The first 12 feet are doable in flipflops. The rest of the route makes up for it. It follows the right arm of what is locally known as the Y.

Different Strokes

Smokin' J's

Winona Ryder

Emotionally Involved

Smokin' Stems

Mild Hops

Groomed Gumby

Giggin

Noodle Wall

Hopstacle Course

Jammers Kant

Main Traverse

Full Body Brace

November Reign

Chocolate Corner

Wild Hops

Hollow Excuse

Silver

Poet Tree

I & Eye

Trigger

Thunder Will

Black Beauty

Deuce

Taster's Choice

Black Magic Spell

Huggy Bear

Melliodious

Lightning Crashes

Nick & Todd

F***in' Greenies

Golden Seam

Ruled By Force

Up Above It

Southern Cross

First Wall

Unknown  2

Main Traverse 2.0

Raising Awareness

Solo Slab

Graffiti Wall

Refuse To Suffer

Winning Streak

Immediate Unreality

Rave Mode

Cattle Drive

Moman

Dirty Dancing

The Sweet Spot

Nescafe

Black

Van Gogh's

Practice Wall

This is a fun, steep, quality climb.  Take the left arm of the "Y" formation.  Continue up and left to the bulge.  Pull on excellent edges and pockets to the chains.

Do a bushy start. Continue on jugs and dinner plates up a blunt arête.

This shares the start with

Smokin' Stems

and busts out right onto a wild traverse! Tip toe across the exposed roof, and then go straight up through some classic Piedra jugs. The crux is 11 b/c in the crack, and the face goes at sustained 10b/c.

Be aware that this route is a lil spicy by nature, and those not comfortable at the grade should take caution. I didn't want to crowd the existing climb

Black Magic Spell

with bolts, so there is a slight runout on easy terrain getting to the second bolt. The runout looks a lot worse from the ground compared to how it climbs.

It is best cleaned by following. Followers, watch the second bolt swing.

Winona Ryder has fun, technical climbing on small holds. Vertical face climbing on mostly horizontal crimps leads up to a clear and exciting crux near the top. A nice addition to the canyon!

This is a long, fun climb.  Start with a leftward traverse, then continue up the face.  Finish on a blunt arete and big ledges to the chains.  The crux moves are halfway up.

The crux depends on which local you ask. I think the last 15 feet are the crux while others feel the roof start is it. Climb it and decide for yourself.

Smokin' Stems is a beautiful, right-facing corner with great rock and moves. As the name suggests, it has lots of stemming. The FA was done to the top before the chains.

This is another great Piedra face climb on steep, solid edges. It has pretty technical movement on dead vertical rock. That said you seem to be able to get a rest after each section, so it never gets that pumpy. This is a great warm-up for the other routes around it but also a must do route in general.

Groomed Gumby has fun, classic Piedra style climbing with thoughtful sections throughout.

The first 15’ will clean up nicely with time & traffic.

Your belayer should wear a helmet while the route gets cleaned up.

The first 3/4ths of route are 5.6 cruiser. The last 15 feet are a great V1 boulder problem.

Noodle Wall is a toprope located at Otter Beach. It is also done as a highball boulder problem. The crux is at start.

Climb big edges through the first 3 bolts.  Clip the 4th bolt, get a rest, then climb the crux on small holds.  The route lets up some but is fairly sustained to the last bolt.  Obviously the crack is off route, but there are some face holds close to the crack that might help toward the top of the climb.

This is a right-facing corner up great rock following hands to layback crack, 45 feet.

This is a nice low traverse that is devoid of poision ivy.  It is a good way to get a pump on when alone.

This trad climb has plenty of face holds and edges.  The route also features good hand jams and some stemming.

A pocketed face gets you started in the crack, which takes gear well.  Pull through the easily protected crux - a short, steep section. Cruise to the top using the crack and face.  The crack widens toward the top; finish on the face to the right.

Belay the second up and remember to enjoy the views over at the edge of the prow.

November Reign is very similar to

Thunder Will

, only harder. A balancy start leads to a cruiser mid-section then goes back to a steep crux. In my opinion, using the crack/tree at start makes this a lot easier and takes away from the spirit of the climb. Step up! The only thing that keeps this route from 4 stars is the middle section, which is out of character with the two cruxes. November Reign is a worthy climb anyway.

The crux is getting on to ledge near top. It is usually dirty as top of corner acts like a funnel for debris above. Too bad as the climbing is quality.

A small ledge offers a rest before crux of small edges to pinch and pockets. The rest is hanging on to the anchors. Wild Hops has perfect rock and is great fun.

Layback to a great, one finger pocket and move into crux section. I love this crux.

The crux is at the top. It has good moves and is a great place to introduce noobs to the sport. If you are a 5.7 leader, you will step up your game for this one.

Follow a tiny, left-facing corner. A hard crux off the ground leads to a more moderate climbing with good clips.

The crux is on the arete. From a handmatch in the eye feature, pull onto arete to find a mixed bag of crimps, pockets, and slopers. Finish up slab to shared anchor with

Hollow Excuse

. It is good, clean air if you blow the crux.

The crux is at the top. Climb great dinner plates to an awesome jam through the mini-roof. It is a cool route for noobs as is this entire wall.

A bouldery crux start leads to a cruiser mid-section, capped with another steep crux at the top. This is a great first lead.

The whole thing is a crux, off balance all the way.

The crux is at 1/3 height.  Black Beauty is thin for the grade at its crux but cruiser for upper 2/3rds.

This route has a trad start to bolted face. The crux is about 2/3 the way up on thin edges.

This is an excellent, sustained 5.9 face climb.  The route gives you a taste of the style of climbing on the high quality rock of Hops Wall.

This is a mixed gear route.  Begin the climb at "

Smokin' Stems

."  Clip a piton and place gear to protect the steep start, then follow the bolts up and right.  It is good climbing on a beautiful, black face.

This horizontal double arete is a must do. Sit start to incuts and funky toe/heelhooks up to prow finish.

Do some easy face climbing to a ledge, and clip the high first bolt. Then move up and right on positive crimps and fat jugs, and surf the arete to the chains. The climbing is steep and fun, but the rock quality on this one is a little lesser than some of its neighbors, so go easy on some of the flakes.

The crux is 1/3 the way up in a shallow corner. This route was also 5.9 when the block across trail from route came out while being climbed. The crux is through the same section now climbing obviously better rock. A variety of holds and moves makes this the must do 5.9 in PR.

The crux is 1/3 the way up in a bulge. Stemming out right makes this a lot easier.

The crux is near the top. Difficulty progresses the higher you go starting at about 5.7. This is one of the more enjoyable routes in the canyon. It has beautiful black and orange streaked rock. It is a great first lead of the grade or warmup for those who climb at a higher level. The first bolt is easy to skip.

As you enter the canyon, the walls meet the trail.  At the first great swimming hole, look up and right to a brown face with shiny bolts, 7 total.  The runout to the first bolt was demanding climbing on small edges.  Then more of the same but bigger as you went up.

Per ??: the crux start can be easily bypassed by short traverse in from right dropping the rating to 5.10+.

This is the farthest left route in this area.  It's a little fragile and dirty feeling still, but it is very sustained and the overall rock quality is good for the area.  It should clean up nicely.

We decided to do this route because the base and the first one-third of the route were in the shade.  It turned out to be pretty good.

Per

Pullhard

: this is a good face climb on orange colored rock. The crux is 3/4 of the way up. It is cleaner and better than Rave Mode, which is on the right side of the wall.

Eds. this is a combination of 2 submissions put onto the 1st submission's page to avoid confusion.

This ascends a superb, steep wave of rock tucked into an alcove on the top of the cliff. Many combos exist up and out this sweet hidden spot. Enjoy.

I have rated by average of these variations. There are plenty of easier paths and a few harder.

The crux is the last move on the route. There are 5.10 thin edges and pockets until the last 10 feet. Southern Cross flows like a great boulder problem.

Eds. Per

Parachute Adams

: the name of this route refers to the constellation in the southern hemisphere called the Southern Cross, the equivalent of the Big Dipper in the northern hemisphere.

The crux is getting to first bolt. There are big holds for rest of route, but it is pumpy.

I haven't climbed this route yet, I am posting to remove any confusion for climbers trying to find routes.  The 5.12 rating is just a guess.  The upper half of the route looks difficult.  Anyway, climb a left-angling line, placing what looks to be very thin protection.  Transition to the upper face and clip a couple bolts to the chains.

Anyone in the know: please add more info. Route name? Grade? First ascenionist?

Moving into the mini cave is the crux. This traverse offers more climbing than many of the routes here.

This is one of the better, longer, and more difficult routes in the canyon.  Bouldery start, then make some balance and delicate moves.  Enjoy the large flake, and then get a rest for the steeper and more sustained climbing above.

Newbies and young ones will enjoy this short slab, a great spot to work on your friction skills.  For a challenge, tape a of tennis ball to each hand so they can only be used for balance, it will do wonders for your footwork.

There are various problems and variations on this overhanging wall.  The huge tree makes topping out impossible. Ratings vary depending on what you do, but V5 is probably a good average. Top and drop when you reach tangle of branches.

2017 update: the tree has fallen down opening the upper wall. Please do not bolt this wall. I will set a bomber TR anchor.

Climb up the dark, highly featured water streak.  Clip 5 bolts to the securely wedged block of rock (the block is "on").  Clip the 6th bolt, pull cool moves over the block, and prepare for the steep section.  Gain a good stance, clip the final bolt.  Hit the "thank god" pocket up and left (crux), then veer back right on jugs to the chains.

Increasingly difficult moves lead to a strange mantle between the second and third bolt using a glassy, razor-sharp crimp and a series of seemingly useless "right-hand" holds. The crux continues briefly past the third bolt with a sick deadpoint followed by a decent rest and another 12- mantel that is harder than it looks.

This is good for the grade, sustained 5.8 climbing.  Climb an intermittent seam and large flakes to the chains.

Good warm-up moves on positive holds off the ground lead to a VERY reachy dihedral section. Above this, save some gas for the powerful finish MOOOO-VES. - YEE-HAW!! -

This wall faces north, so it's usually shaded during the hot morning hours of summer. It is a pretty good warm-up route though it requires power if you're not tall.

Moman is a seriously overhanging arete left of

Noodle Wall

looking  at river. It leans towards the river. Begin with a sit start to a midway crux on thin pockets and scummy heelhooks.

Scramble up the 5.6 ramp for 10’. Clip the first bolt, and cruise up the off vertical face to the 5th bolt. Dance through the crux on thoughtful footwork, clip bolt 6 and cruise once again to the top. Arrive at a 2 bolt anchor with rap rings. Please do not toprope through the rap rings.

Note: there is natural protection to be had on the 5.6 ramp start or even a possible cam placement, but it really is easy climbing.

The 5th bolt is intentionally a little farther left on the face, to avoid having the rope & quickdraw getting twisted up in your feet during the crux section.

The anchor for Dirty Dancing also works really well for

Jammers Kant

, as it keeps the rope out of the crack and is much better than climbing up the dirty corner to the bolts way over the top. You probably just want to leave some directionals for the follower.

Climb up a short pedestal, and then move on to the face. Clip three bolts, and then work through the small roof crux. The crux is much easier once you find all of the holds. Once above the roof, enjoy off vertical edging and sidepulls to the top, and arrive at a two bolt anchor with chains and rap rings. Please do not toprope through the rap rings.

Starts on the ground at

Taster's Choice

, but moves left to the first bolt. The route climbs slightly right of the 2nd & 3rd bolts to gain the small flake ledge (but not way right on the flake itself). It finishes up the left side of the rounded arete towards the top.

The route is left of the 11c/d,

Tan

, in a dihedral. Climb the right edge of the wall on great overhanging holds to start.  Big fun.

From the Ear up, this route offers little rest and has consistent 5.10 moves until last 10 feet. Van Gogh's is a very enjoyable route.

Practice Wall has a crux midway and another again at the top.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Piedra River - Lower West