Octopus Cave, 5.9, 2 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Photo above is looking down the first pitch on lead.

Aquarium Wall is located directly across the popular Olive Oil route on Rose Tower in Juniper Canyon.  Aquarium Wall and Rose Tower actually make up their own independent canyon just north of the main Juniper Canyon.  This is not a large canyon nor does it contain that many routes relative to other canyons at Red Rock.  But its north facing wall, Aquarium, does offer a collection of relatively new easy to moderate routes on well varnished rock.  Although the Aquarium namesake route is somewhat sought after due to a rather obscure Supertopo guide that featured it as a classic, it is not a great route by any means and not sustained at the grade (5.9).  The best route at that grade on the wall is a relatively new route named Tri Cambler located to the far right end of the wall.  It features a stellar, mixed, 5.9 second pitch on black varnish reminiscent of a classic route named Sensuous Mortician, 5.9, located on Necromancer Wall in Icebox Canyon.  If you are looking for a more challenging and unique experience on Aquarium Wall, climb Octopus Cave, 5.9, which offers two sustained and unique pitches and is located on the left end of the wall.  Luna, 5.9, is yet another option similar to Aquarium, located between Octopus and Aquarium.

Octopus Cave starts out in the obvious cave like chimney located at the left end of Aquarium Wall.  Although there are no routes established on this wall to the left of Octopus (2018) there could be in the near future.  As it stands, it is the furthest left established route on Aquarium Wall and utilizes a fixed nut nest for a double 60m rope rap back to the base. Both pitches offer above average climbing for Red Rock, but the second pitch has considerably more choss.  The first pitch includes a variety of climbing, from hands to off-width to stemming on mostly good rock.  There are no bolts on this route (2018). 

Approach from Oak Creek or Pine Creek trailheads (I prefer Oak Creek) as you would for Olive Oil.  The approach for all routes on Aquarium Wall requires soloing or pitching out 5^th class terrain for approximately 250’ to the broad base ledge below the wall.  The cleanest of these options is to turn left right before you reach the base of Olive Oil and descend back east a few meters and down to a comfortable alcove below a 4^th class chimney.  Climb this chimney and continue following honeycomb-type rock, trending right to a slung tree.  Continue from there, stemming a 5^th class chimney to a fixed rap atop this gully system.  Octopus Cave is fairly immediate, climbers right, from the fixed rap.  The obvious dark chimney.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 80’-5.9/ A fantastic chimney/cave like experience up varied terrain.  Start out on the left side hand crack, move to the middle crack and then up a few more meters before traversing right, below a bulge, to access the right side crack that leads into a large chamber.  The crux of the first pitch is the next several meters on the left side of the chamber.  Climb the off-width crack (C4 #4) facing left and reach your right hand in for a positive finger crack deep within.  Positive edges on the outside of the crack show up after a meter or two.  Stem off of the west wall and escape the chamber to the outside to a medium-gear belay ledge.

2^nd Pitch- 140’-5.9/ You have two choices.  I led the left option which pulls a roof on chossy rock up and left (more straight and vertical).  This option is closer to 5.10- climbing on suspect rock, but a more interesting line for sure.  The FA goes up and right on better (varnished) rock that leads to a lower angled right facing corner.  Regardless of either option, you need to trend up and right to reach that lower angled right facing corner.  It turns into chocolate colored varnish and continue below the grade until you can traverse left across an airy foot ledge to a fixed nut nest (2018).  We replaced the webbing in 2018.  One full 200’ rap to the ground from there.

Climbing Sequence

Essential Gear

Single to C4 #4.  If you plan on taking my roof variation on pitch 2, take doubles from C4#.75 through #3.  Make sure to take plenty of slings for extension to avoid rope drag on that second pitch.  Double 60m ropes for the fixed gear rap (2018). This wall receives 100% shade during November, dress accordingly.