Trip Report: Rock Climb - Try Hard Tuesday @ Penitentiary Wall


Rock Climb - Try Hard Tuesday @ Penitentiary Wall
By Steph Stamm
CLIMBING 09/22/2026 MOD
This year, an offshoot of Trad Tuesday made its debut: Try Hard Tuesday, for those days when the climbing is only half the adventure.

For our inaugural outing, four intrepid souls set off for Lisa Falls West, bushwhacking through a full-strength gumby filter of stubborn scrub oak, a rocky creek, fallen trees, and scratchy branches. With no discernible trail in sight, we forged ahead on faith alone, eventually emerging to find some stellar sport climbing waiting for us.

Mark, Tizzy, Tom, and Steph took turns leading the 5.9s and 5.10s on beautifully featured face climbing over orange-hued quartz monzonite. The climbing delivered, and the views across the valley were the cherry on top. As we descended, the setting sun treated us to a spectacular alpenglow show, making the bushwhack back to civilization feel almost worth it.

For our second outing, rain clouds had us questioning whether BCC quartzite would be in the mood to hold trad gear. But on the trusted word of Frank Nederhand, we threw caution (and perhaps a little good judgment) to the wind and tackled the steep, loose, thoroughly unpleasant approach to Penitentiary Wall.

Tom led Tax Evasion (5.7) and we set up a top rope on Climb and Punishment (5.9), which everyone took for a quick lap. Meanwhile, Frank and Phil headed south for the two-pitch Fresh Fish, apparently undeterred by the weather or the approach.

The rain, naturally, didn't stay away for long. The crew on the north side of the ridge hurried to pack up and retreat to the BBQ awaiting them at the final Trad Tuesday of the season. The Fresh Fish team eventually returned, wet and bedraggled but in exceptionally high spirits. Their reward? Burgers, hot dogs, and an assortment of tasty morsels - a pretty respectable consolation prize for a soggy day on the rock.

Try Hard Tuesdays will return next summer, with more climbing, questionable approaches, and adventures that may or may not involve bushwhacking. Keep an eye on the calendar, and come prepared to earn your turns!

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