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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Loch Vale & vicinity : Loch Vale Gorge
By: Eli Helmuth When: Oct 25, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Nice to let this place fully form before hitting it with the tools- mid Dec. is usually the earliest and the later the better.
Knocking on these routes while they are starting to form just prevents them from forming fully if at all..patience is a virtue that benefits all in this well traveled area.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Zowie
By: Eli Helmuth When: Sep 28, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Tobe- it must have been your heart rattling and recoiling as there are no snakes of any kind living at those altitudes...let alone in the middle of a cliff...sure you weren't 'flashing back' to climbs in Joshua Tree or somewhere in Arizona where those types of serpents live?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Redgarden Wall : Redgarden - Tower One : The Yellow Spur (5.9)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Sep 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Wow- just to add to this YS blog is an honor.
FYI- Pulled out the first pitch layback overhang piton (large Chouinard angle) with two fingers last week on an AMGA course. I was about to ask the guide leading why he had placed a difficult to remove cam just below it and not clipped that trusty looking pin when I gave it a quick tug - so then congratulated him on his good judgment in avoiding that time bomb!
Needless to say, no one wanted to clip another pin on the route that day which is a bit... more >>
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Location: CO : Indoor Walls : Boulder Rock Club : The Black One (5.11-)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Aug 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Give it up while you're 'ahead' there, EVS.
Gym climbing doesn't count, period...especially on the MP.
Try rockclimbing.com for some sympathy....
Or go outside for some fresh air- chalk dust can clog the brain waves!
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Glacier Gorge : Spearhead : Spear Me the Details (5.11d)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Aug 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I replaced the remainder of the 1/4 inch buttonheads/Leeper hangers and some short (1") 5/16" expansion bolts on this route (7 total) and beefed up a couple of the belays with bolts (4 total). The '10c' mantle is 5.9 as Stefan says by staying 1' right of the bolt and there is no HT (hand traverse) as specified in the Gillett topo- you climb almost straight up from the belay (loose 5.8) past the small overlap into the small right-facing dihedral to a nice ledge.
I replaced the fat arrow piton a... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : RMNP Bouldering Areas : Chaos Canyon Bouldering : Lower Chaos Canyon
By: Eli Helmuth When: Aug 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The Bear Lk. trailhead is at 9450' and Lake Haiyaha sits at approx. 10,200'- much of the bouldering is above the lake.
It is amazing that pebble pinchers 'willingly brave' this 45 minute uphill hike.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Glacier Gorge : Spearhead : ... : Photo
By: Eli Helmuth When: Aug 6, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The bolt is the original 1/4" (barely) with a new Metolius hanger that is thick enough that the hex nut barely tightens- I'd hate to take a hard fall on this picture hanger.
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Location: CO : June Voluntary Climbing Clo...
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story"
-unknown
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Location: CO : June Voluntary Climbing Clo...
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Pfwein- If you were a real climber you wouldn't have to ask where to climb?
If you were a real man, you would use your real name.
To quote from a great man: (read with an open heart if you dare)
Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold, and which to us appears changeless and eternal, may change. Today is fair. Tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds. My words are like the stars that never change. Whatever Seattle says, the great chief at Washington ca... more >>
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Location: CO : June Voluntary Climbing Clo...
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Having only climbed at the Grizzly Bear Lodge once (Devil's Tower is such a terrible non-local name, worse than McKinley), I found the native spiritual aspect to this place to be obviously 'deep' and I can understand the desire to not have this sacred place soiled by noisy and dirty climbers during this important time of the year.
Respecting nature is an important part of climbing and this includes respecting those who worship nature at a level that most of us cannot comprehend. Our own selfis... more >>
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Location: International : Pakistan : Deosai Mountains : Takht-E-Suleiman (5.10+ R)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Ali-
How do you rate a climb that has yet to be done and that you're not yet capable of doing?
Please explain this as it makes no sense at all? Maybe there is something I am missing?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : The West Ridge : West Ridge - top to Xanadu : The Bat (5.9+ PG13)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 2, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: A nice pitch and with long runners above the crux section can easily be linked with Laughing at the Moon into a 60m three star 5.10 or go a little left and straight up after the ledge to reach the anchor at the top of the 'second pitch" of Muscular Dystrophy for a 25m rappel/top-rope.
Micro cams C3 #1 and 0 below and a #4 micro stopper at the crux make it a solid pro sew-up. No need for a pin- well worth doing alone or a nicer start to MD.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Emerald Lake / Tyndall Gorg... : Hallett Peak - mixed/ice : The Cleft (5.8 M4 Steep Snow R)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 1, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Fun seeing you guys up there yesterday.
For sure this route and the others were in good shape earlier in May, usually starting to get good by mid-April.
More info: http://climbinglife.com/alpine-routes/hallett-peak/east-butt>>>>>
Way to get it done!
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : The Bookmark : Bellyflop (5.10c)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Sep 12, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Curt, I don't mind being called a girl, just don't call me Sarah Palin! The LaSportiva B5's are my favorite for edging, the 5.10 guide tennies for friction and the Nike AGCs seem to friction just as well and last the longest. Boreal are always comfortable and I haven't tried the Scarpa approach shoes yet?
Cool conditons help in this summertime hot spot and all of the small holds remain in place from the FA...having 'come of age' in Joshua Tree, this style of climbing is my forte? Once the ang... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Hallett Peak : Love at First Sight (5.10b R)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Sep 2, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Topher Donahue with client made the FA in 2000 of a line up the center of the triangular buttress which finished on the left edge of the Love Route roof. He called it "Lust Route" aka 'Bold is Love' -10a. The R rating is pretty much a given for any route on Hallett.
You can find him at alpinecreative.com I remember his saying it was the best route he had done on Hallett...
Always tough with Hallett figuring out what major features have been climbed and not?
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Teen Queens' Crag
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jul 29, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: But it's such a great crag name, maybe it can be "saved" and used for some other outstanding cliff that is not on private property with "no trespassing signs". I'm sure there is someplace in Boulder Canyon that deserves this honor.
It's been called "Gem Canyon" by the Estes locals for almost a decade but we sure do appreciate your help in coming up with other creative crag and route names - especially from such helpful Boulderites!
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Twin Owls : Wolf's Tooth (5.8)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jul 16, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The closed signs were still in place yesterday 7/15 for the Twins Owls. Only 17 more days to go!
Anoconda is still waiting a 3rd ascent? 13c (Lester, Caldwell)
Autumn Mist is still awaiting an onsight 12d/13a?
Coyote is rebolted and awaiting suitors 12b/c?
Crack of Fear wants your blood 5.10d to 5.12 (depending on your OW skills?)
Wolf's Tooth is also referring to blood loss- not smiles?
Silly Putty 12a- a forgotten John Bachar testpiece up the center on the most inspired line. Rarely an ... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Teen Queens' Crag
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jul 14, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: This crag is on McGregor Ranch land according to the maps and signage on the ground. We climbed at this spot extensively around 2000-1 before realizing our error.
Unless it can be proven otherwise, probably best to take this area out of the data base so as not to threaten access at Lumpy or create huge issues for climbing on the McGregor Ranch who own this property. Also, no reason to have a rap anchor on top of this cliff as it's a 30 second walk-off to the north.
Please check the maps at t... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : The Book : J-Crack Slab Area : Mission Impossible (5.10a)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Jun 5, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: One of my favorite Lumpy 10a pitches. Good pro, thought-provoking moves, long 30m pitch, and with the added bolt to the threaded-sling anchor, easy to top-rope three other stellar routes/variations to the right of 11a, 11b, and 12a which is nice when the summer storms are looming overhead and you don't want to risk getting zapped 200' or higher off the ground.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : The Bookend : Pineapple Juice (5.11b)
By: Eli Helmuth When: May 22, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: "Over the top" is my vote.
The carabiners or sling on the draw are much more likely to break than that particular bolt which I believe is a 3/8", 4 yr. old 5pc. Rawl (from the ASCA) that I replaced in the original hole. I wouldn't compare it to a Krabi bolt or a 1/4" in Yosemite any more than I would compare it to the fixed pin on P1 of C'est La Vie in Eldo.
I haven't gotten around to replacing the upper bolts on this stellar pitch, as the first was so hard to remove I figured they weren't as... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Long's Peak/Mt. Meeker Cirq... : Martha (5.6 WI2+ M2-3)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Feb 13, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The avalanche danger for Martha has been primarily in the middle of the photo above posted by Tracy. This slope can be avoided by:
1. Coming up the Peacock Pool/Chasm drainage and staying on the south side below the falls and meadows if conditions permit. This wouldn't be a long detour but will require flotation to get around some deeper snow. Being in the valley bottom could be a terrain trap if these slopes release while you are under them, so this risk should be thoroughly assessed.
Or m... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Crescent Wall : Finger Lickin' Good (5.11a)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Sep 24, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: The anchor bolts on this Lumpy classic were replaced in the fall of '06 with ASCA hardware. Ditto Malcolm's comment that this is best done as a single pitch route which I have done numerous times with one rope and no rope drag issues by using longer runners (24") at the end of the traverse and the beginning of the upper crack.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge
By: Eli Helmuth When: May 14, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: The latest word from the NPS trailcrew is that the new parking lot will not be open until probably mid-June as there have been some delays with construction- thus the old parking lot will be open until that time.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Loch Vale & vicinity : Loch Vale & uphill : Vanquished (Powell Peak) (WI5 M5)
By: Eli Helmuth When: Mar 16, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: Having just skied off the divide nearby Vanquished this morning and having spent the last couple of weeks in RMNP above treeline, it seems very unlikely that there is a shred of ice on the Vanquished Wall. Potentially with this warm spell, some new moisture, and a cold front?, things could come into shape up there. Otherwise, it is pretty dry and cold up high, not ideal for ice formation.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Long's Peak/Mt. Meeker Cirq...
By: Eli Helmuth When: Mar 8, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: Alexander's is likely thin, sublimated ice at the cruxes and some moderate but exposed rock climbing on the last pitch, overall grade in current conditions probably WI5, M5 (5.8). The thin and fragile ice might be the crux- exciting enough with a belayer.
Snow on upper Kiener's could still be a bit sensitive after last week's storms and will be steep (60 degrees) in spots while traversing Broadway, but after Alex this would be mellow. Hopefully the snow up high is bonding ok- could be less bo... more >>
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