Fremont Canyon North Rim, 5.6-5.13a

Overview/Approach

Fremont Canyon, Wyoming, is an obscure climbing destination by most standards.  When many plan a climbing trip in Wyoming, they are normally heading to the Wind River Range, Vedauwoo, Jackson Hole or Devil’s Tower.  If spending quality time in Wyoming, Fremont makes for a great stop over between Vedauwoo and Devil’s Tower.  What it lacks in multi pitch climbing (virtually none), it makes up for in the quality of solid trad climbing in a relatively remote setting.

Wine and Roses, 5.11a***, is one of the finer single pitch 5.11- climbs in the lower 48.  Its setting over rapids in the river makes it that much more magical.  Fremont is broken up into several locations and Wine and Roses is located in what is named West Canyon in the local guide.  The main area to Fremont is the “Bridge” area, which includes north and south rims, but the north rim is where the majority of sought out routes at Fremont are located.  By far my favorite moderate of that group is First Blood, 5.10b*, a route that does not seem to get the same praise from the guide or MP.com, but I consider it the best 5.10- at the Bridge area (not as good as Thanatos in the West Canyon, but damn good).  B-25, 5.9***, gets a lot of love from MP.com and the local guide and is deserving of such and is no doubt the best 5.9 at the Bridge.  Easy Day for a Lady, 5.9**, is another solid 5.9 route on the north rim.  I thought Carpenter’s Corner, 5.8**, is overrated by MP.com, but is probably the most popular route on the north rim.  Star Plunge, 5.10b***, was overrated as well.

Drive to Alcova via Highway 220 and head south around the reservoir.  The road bends west at a fork (stay on Fremont Canyon road) and soon crosses the “bridge”.   There is a tourist platform, restroom and tons of parking on the north side of the bridge.   Free camping (2019) is had further along the road on the left side behind a gravel pit (what they call West Canyon).  Many of the raps on the north rim are done off of the fence lining the canyon, illegal no doubt.  However many of the routes have fixed anchors at the top as well.  It is not a bad idea to spot routes on the north rim by walking along the south rim and vice versa.  The tower in the river anchors the east end of the “bridge” area and the bridge for the most part marks the west end. 

Routes Listed Left to Right Facing the Wall

Sweater Meat- 5.8/

Dirty Pillows- 5.10a/

Echoes- 5.11a*/

Steal Before the Storm- 5.11b/

Kids Have Nightmares Too- 5.10c/

Morning Sickness- 5.11d***/

Flare to Meddling- 5.11b**/

Donkey Kong- 60’-5.8/ Sling a boulder to climbers left side below the northwest end of the bridge.  Rap the wide right-facing dihedral to the bottom.  Climb the OW corner.  Single from #1 to #6.  Worth doing if working routes at this end of the bridge.  Dow

Starman- 5.10a/

Superman- 5.11d/

Bombay Dihedral- 5.10b/

Raise Your Guts- 75’-5.7/ Located on climber’s right of the northwest end of the bridge is a descent gully.  Descend down and turn right to climb this blocky route back to the top.  Single rack to #3.  MP.com and the local guide has it longer than it really is.  Dow

Shotgun- 5.9/

Ledger Domain- 5.7/

Flip Top- 5.7/

Carpenter’s Corner- 60’-5.8**/ An easy and short lead for the budding trad leader in the canyon.  No real crux or memorable movement.  Rap down from the fence 15’ west of the obvious tree next to the viewing area, to a large sloped platform (block).  Single rack to #3.  Dow

Half Way- 5.7*/

Lord of the Flies- 5.10b/

Justin’s Cruise- 5.8/

Peterman’s Variation- 50’-5.7**/ Not overly memorable, just worth getting on if doing Carpenter’s and Easy Day for a Lady.  Not near as tall as the guide suggests. Dow

Peterman’s Route- 5.6**/

Injin (sp) Scout- 5.10aX**/

Walk on the Wild Side- 5.11c*/

Easy Day for a Lady- 90’-5.9**/ A decent climb and obvious one to do right after Carpenter’s Corner.  To the right of Carpenters is this wider crack that leads to the viewer’s platform itself.  No real off-width moves (maybe a knee or two) as much as deep hands with a few fists.  Takes any medium to large gear you want to throw at it.  Single to #4 with a few extra medium pieces.  There are several places you can start, but if the river is low enough, there is a platform right at the base of the crack making for one of the longer routes in this section.  The roof section is not memorable or cruxy.  More varied and a better lead than Carpenter’s Corner by a long shot. Dow

Altered State- 5.11d/

Drew’s Corner- 5.8/

Going Going Gone- 5.12c/

Nubus- 5.10c/

Slide Zone- 5.8/

B-25- 80’-5.9***/ This route is as good as any at the grade that I have climbed at Fremont, offering great variety.  Rap blocks behind a small crooked tree (10m climbers right of the platform) down to almost the river.  Climb the hand crack flake out left and mantle out of it after several meters.  Head up straight with mostly hands plus a few finger/ring lock sections.  Two options to finish, one is to move right onto the arete and finish on steep tight hands, or mantle up left and finish on easier ground.  Single to #3, double #.5 to #1.  MP.com mentions right facing corner but it is more of a left facing corner.  New (2019) belay bolts at the bottom.  Dow

Scrape with Death- 5.10b/

Broken Hand Fitzgerald- 5.11b/

Stone King- 5.9+**/

Captain America- 5.11d***/

Hemateria Left- 60’-5.8**/ A prominent right facing corner located 10 meters climber’s right of B-25 (fixed anchor as best I recall).  You lower to a ledge with a fixed anchor, well off the river.  Fairly non eventful and straight forward.  Single to #3.  Dow

Hemateria Right- 60’-5.8+*/ Definitely more of a heady lead than Hemateria Left.  Start from the same platform belay and angle up the splitter to the right.  It is relatively dirty compared to most routes in Fremont.  Involves some face climbing as well.  Single to #2.  You finish up a left facing corner well to the right of the fixed rap anchor for Hemateria Left.  Dow

Ghost Buster- 5.10c/

Greystoke- 5.10c**/

Wild Flower Arete- 5.11d*/

Iron Bone Steel- 5.10bR/

First Blood- 100’-5.10b*/ My favorite climb at the grade in the canyon despite the local guide slighting it on “stars”.  Rap 100’ straight down from a fixed anchor on the arete next to the fixed anchor for Gleaming the Cube, 5.12a***(bolts painted red) on the west side of a gully.  Depending on water level, you more than likely need to tip toe around the water back into the gully.  The arete rap (newer than the guide-2019) takes you right down the route.   It starts with hands and then gets wider in places.  The last third offers fun, steep and physical climbing via some stemming, slight amount of chimney plus an off-width move or two.  Single to #4, doubles #3-#4.  Dow

Gleaming the Cube- 5.12a***/

In Search of Eldorado- 5.11a/

Guano Line- 5.9+/

Top Gun- 5.10d/

Mary Ann- 5.7**/

Scum Queen- 5.9/

Slim Pickens- 5.9R*/

Pet Cemetery- 5.8*/

Star Plunge- 80’-5.10b***/ I do not feel this route deserves the three-star recommendation the guide allots it.  At the end of the fence on the east end you can rap from the corner post onto this route.  It has an obvious large roof on it that you bypass to the right.  The finger splitter start is the crux, but can be cheated out right via a side pull for the first several meters.  Fingers and hands lead up the chossy right side of the large roof above.  In July a ton of silt was present on the edges and in the cracks.  One of the dirtiest routes I have been on at Fremont but supposedly gets cleaned up with traffic in season.  Single to #3 with a few extra medium pieces.  Dow

Collector- 5.13a/

Big Dick- 5.9/

New Improved Dick- 5.10b/

Bony Fingers- 5.10a/

Cinnamon Street- 5.9/

April Wine- 5.8/