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If you look online, there isn’t much written about climbing the beautiful Namaste Wall in Zion National Park. That makes sense, as it’s fairly simple to get to and a pretty straightforward climb. Still, I thought a piece of rock of this caliber deserves a bit more spotlight. Below is some route beta on the easiest route on the wall, the 1/2 Route (5.10+) as well as info about the area in general.
History & ethics
Conrad Anker, one of the climbing legends of our day, is credited with establishing several of the routes on this wall in the early 90s. In this piece in Outside Magazine, he lists this wall as having one of his all time favorite climbs (and this guy has climbed a lot around the world). Chris Sharma later visited and claimed “those were some of the best climbs ever, at any grade.”
The wall sits in a deep canyon that doesn’t see much foot traffic from hikers fortunately. While you are here, do your best to keep your impact to a minimum and be mindful of sharing the routes. Leah and I found toilet paper tossed into some shrubs within eyeshot of the wall. If you need to go, pack it out or make use of the toilet in the parking lot please.
Location and approach
The wall is located in the northwest part of Zion National Park (the Kolob Canyons), which you access by driving north along I-15. If you happen to be in Springdale, Watchman/South Campground, or the main Zion entrance, it’s about an hour to drive over.
On your way, I would strongly recommend you stop by River Rock Roasting Company for breakfast. I’d be only slightly exaggerating if I said that half the joy of waking up so close to Zion is getting something to eat here. They also make great pizzas for dinner. Call ahead: (435) 635-7625.
From I-15, take exit 40 and drive up on the Kolob Canyons Rd. The views are pretty spectacular as you ascend higher and higher. After a little over 3 miles you’ll come to a large parking lot at a hairpin turn with a picnic table and toilets. If you’re lucky, you’ll be the only car!
You’ll be heading into that deep canyon and hiking the very smooth South Fork Taylor Creek Trail about 1.5mi and ascend about 1,000ft gradually. Here’s the route line on Gaia. I can assure you that you will not get lost. The wall will be on your right-hand side and it is unmistakeable.
Climb the route
I was only fit enough to do the easiest route on the wall, 1/2 Route at 5.10+, but there are others. If you can climb 11s and 12s, be sure to check out Namaste (the route) and Huecos Rancheros.
The 1/2 Route is the first line of bolts from the left of the huecos marking the wall. It’ll likely be chalked up as the route doesn’t get washed from rainfall much due to the overhanging nature. Still, be mindful about climbing on wet rock. You can permanently damage the route and kill yourself and your partner. Sandstone crumbles easily when wet!
There are 7 bolts to the anchor and you should be able to count them all from below. If you look closer, you’ll notice a second set of anchors. This is the extension to the route, which adds three more bolts and kicks the grade up to 11+. Getting up to the first anchor (~80ft) is all we did. You’ll find lower-off carabiners. They were quite worn down and deeply grooved from use, so I’m hoping they get replaced soon. If there’s someone who is willing to do this, let me know and I’ll pay for it (send me a recording of yourself doing it though).
All of the holds are generously positive and the movement is amazing. You’ll find knee bars and arm bars for balance, heel hooks, and restful one-arm hangs where you can shake out. You should feel like a hero climbing this wall. If you’re lucky, someone will be taking photos of you. Just try wearing something colorful that stands out from the red wall.
How to top rope
If your partner wants to top rope (or you want to give it a quick second burn), be sure to use your own gear at the top. Don’t put further wear on the carabiners that are intended just for lowering off. After you’ve climbed it and have lowered off on your own anchor material, “flip the rope”by pulling it down from “your side” of the rope. Have your climber tie into the end of the rope closest to the wall. As she climbs up, she’ll have to unclip the rope from the seven quickdraws that you placed. When she’s at the top and ready to be lowered, transfer the rope over to the lower-off carabiners.
Whoever does end up cleaning the route after a lead will need to be mindful of removing the first quickdraw to avoid a swing that violently drags their belayer across the ground. For an example of what I mean, check this video out (it’s full of examples of how NOT to climb properly).
Things to be aware of
The route is in a deep canyon, overhanging, and north-facing, so it’s always in the shade. I climbed it in November and found my fingers and toes going numb easily. I’d love to come back in a warmer month like September. I’ve read that bugs can be a nuisance in the peak summer months so be prepared for that.
Do your gear a favor and bring a rope tarp. The base of the climb is very sandy and while there’s no avoiding getting it on your rope, you can mitigate it. Sand on your rope will wear your gri gri out faster as the particles grind down the lightweight aluminum. I love the Sterling Rope Tarp as it comes with a handy ‘pocket’ for tucking away cord during a climb (so your belayer doesn’t step on it).
The route’s steep and overhanging, and your belayer will likely want to crane their heads to get a good look at you sending. I’m glad I packed my belay glasses to avoid straining my neck. I’ve never encountered a better set of belay glasses than Y&Ys glasses. I initially balked at the price but I’d do it again if I had to. So worth it. Other brands feel cheap and plastic-y. They make a special clip-on version for folks who wear glasses but I can’t speak to how good those are.
The first bolt on 1/2 Route is too high for a stick clip to reach, but the holds are all positive and the clipping stance is top notch. If you are in the market for a stick clip, I love this one from Kailas because it’s cheap, collapses really small, and is quite long when extended.
If you hiked all the way here and found several parties in front of you, it likely is going to be a bummer waiting in line for em especially if everyone else is there for the same easy route. Pack a lunch and enjoy the show. There are other routes in the South Fork but they’re mostly hard slab climbs that see little traffic (so they get coated in sand) or hard trad cracks that look beautiful (I’ve yet to see anyone try em though).
If it’s wet and you had your hopes on climbing the Namaste Wall, I would say it’s still worth hiking there just to admire the wall. It’s quite a beauty. That’s what I did last year and I had no regrets about making the hike. The canyon is gorgeous and absolutely peaceful.
