The Geezer Wall, located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, is a fairly new area bolted about three years ago. The climbs are custom made for the beginner and intermediate climber. The story goes that a few friends got together after work to bolt all the routes, with the intention of creating a space where the aspiring sport-leader could practice quickdraw-placing skills. As a result, the climbs can seem over-bolted for the more experienced, but for anyone who has never been on the sharp-end of a rope before, the bolts provide a needed comfort level. Two main sections make up the Geezer Wall: the Main Slab and the Climber’s Choice Wall.
Crossing Over is located on the Main Slab and has quickly become a favorite in the area. As the name implies, the climb is mostly traversing until the corner of the face is reached. From there, the route heads up above the exposed edge. The climb is rated at 5.8, but is feels a lot easier than that, probably because of the amount of bolts that take away any feeling of danger.
Because Crossing Over traverses so much, rope drag can be a problem, so it might be a good idea to use slings instead of quickdraws. It’s a long route, with a total of 16 bolts on the line. Once at the top, getting down requires a single rappel down over an arete.
To get to the Geezer Wall, park across from the Storm Mountain Picnic Area on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road. Hike up the gully as if going to Glass Ocean or Challenge Buttress. After walking up the established trail, it ends up at a scree field. Go up the scree until the Geezer Wall shows up as an obvious line of cliffs on the left. Crossing Over starts to the left of the arete.
For anyone who is looking for a climbing area with lots of routes for lead-climbing practice, the Geezer Wall is a good bet.