Gypsy Wall (5.7-5.10d)

Not far away from popular Middle Earth Wall, Gypsy Wall has a small collection of moderates that are great alternatives to Middle Earth's when they are busy. There are six bolted routes on limestone here, and a couple of them have at least one variation. One of the routes, Gypsy's Magic (5.7), is a crack route and was the first bolted route at North Shore (2005). Because it is a crack, you might be tempted to try leading it on gear, but the rock quality is suspect, especially if you use cams.

 

The routes here went up in 2005 and 2009. Developers were Dave Phillips, Jan Salinas, Louie Graham, and Roger Werner.

 

Gypsy Wall is at a ledge that itself is about 10' up from the ground below. The first three climbs begin at the edge of that ledge, and there are belay bolts there. Use them.

 

By far, the best source for this wall and others here, whether online or in print, is John Hogge's Austin Climbing: Sport Routes and Deep Water Solos.

 

 

Take the main trail down and then bear right, crossing the stream, at the junction shown above. Gypsy Wall is about a 10-minute walk from parking.

 

Look for the sign below; it "appeared" sometime during the fall of 2016. If it is not there, look for this setting. There will be a trail going to the cliffs. That trail goes directly to Cheech and Chong Wall, but look for a branch to the right along the base of the cliffs. Go through a "slot" and then scramble up to the ledge where the routes begin.

 

From Middle Earth Wall, you can reach Gypsy by traversing over on use trails and with some scrambling instead of going back to the main trail.

 

 

From left to right as you face the crag:

• Carnival (5.10d PG)-- The crux involves a big swing if you miss and comes before the last bolt, which you cannot reach before pushing through the crux.
• Living on the Edge (5.10b)-- Pumpier than Carnival but not as technical.
• Love Potion No. 9 (5.9)-- Fun, sustained climbing. Well-bolted. The crux is the move to the anchors. It looks easy from below, but it isn't.
• Rock Gypsy (5.7)-- Well-bolted. Feels a little harder than Gypsy's Magic, I think.
• Hexed (5.9/5.10a PG)-- Height-dependent grade. Crux is getting to the anchors, and a fall probably means hitting a ledge, hence the PG rating. There are two 5.8 variations of this route.
• Gypsy's Magic (5.7)-- The local guidebook and some sites call this a PG route, and that is due to a dead tree one might hit during a fall. That dead tree has crashed, so the route is not PG anymore.