From the USFS, Powder River Ranger District:
August 30, 2019
This list is a compilation of climbs that through my own investigation that have been chopped, padlocked, altered, or otherwise affected in some manner that may or may not make them unsafe to climb. Keep in mind this list is based off of what I can only see from the ground and for a more accurate account, I would encourage a full inspection of the routes.
Lower Canyon
Everything below the switchbacks on Highway 16 appears to be intact excluding any routes already listed in both the Aaron Huey and Louie Anderson Ten Sleep Climbing guidebooks as being chopped or altered in anyway, specifically at Grither/GB walls.
Above the Switchbacks
The switchbacks are a land mark on Highway 16 that end at a runaway truck ramp when heading east toward Buffalo. Here in the Upper Canyon is where the majority of the affected routes are located.
Funky Town
First pullout on the left after the runaway truck ramp. All routes in Funky Town have a bolt padlocked (either the first or the second) with a red lock excluding climb 8) Up for the down stroke 13b (Anderson p. 138). The following climbs are listed from the left to right (Anderson p.138-143)
- 1)Parliament 11b
- 2) Funkadelic 11d
- 3/4) Bop Gun 12a/Atomic Dog 11d. Both climbs share the same start.
- 5/6) Jungle Boogie 11d/ Jungle Groove 11d. Both climbs share the same start.
- 7) One Nation Under Groove 11d
- 9) Give Up the Funk 13a
- 10) So Ruff, So Tuff 12d
- 11)Shining Star 12c
- 12) Genius of Love 12b
- 13) More Bounce to the Ounce 12d
- 14/15) Brick House 12b/ Brickzilla 11d. Share the same start
- 16/17) Boot House/ Bootzilla 12c. Share the same start.
- 18/19) White Horse 12d/ White Stuff 12d. Share same start.
- 20) Mr. Big Stuff 11c
- 21) Super Freak 12a
- 22) Fantastic Voyage 11b
- 23) No Parking(on the Dance Floor) 11c
- 24) Freak-A-Zoid 12a
- 25) Uptown Funk 11b
- 26/27) Mothership Connection 10c/Star Child 11a
- 28) P-Funk 10c
Mondo Beyondo
Some of the most popular climbing in Tensleep. Trailhead begins at the Willem Becker Memorial Lot.
Slavery Wall
Only wall affected in the Mondo Beyondo area. Climbs listed left to right. First number representing the climb in the Anderson book, Second number is from Huey’s. (Anderson p.175-176); (Huey p.130).
- 15; 390) Abolitionist 11c. All bolts appear chopped, pockets filled with epoxy/glue
- 16; 391) Cakewalk 10d. All bolts appear chopped
- 17; 392) Uncle Tom 10b. All bolts appear chopped, pockets filled with epoxy/glue
- 18; 393) 40 Acres and a Mule 10c. No bolts appear chopped but pockets looked to be filled with epoxy/glue. Potentially dangerous for the unsuspecting climber.
- 19) Emancipation 12a. Bolts appear chopped to the roof. 4-5 bolts? from the ground
Vahalla
Last pullout on the left before the top of the old rd. Another popular climbing area in the canyon encompassing many walls. Walls are listed left to right, climbs are listed left to right.
Oblivion
(Anderson p.197); (Huey p.152)
- 6/7; 456) Road to Oblivion 10b/ Oblivion 12b. All bolts appear to be chopped and some pockets filled with epoxy/glue.
House Wall
(Anderson p.199); (Huey p.154)
- 4; 460) Casa Grande 10d. All bolts appear to be chopped. Many pockets filled with epoxy/glue.
Drugs Wall
(Anderson p.202); (Huey p. 154-159)
- 9; 472) Drug of Choice 12a. Red padlock on the first bolt. Reportedly unaltered otherwise.
- 11; 473) Heroin Hoedown 11a. All bolts appear to be chopped.
Firm Wall
(Anderson p. 212); (Huey p. 160)
- 4; 492) Harder than You 12b. Bolts chopped, some pockets filled.
- 5; 493) Bulletproof 12c. Bolts chopped.
- 6; 494) Firm 11c. First bolt present. Others chopped?
Ministry Wall (Spirit World)
(Anderson p. 217); (Huey p. 162)
- 2; 503) Just One Fix 12a. All bolts appear to be chopped.
- 4; 505) Burning Inside 11b. All bolts chopped.
- 5/6; 506/507) Knee High Bear 11d/ Effigy 12c. Bolts chopped on KHB, unsure about the extension Effigy.
- 7; 508) Thieves 12b. Bolts chopped
- 8; 509) New World Order 12d. Bolts chopped, pockets filled.
- 9; 510) Stigmata 12b. Bolts chopped, pockets filled.
- 10) Jesus built my Stigmata 12b. Bolts chopped pockets filled.
The Old Road
The next collection of climbs is located lookers left and right of Ten Sleep Falls, near the bottom of the old rd. The parking area is near a telephone pole below a collection of huge boulders and the pink streaked waterfall above.
Honky Tonk
When the trail Y’s near the waterfall at the top of the trail, take a left crossing the creek. Pass the Powers Wall and go to the climbs furthest left along the base of the crag to get to the Honky Tonk area.The furthest right climbs of this area are the one affected.
(Anderson p. 371)
- 17) Friends in Low Places 11d. Bolts chopped, pockets filled.
- 19) Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) 12b. Bolts 1-5 chopped, pockets filled.
- 20) Shotgun Rider 11c. Bolts 1 and 3 chopped, pockets filled. *danger*
- 21) Chicken Fried 12c. Bolts 1-3 chopped, pockets filled.
- 22) Hell Yeah 11d. Bolts chopped
Powers Wall
Wall you pass to get to Honky Tonk just after passing Ten Sleep Falls.
(Anderson p. 376)
- 24) Fat Bastard 11d. Red Padlock on the first bolt.
- 25) Groovy Baby 11b. Pockets filled.
- 26) Swinger 10d. Pockets filled.
Trump Tower
At the top of the trail just before you hit the waterfall, take a right instead of left at the fork and this will take you to Trump Tower.
(Anderson p. 384)
- 6) Dolt 45 12d. Bolts 2-4 chopped
- 7) Cheeto Bandito 13a. Bolts 2-4 chopped.
The Shooting Gallery and Supremacy Wall appear to be unaltered.
Conclusion
In total about 50 climbs, depending on how you tally extensions of an already listed climb, appear to be have been chopped, padlocked, altered, or otherwise affected in some manner other than what was originally intended for the climb that may or may not make them unsafe to climb. Again, I would encourage a full inspection of the routes for a more accurate assessment.
References
Anderson, Louie. Ten Sleep Canyon Climbing. 2019.
Huey, Aaron. Ten Sleep: Swallow the Lightning. 2019.
