Rainbow Wall, The

Next to Mount Wilson, The Rainbow Wall is one of the most prominent natural features of the Red Rocks area. Visible all the way from the campground, it is also the location of most of the big wall routes in Red Rocks. The classic Original Route (5.12) was pushed up the center of the wall by Red Rocks pioneers Joe Herbst and Larry Hamilton back in 1973 and remains one of the most sought-after routes in the canyon today.

The wall is relatively north-facing and remains shady most of the year. It is also guarded by a bit of a hike... but hey, you can still usually get cell phone reception up there and in case your headlamp dies, the Luxor should serve you fine.

Historical note by Larry DeAngelo: The Rainbow Wall occupies an impressive historical niche. When Joe Herbst and Larry Hamilton climbed the wall in 1973, it was before almost every other serious route in the area. In fact, it was before most of the small routes too! At a time when NOBODY WAS EVEN CONSIDERING IT, these guys went out, committed, and completed the ascent. In the ensuing years, the route saw many attempts, but it was well into the next decade before anyone was successful. The original route was sufficiently challenging that three other routes were climbed (in 1983 and 1984) before the Herbst/Hamilton route yielded a second ascent.