Lizard Lake
This is the lowest wall to the right when you look at the cliffs behind Lizard Lake. Most of the view is obscured by trees. The wall is west facing. The wall gets an incredible amount of sun from early afternoon until evening. The area is a great fall destination in the afternoons. The Ricochet wall is named after an early climbing pioneer to the area was shot at while rapping down the upper cliff. Surprising since Outward Bound uses the upper section of the cliff for rappel training. If the shooters don’t get you the mosquitos will. Bring bug spray and long sleeve clothing in the spring and early summer.
Lizard lake climbing is a great destination to beat the crowds and find climbing solitude in a beautiful place. With the Low Hanging Fruit wall close by there is plenty of climbing for a whole weekend. The rock here is your typical steep to overhanging Crystal River special order sandy limestone. The climbs here are new and have seen little traffic so climb cautious, stay on the established route and wear a helmet. Any brushing and blowing off of holds would be much appreciated. It is incredibly sunny and warm around Lizard Lake. Once the wall comes into the sun in the late morning it is in the sun for the rest of the day. In the summer I suggest climbing in the morning, on a cloudy day or evening. It is possible to climb at Lizard Lake late into the fall. Routes stay pretty dry in the rain.
-Climbing here is steep, pumpy and on sharp edges for the most part.
-Be sure to stop by Slow Groovin BBQ after Climbing.
1. Vigilance* 5.10a 10 bolts Fixed Anchor
The first climb you get to where the trail meets the base of the wall. Start is just left of large moss feature. Please tread lightly around the moss. Climb well featured rock to large horizontal break where you step left and continue up steep headwall. Watch for loose rock on this ledge. After headwall trend slightly left into black rock. Best warm up at the crag.
Can be climbed to reach the upper band climbs. Instead of clipping anchors climb left along black ramp to reach belay anchors on the ledge. From here you can walk up to the second band.
2. Appropriately Cautious*** 5.12a 12 bolts
Right of Warning Shot about 15 feet. Climb clean crimpy technical vertical wall for 20 feet. Enjoy slight break at the large horizontal weakness and shake out. Climb through broken crimpy section to steep slab just below 2 foot roof. Pull through roof heading right a little then straight up. The roof is powerful and expect your feet to rip away. Harder than it looks. There are a couple 5.12- sections on this one. The anchors can be easily reached by climbing Lone Shooter and then swinging over to hang draws.
3. Lone Wolf****5.11d 11 bolts (3 fixed draws) Fixed Anchors
This climb has a little of everything and is worth the outing. It was the first climb put up at the crag. The first ascent was exciting when 2 bats flew out of the crack directly into my helmet. Face climb crimps for half a dozen bolts to left facing corner. Lay back corner and make strenuous move to the left. Continue through obvious roof section. Climb through roof trending a little right for best holds. Continue up 15 more feet of challenging climbing to bulge crux at the end. Sustained and steep.
4. Town Conspiracy***5.11a 12 bolts Fixed anchors
Fun moderate climb and another good warm up for the harder climbs. About 30feet to the right of Lone Shooter is a large cave amphitheater. Town Conspiracy is on the left edge of the amphitheater. Start just left of rampy broken dihedral system. Climb to overhanging massive flake. Layback flake to top and then face climb through tricky sequence that is not as hard as it seems. Continue in black rock to fixed anchors.
5. Bolt Action***5.12a/b 13 bolts fixed anchors 75ft several fixed draws
Start just 20ft right of Town Conspiracy in white rock in belly of the cave. The opening few moves are crimpy and hard! Climb almost vertical rock to overhanging blocks and bulges. Exit roof system onto a face to the right after a 10 foot overhanging left facing dihedral. The climbing is steep, powerful and wild. Moves require a lot of gymnastic movement. Draws are all fixed through the roof system.
6. Mind Fiesta*** 5.12a R 11 bolts fixed anchors 85 feet
20t right of Bolt Action. Recently re-cleaned and a bolt added to the run out start making Mind Fiesta way more fun. The puzzling start is a difficult boulder move on an overhanging bulge right off the deck. Stick climbing the first 2 bolt! After the first couple moves trend left along left leaning dihedral for 10 feet. This section is not too hard but would be a nasty pendulum fall (R). Then climb straight up face. The first 20 feet have some flakey rock where your feet trend so be sure your belayer is a little uphill and to the right of the climb with a helmet as always. The final 55 feet of the climb is on good rock.
7. Porcupine Meat*** 5.11d bolts fixed anchor 85 feet
Uphill and to the right of Pistol Grip Pump about 60 feet. One face move leads to a left trending crack system that is about 20 feet long. The crack ends with bulgy arête moves for another 30 feet that eventually exit out onto a steep and crimpy face for the remainder of the climb. This climb actually has pretty good rock and is one of my favorite here. The lower section offers a couple of great hand jams. Overall it is a pump fest!
Second Band Climbs - Second band climbs are stout!
Recommended: Climb Warning Shot stepping left as described above to belay anchor over the lip. Then walk up to second band.
Hike Up: To get to the second band follow the base of the first band to the left (north) on a faint trail in the woods to a 5.0 slab with a fixed line. Scramble up the slab with a fixed rope (my dog sends it) and then follow trail back to the right. Pull up a little step with another fixed line. At the top of this fixed line scramble up water groove (third fixed line) and step right to the second band climbs.
8. Concealed Weapon 5.12a***
Although short this climb packs a punch and is on very good flow stone. Hard steep crimping.
9. Shrapnel 5.12a/b*** 6 bolts
This climbs just right of the milky white arête. The rock here is pretty darn good with hard steep crimp moves just off the deck. Be sure to stick clip the first bolt unless you are a high ball bouldering rock star. First two bolts fixed for safety.
10. Retained Fragment 5.12 c/d **** 7 bolts
The starting moves are hard like its neighbor Sharpnel so be sure to stick clip the first bolt. Many will find the start the crux. The climb is pretty sustained at 5.12. There are some cool pockets down low and straight forward face climbing above. Spicy and stout!
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