Contributed Comments |
| |
|---|
Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Der Zerkle : What If You're Not? (5.7)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 7, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I wouldn't say "beginning sport lead" given the fall potential if you're unfamiliar with leading. Bring a few cams and it might be a good for a beginner Mixed leader though.
|
Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Der Zerkle : Happy Ending (5.10d)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 7, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: After rapping from the summit, we TRed the southwest face of the summit block (just right of happy ending). This was quite enjoyable and looked better (more sustained and varied) than the actualy route. We ended on the right crack - or if you're tall, skip the crack and use the face holds between the two cracks. ~80 ft.
|
Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Der Zerkle : East Face Left Side (5.6)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 7, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Good climb. I agree with Joe. The cave wasn't as hard as some of the thin face, and had good gear. What an odd place for a bolt! There are 40 ft runouts on the slab but a bomber #3 Camalot goes 2 feet higher than the bolt! Also, don't go too far to the right after the hole. I thought I needed to traverse across the next gully to the right, but then ended up on the north summit.
Having a 70 m rope was nice, we did the route in 2 pitches.
|
Location: CO : Colorado Springs : Red Rock Canyon Open Space : Whale's Tail : Jason's Argonaut (5.10a)
By: Ben Burnett When: Oct 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I would say it is height dependant, if you can do the big reach above the crux bolt then it is easier than the 9, if not then the lower step across falls in the 10 range. Good, clean rock and fun moves.
|
Location: CO : Colorado Springs : Red Rock Canyon Open Space : Whale's Tail : Pockets a' Plenty (5.9)
By: Ben Burnett When: Oct 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Of 2 days at rrcos this was probably our least favorite climb. It seemed contrived with some odd bolt placements. It has some bad rock too - I broke the hold that looked best to me above the sand ledge. The day we did it, it had tons of sand, leaf pieces and pine needles on it. On the plus side you can often climb left or right of the bolts and vary the route. Look out for poison ivy growing *on the rock* next to the starting corner and at the base.
|
Location: CO : Colorado Springs : Red Rock Canyon Open Space : Whale's Tail : The Rose (5.7)
By: Ben Burnett When: Oct 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Better and cleaner than it looks - not really a crack though.
|
Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : Outer Gates : No Mystery Here (5.7)
By: Ben Burnett When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The mental crux is getting to the first bolt, or the second to last bolt - which feels hard to clip and way out there by the time you get to it. I wouldn't say this is sustained though. Lots of rests and easy climbing on this one - just stay a little left of the bolts. The bolts seemed to be oddly placed - forcing the line away from natural features. A LOT of Easy fun climbing to be had here, but nothing spectacular.
- ** A 70m Rope will get you down with about 5 ft (or less) of downclimbing *...
more >>
|
Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : Outer Gates : La Maudite (5.9+)
By: Ben Burnett When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The crux is tough, I'd agree 10a. But it's not a sustained route. Good and varied!
|
Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : Outer Gates : Stone Smoked Porter (5.11b/c)
By: Ben Burnett When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I couldn't get this one even on toprope, and while I'm not in good condition right now I'd say this has to be at least an easy 11. Bailing left below the crux will yeild a difficulty of around 8 - 10a (depending on your exit) in my book. The route was fun but the crux seemed out of character with the rest of the climb and it seemed better to go left anyways.
|
Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Entrance Area : Hand Jam Crack (5.9)
By: Ben Burnett When: May 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This route is a joke, right? I can't imagine why anyone would ever actually climb the line shown in D'Antonio's book. His line skips half of the vegetated crack anyways, following the lichen corner up. There is a clean, beautiful wide crack a little further on that is not in the book but looks like it has potential.
|
Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Entrance Area : Captain America (5.10a)
By: Ben Burnett When: May 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I've never really liked this one. The crux is definitely more strenuous than 10a as compared to other 10s in the canyon - small feet with slopey pockets or awkward sidepulls on overhanging rock. Also, the second bolt is pretty high given the ledge below. The rest of the route has some fun huecos though.
|
Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Inner Canyon : Nueve a Seis (5.9+)
By: Ben Burnett When: May 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This seemed like the easiest route at the crag to me, but I prefer slab to overhang.
|
Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Inner Canyon : El Dedo Es la Llave (5.10)
By: Ben Burnett When: May 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: LEFTMOST - The first bolt is very high, especially given that you would fall down the slab below the route as well, but the moves are easy getting to it (5.7 R, maybe). It's rare to get a roof that is this easy and that big.
|
Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Rock Garden : Ninos y Viejos (5.9)
By: Ben Burnett When: May 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Has a move or two that are as hard as most of the 10 slabs in Penetente. The bolts protect the cruxes but a fall before cliping one or two of them could land you on a ledge (5.7 R, maybe)
|
Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Redgarden Wall : Redgarden - S Buttress : The Flakes (5.9)
By: Ben Burnett When: Apr 9, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: After the initial flakes, I stepped left to follow the "Morte" crack (which was hard to commit to), and then finished on Whistle Stop as Guy suggests. This is probably my favorite way of climbing these routes - best rock, moves and gear, and quite sustained.
|
Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Redgarden Wall : Redgarden - S Buttress : The Whistle Stop (5.9-)
By: Ben Burnett When: Apr 9, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Easier than most (if not all) 5.8s in Eldo. Sure it takes a little more thought than most 7s, but it no harder than that.
I think Scott's comment hits the nail on the head - for many Eldo climbs.
|
Location: CO : Lyons : South Saint Vrain Canyon : Observatory Rock : Punch Line (5.10-)
By: Ben Burnett When: Mar 9, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a short, fun route. Look for the best feet up top. I didn't find them my first time up and took a pretty good lob. I didn't hit the ledge and that was about the biggest fall you could take. A red Alien could protect the final mantle crux pretty well - I guess I should have taken the time to place it on my first try.
|
Location: CO : Caņon City : Shelf Road : Cactus Cliff : High Heeled Tittty Twister (5.10)
By: Ben Burnett When: Feb 24, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Easier than some of the .9s on Cactus. I'd say: 10a. The bolts are well placed. I would not discourage a 10a leader from this one.
|
Location: CO : Colorado Springs : Red Rock Canyon Open Space : The Whale : Aphrodite (5.10a)
By: Ben Burnett When: Feb 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Continuous, yes.
5.10, NO!
There were no moves harder than the crux on the other 8 we did here. It's easier than other 5.8 slabs in Colorado. I haven't climbed much in this canyon though....
|
Location: CO : Lyons : South Saint Vrain Canyon : Vrain Dead : Vrain Dead (5.8+)
By: Ben Burnett When: Feb 18, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: There is also a second, short pitch. Step right from the belay and go up a little overhang. Go up another 10 ft, hand traverse left and go up a small roof on big holds (~5.6). 40 ft in all to another 2 bolt rap anchor (or you could just skip the middle belay). A 70 meter rope got us from the top to the bottom with only a little rope to spare on rappel.
The first pitch is reachy and probably harder than 5.8 if you aren't tall.
The first pitch seemed a little spooky on lead (I haven't lead muc... more >>
|
Location: CO : Lyons : South Saint Vrain Canyon : Upper Infirmary Slabs : Panic in the Gray Room (5.10a)
By: Ben Burnett When: Feb 10, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: You would hit the rib of rock if you blow the second bolt. The climbing is very good, but several bolts were poorly placed for me. It is a good toprope, but I had more success on the "10d" to the left. I'd give it another star if the second bolt were lower.
|
Location: CO : Caņon City : Shelf Road : Cactus Cliff : Bionic Minnow (5.11a)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is the last climb on Cactus. You need to go all the way to the right end and start up a gully (around the backside).
Slab climbing moves to a small overlap with underclings and sidepulls. This one takes a lot of balance and trusting of your feet on small holds. You won't get pumped if you move your hands to the good holds before clipping each bolt. There are a lot of small holds and many ways to work through the route.
|
Location: CO : Caņon City : Shelf Road : The Gym : Up Valley Goes Downtown (5.10d)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The rock on this one is better than it looks. The bolts allow for a safe lead on either crack, (the left seems a little harder but is a more direct line) or if you're tall enough you can span both cracks up to the first ledge.
The second bolt is high, but there are great holds for both hands and feet.
|
Location: CO : Denver South : Castlewood Canyon : The Zoids : Poloroid (5.10a)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 17, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Fun. The first bolt is about 15 ft up and past the crux. and anchor can be made with a few long sligs (we used cordalettes) a pink tricam, and some #1 to 2 Camalots.
|
Location: CO : Denver South : Castlewood Canyon : The Zoids : Fall is in the Air (5.8)
By: Ben Burnett When: Nov 17, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The rock here is very pebbly and bumpy. I found the route somewhat unpleasant due to its roughness. I also had doubts about placing gear between the little pebbles in the crack. Cams seemed somewhat awkward and hexes / nuts didn't lock in very well. The route is not hard or deceptive though so it's OK if you're comfortable at the grade.
|
RSS Feed
