet up.

Climb broken rock to the start of the dihedral. Climb the 5.8 corner (#0.5 cam) to the first bolt. The bolt line and hidden pockets lead you out onto the face to the right.

The anchor currently is rotting webbing, so bring some replacement webbing or rap off the locking biners on

Truancy

.

Start just right of

Farts of Horsemen

and ascend the same inset wall. How can two routes so close together be so different? No Tomorrow starts off in a pale, nearly sandy looking crack. The crack is solid and kicks up very continuous and tenuous climbing for two thirds of the route's length. Above the crack the wall returns to

Farts

style climbing on flat cobbles and shallow pockets. No Tomorrow offers another superb challenge, out of the sun, and on largely very solid stone. I usually prefer

Farts

to No Tomorrow for the quality of the moves themselves, however, climbing feels just a bit more uncertain on No Tomorrow and the pro feels a bit more spaced. Nontheless, No Tomorrow stacks up as an excellent and atypical route for the Shelf. This is definitely worth the struggle.

This route is located around the corner from "Armistice" and "Hide and Seek".  Head up black sharp rock, until you hit pale rock.  Follow a crack system with good steep moves until you hit two fat hangers in sharp rock.  This route does not see any sun in the winter.  Fun steep moves...

To find this route, hike up to the far south end of the Contest Wall. If you are coming from the Sand Gulch parking area and follow the sign to the Contest Wall, it will be one of the very first routes you come across. Dead Tree Crack is the second route from the left end of the wall. It starts with some fun moves through pockets, past two bolts to one of the biggest jugs you have seen. From here, step up into the small, right-facing corner, and cruise up to a ledge. The crux awaits you. Luckily you can stand on the ledge pretty much all day to figure it out.

[Jelly Bellies] is a fun little route that doesn't get much attention.  To find this route, hike the trail to the [Contest Wall] and head north along the base.  After about 50 yards, there will be a pillar lying on the ground to your right.  At this point, the cliff has a large dark corner/recess.  Standing in this recess, look at the north-facing wall.  There are two routes that share the first two bolts.  The left hand route is an 11c.  The right hand route is [Jelly Bellies].

Hike up through the first two bolts, and then trend right towards the third.  Above the third bolt, work your way into the hands, fists, and sometimes OW crack (depending on your various personal measurements).  If you think a limestone OW sounds cool, just wait... the kicker is THERE IS SOME CACTUS IN IT!!!!

The key to getting rid of cactus (if it is stuck in your hand) when you can't get a no hands rest is to flick your wrist really hard and hope it flies out.  Be sure to warn your belayer.

Towards the top, step right out of the crack and pull some great face moves to the anchor.  Enjoy.

This is a long, new route that follows tons of huge sandy pockets up a bulging face, and ends above a big (4ft) roof.  There is a bolt on the right side of the roof if you want a "safer" lead and climb out right.  The anchors are on a nice shelf directly over the roof and the rest of the climb.

Gotham City starts 10 feet left of Awakenings, 40 feet left of Time Square, at a crack in the center of a black slab.  Climb the slab past two bolts (crux), then work up and left on easier ground to a steeper headwall.  Climb the headwall past three more bolts to the anchors.

One of the easier 10a routes in the area, with a brief crux.  Another OK warm-up route.

This route tackles the smooth face just left of a major left-facing corner (about 50 yards north of

The Apple Bites Back

). It's a sustained 5.11 face climb to a killer crux at the top.

Sharp! It is actually more like 1/2 star. I'm putting up this description so people can avoid it unless they are into the pain. Actually it is probably not that bad, in fact, if you ignore the fire in your tips as you grab the serrated edges, the moves are pretty fun.

This is located just past 1/2 way along Contest (left) Wall in Sand Gulch about 4 lines past

Lime and Punishment

(11b/c), 5 past

Regroovable

(11b). It ascends the first line on left of a corner. This is a slabby route for Shelf on grey/white rock. There is a small bush to right of the 7th bolt. It really does have nice moves, it is just really sharp.

I could go into some heart filled explanation on the naming of the route, but I'll spare everyone the details; it's true romance. Begin up a small crack, and immediately cut left onto a pocketed face which leads to the base of an obvious, narrow overhanging prow. Then crank and power up the prow, and hopefully don't falloff before the last bolt. Once at the last bolt, easier climbing right leads the the anchor. Feel the burn.

Agent Orange completes a triumvariate of routes in the Farts sector that all get my vote as excellent climbs. Left of

Farts

is a small dihedral with a clean line just three feet left of the arete, this is Agent Orange. Begin off the trail, and not from the block used for

Farts

, by scrambling up to the first clip on a bit of chossy rock (we usually stick clip this bolt). Climbing above the first clip is excellent and bulltet-proof. Perhaps it is just my finger strength falling apart, but I have usually found Agent Orange to be more difficult than

Farts

or

No Tomorrow

. Climbing is typical of the Shelf on shallow, sharp pockets with an occasional upside-down edge thrown in. In fact just such an edge hits you at close to 30 feet height.  I thought that the crux developed through the bulgy section leading into this edge system and in pulling past the edges. After this, climbing is largely on the feet via those thin pockets typical of the Contest Wall. Agent Orange also gets my vote as being at least as good as

Little Mecca

. The line is inspiring to the eye.

Place a locker at the first bolt (because, the 5.11c POCKET leap is a decker -if a climber can not find the 6" dish to the left of the second bolt (wich makes the 2nd clip 5.4). There is another drastic, 5.11c, overhanging-slab up high -so, long draws are best from 2nd bolt on...

This climb is in the Metropolis area, 15' around the arete-directly to the left of

Little Mecca

.

This is another nice 5.10 addition to the Contest Wall from Doc Howard and friends.  I'm guessing the chunky rock at the bottom kept would-be FAs away, but it's not so bad and grants access to some fine rock above.

Pull the crux moves through the chunky rock around the first two bolts before getting into some angling crack features and, eventually, some really cool pockets. Enjoy the sharp and featured climbing for a long distance to the rim of the mesa.

The bolts feel a bit more spaced out than surrounding routes but are tastefully placed. Well done.

Most trips to the Contest Wall in Sand Gulch lead me to Farts. Loads better than the name might indicate, Farts of Horsemen is near the North end of the canyon but well before the cross-over trail. Climbing is on a dark, inset wall off a mound/block above the trail, and Farts shares an anchor with

No Tomorrow

, on the right.

Start off on a small section of less than optimal stone, and make a right traverse on crystals and friable appearing stone. For me, the hard climbing starts just as soon as you step over right. A bit of seam gets things going, and the opening moves feel 5.12a to me. Climbing after the first 30 feet settles down a bit but never drops below middle 5.11. The climbing is interesting and varied on crystals, cobbles,  and shallow pockets.

Overall, the continuity is excellent, and Farts gives up very little rest. For my preferred style of climbing, I would rank Farts on par with

Little Mecca

for overall quality, soundness of the stone, continuity, and interesting moves. This is an excellent line.

To find this route, use the directions for the route "

Dead Tree Crack

", and step right one route.

Limestone Lady offers some nice, friendly crimping and great high steps. The holds are all there, and it is pretty straightforward. Just keep crushing those crimps and standing up big and proud on the small edges. This route shares anchors with dead tree crack, so if you want to give her a practice round first, you can set up a TR really easily.

Start just right of the corner crack. There are some hollow flakes near the second bolt. The crux is near the end. It is a bit of a squeeze job but is still fun.

Despite the copious amount of huge huecos, this climb is short but pumpy route. Gain access to a sloping ledge that marks the beginning of the route.  Clip a couple of bolts to some of the biggest huecos.  The crux is a deadpoint to a difficult to see (but good) ledge that is just beyond this. Go left or right at the anchors.

This is a nice little moderate tucked away between a number of harder routes down at the far end of the Contest Wall. The line climbs a rounded prow with a short dihedral at the top.

Get established on the prow on good holds and figure out how to move into the super positive and nice flake above the second bolt. Cruise along this all-too-short flake to some more face climbing before entering the short dihedral near the top. Stem your way up the dihedral of great rock to the anchor.

This line is the arete to the right of '

The List

', located about 50 feet south/left of

Suburbia

.  A decent line, aptly named. Searching for the holds could be the hardest part of the climb, yet the moves, once apparent aren't half bad.  Worthwhile, but not a stellar line.

This has engaging climbing up a rounded arête that starts with some sharp pulling to a tricky crux halfway up. Follow some cool pockets as the angle eases off to the anchor.

Climb up the wide hand crack to the first roof and traverse right to a ledge. Continue up a left-facing corner with a small finger crack, thin feet, and a flake that looks loose to the second roof, and traverse left around the block and back onto the face. Here you can place an extra cam or two after having just passed the thin section that is difficult to protect well. Now head straight up through the branches of the pinon pine being very careful of loose rock. Use this pine to belay from or rappel from.

This route is just to the left of Silverado, and shares the last couple bolts and the anchors.

Start just right of the arete, and angle right following ~8 bolts to an anchor.  There is a cruxy move before the first bolt and at the bulge near the top,  but the rest is easy 5.10 climbing.  This route is not as continuous as Silverado.

NOTE: The large jug before the 1st bolt is loose.  Also, the huge flake to the left as you pull the bulge moves.

This is a great warm-up route surrounded by a few other moderates. The bolts are evenly spaced, and they allow you to clip from a straight-arm hang. The crux is short blank section just past the third bolt.

Easy and blocky climbing leads to a short section of fractured rock.  Above this, weave your way up both sides of the clean arête (crux).  Catch your breath under the roof before making an airy traverse left into the overhanging dihedral.  Exit the dihedral on the left with 15 feet of face climbing remaining between you and the anchors.

This route is on Contest Wall, the left side of Sand Gulch.  It ascends a blunt arete near the beginning of the wall, a large block which makes a great belay lounger with the right padding sits just below the climb. A good route with technical and continous moves.

The route starts by liebacking a very small, right-facing corner followed by a good rest on a ledge. After the ledge, you are faced with a bulge, where a flake has recently broken off (original line?).  There are two options: head left through suspect rock (not recommended) or barrow some of

Primal Urge's

pockets to get to a sloping rail with a bolt right above it.  After this point, you're home free, and enjoy quality rock and fun moves to the anchor.

This is an old Shelf Road mini-classic.  If this route was 80 feet, it would be the bomb.  I belayed my first whipper on this beast over a decade ago, and for some reason every time I get on it, I get a little weak in the knees on the upper clips.

The list is located about 50 yards south of

Suburbia

in a similar little corner.  This corner has a nice block to sit on and a pleasant tree to hang your hat on.  On the south-facing wall of this corner, The List is on the left (note the old, home-made hangers at the start.  On the right is a nice bolted arete called "

Hide 'n Seek

".

As with many of the old Shelf routes, clipping the first bolt is a bit tenuous, particularly if you don't have long arms.  After this is clipped, stroll up easy rock with crazy jugs to a cave for GI Joes.  From here, blast through the next steep section on pumpy jugs, and mind your feet.  Run laps on this one at the end of the day until you can't drive home.

This route is located to the right of "

Little Mecca

" and to the left of "

Regroovable

".  This route is one of the newer routes in the area, and may seem soft for the rating compared to some of the old school climbs near by.

Follow the shallow crack to a bulge, and work your way to the left. Some of the holds are hard to spot from below.  They are also alittle sharp as the name suggests. This is probably one of the top three 5.10s on the Contest Wall.

This is a blast of a route on the far northern end of Contest Wall a few hundred feet before reaching the far approach trail that crosses back to Freeform Wall.  It powerfully ascends an obvious, steep, left-facing dihedral on positive laybacks through three bolts before cranking up through more bolts over a rounded bulging face.  Aptly named, don't snooze.

Spinney Dan is a really fun jug haul, just climb carefully through on easy ground to the very high first bolt. It is located on Contest Wall two climbs past

Miller Time

. Climb up the moderately steep south face and arete. This route has so many huge holds it felt easy for the grade, especially if one used holds on the arete near the top. Savor those handles!

just left of no tommorrow on the horsemen section of contest wall. Very good vintage with edges and pockets.

High Pockets is a nice break from the sharp crimps and tiny pockets usually offered at Shelf, this one is littered with jugs and good pockets most of the way. This is somewhat atypical climbing for Shelf, a fun and interesting route.

This route is about 5 routes left of

Little Mecca

, tucked into a corner with

Cattle Prod

on the right, and Turbo Road on the left.

This is a very fun line and has great continuity and stone.  The crux is getting through the thin stuff in the first 3 bolts. After that, the remainder of the route is just very continuous at the 10+ to 11- level, all the way to the anchors.  This has beautiful pockets and is super clean. It is nice and long as well - about 90 feet.

Cactus Carrie is directly left of

Spiney Dan

. Look for a rusted bolt hanger about twenty five feet up. The crux is near the third bolt (clipping this bolt can be tricky). Awkwardly spaced bolts, loose rock, and an occasional bush is part of the route. From the seventh bolt climb past rotten rock to reach the anchor.

It seems natural to veer right after the crux, but try to stay in the center of the route as the holds are better. Cactus Carrie is somewhat sustained and difficult with several areas of long fall potential. There are much better routes on Contest Wall to do.

Miller Time

and

Hide n' Seek

are good alternatives.

Climb sharp rock at the beginning and make your second clip on a smooth face. You are now 30 feet off the ground and will not see another bolt for 30 feet of 10ish climbing over a roof - do the math. A decent stopper might make this safe. Rest after the roof/clip, two more bolts on thin, steep face moves (crux) brings you to an awesome uncling into a flake to surmount the final roof to the anchors.

Wouldn't be a bad route if it were cleaned a little and safe.

This route is not in the guidebooks, and easy to miss.  It is on the inset panel between

Little Red Badge of Courage

and

Holy Sheath

.  This route starts on easy slab, which changes into a juggy and overhanging face/arête halfway up, turning onto the left face near the top.  The rock quality is suspect, but the climbing is fun, and the bolting is generous.

This is much easier climbing than it appears from the ground. Long reaches and stiff entry moves at the bottom to mellow climbing after the 4th bolt lead to a rest before the impressive overhanging bulge for the last 20' of climbing. The crux is really good and remains bouldery for a few moves before reaching the chains.

I'm not sure why the 3rd and 4th bolts are only 2' from each other.

This route is worth doing maybe once.  It is sharp and really not that much fun.  Follow well spaced bolts to a pair of cold shunts anchors that are 3 feet apart.  There is a sharp crux after the first bolt and at the last bolt.

The route starts up a small corner, up bolts, staying right of the arete. The crux felt mid-.10 and is toward the top, if not the top. The route was a little dirty and some of the rock up top looks scary yet it felt solid enough. It seems newer and will clean up to 3 stars hopefully.

Per

JF M

: this is the first bolt line to the right of the arete (left of

Suburbia

and

Slamdance

). Climb into and through the V-slot. There are some reachy moves, but it's all there... until the crux at the top. Clipping the anchors is the hardest part of the route unless you slink left around the arete.

Eds. This is a combination of 2 submissions on the 1st submission's page to avoid confusion and duplication.

Route goes up crack and then pulls a small roof to a slightly painful crimper on the short wall just left of dead tree crack.

Awakenings starts about 30' left of Time Square at the right side of a black slab.  Clip two bolts on the slab, then work right into a short right-facing corner.  Climb past a small roof at the top of the corner, and angle up left to the anchors.  The sixth bolt is poorly positioned, too far left of the natural climbing line.

Knapp's guidebook calls this route 5.9+, but it felt more like 5.9 to me.  Another OK warm-up route.

This is just left of Turbo Trad.  Climb the blunt arête.  This has bread-knife incuts at a low crux to a slab finish.

This is a fine route on the clean plaque of rock that the approach trail hits when it reaches the cliff (far left side of Contest Wall).  It starts just to the left of a rotten chimney and cave.  Slipper Queen has a 15 foot high first bolt guarded by very easy climbing.  The hard climbing begins at the 3rd bolt, and is fairly sustained to the anchors.  The crux is fairly tricky since it requires a long move to a crimp that is very difficult to see from below.

Good route, but probably not deserving of the "4 star" rating it gets in the new Knapp guidebook.

i don't think i have ever seen anybody else on this route.  this is really too bad because it is a great line, and makes a nice option when the wait list on suburbia et al is deep.

to find this route, please use the directions in "jelly bellies" to find the big dark corner.  NSKB is the route to the right of jelly bellies.  it starts in a right facing corner on dark rock.

the first bolt on this route is a bit committing.  if you are tall you can probably hang way out and get it.  if you are un-tall, you will probably have to sell out pretty hard.  a good spot from you belayer might be appropriate here.  after this, fire your way up past 3 more bolts and rend a little bit right for the 5th.  great technical crux here.  the gap from the last bolt to the anchors is a bit long, but the climbing is fairly easy and non-pumpy.  take your time and have a good one.

A few yards past the left-leaning crack of You

Snooze, You Lose

, is the sandy and slightly chossy start of

Spice is Nice

. The first roof pulls through a bit of looseness, but then the crux bulge and much cleaner rock are encountered. I've heard that the crux used to be protected by threading a suitcase handle at a pair of pockets. That handle has a thin fracture line, so thankfully you get a bolt now. There is still some spice to be had as you traverse a slab above the crux to the next bulge. The ending eases back again but is a bit tough to read and not a gimme.

Pieces were breaking off of this route when we were on it. A helmet for the belayer is a good idea.  It's a lot of fun, so hopefully adding it here gets it more traffic and cleans it up.

This is a very neglected gem! Just right of

Little Mecca

is a clean, wide wall with a single route marked by a large bulge up high, this is Little Red Badge of Courage. Almost 2 routes in one, this sports a very technical, thin crux down low (as a lot of Shelf routes do) and then a great, pumpy, jug haul out the roof above. There is a good stance just below the roof that lets you set up your sequence before launching out. Generally this has very good stone and never has a line at this one. It is worthy of a try if you're looking for something different in this area!

A long, slightly wandering route on good stone down low to not exactly great stone up high.

Head up the slender, rounded black rib using good holds to the third bolt. The slabby crux comes at you around the forth bolt.  Beyond that, the climbing eases off and moves right to another faint rib. Continue up that rib on somewhat dubious looking rock to the anchor.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Contest Wall