bivy on epinephrine?

are there any places to bivy on epinephrine? good sized ledges for two?

Its been over ten years since I was there so its a little fuzzy, but perhaps on top of the Black Tower after the chimney pitches. That's the only sizable ledge I recall. There are lots of impromptu bivy sites on and near the summit too from many benighted parties.

The route is also doable in 10 ropestretching pitches, easily done in a day. Hauling in the chimneys would be heinous.

Don't do it, it was ugly climbing with a small heavy backpack with hand drill kit (hammer, bolts, wrenches, etc), and this was only for replacing some of the bolts in the 4 pitches after the tower (thanks Josh & John). I don't even want to think about actually hauling bivy gear with you.

It's a big climb, but it goes quickly since you don't take time looking for and building trad anchors - bolted anchors just make everything go fast. Try to go fast and light, set a definite time for retreat and stick to it (for instance if you don't both make the top of the Elephant's Trunk by 1pm), and just retreat and try again when you're faster. Obviously not a good plan if you only bring 1 rope...

utfreeclimber wrote:are there any places to bivy on epinephrine? good sized ledges for two?

We bivied on top of the tower after the chimneys for the fun of it and to get the bivy experience.

The other posters are right, hauling through the chimneys was a real pain in the ass. This was 25? years ago and the few bolts there were were all quarter inchers and removable by hand. I still vividly remember getting to one belay where my partner says look at this and pulls both bolts out and then puts them back. Of course he had a gear anchor too.

There are other routes at Red Rocks that have nice enough ledges and easier hauling if you are just wanting the bivy experience.

A partner and I did the bivy a few years back for the experience.

It was actually pretty nice and worth doing. Regarding the hauling, I seem to recall the anchors in the chimney pitches being placed out towards the edge of the chimneys, so hauling wasn't difficult at all...

Word of advice- the ledge on the tower is good, but on the opposite side of the tower from the chimneys, a few feet down, is a really nice bivy spot-

IAD. IAD.

I bivied on top of the black tower a ~decade ago, quite peaceful but I enjoyed the times I did it in a day more. Hauling through the 5.9 chimneys was surprisingly easy, but the same can not be said for the 5.6 chimney and face climbing below. The (small) haulbag got stuck on every single piece of patina, chickenhead, crack, etc. on the less than vertical terrain. Make sure you set up your system to haul your bag first and then bring up your second with the option of him climbing up to the bag when it will inevitably snag on something. If you plan to carry your gear in a backpack...may god have mercy on you in those chimneys...

If you're gonna bivi on Epi it should be a mandatory Grade VI with bivis before and after the chimney pitches. Bivi 1 - psych up, Bivi 2 - decompress and write in journal.

The first time I climbed EP we bivied. Hauling wasn't as bad as one would think. There is room for two at the top of the tower (above the chimneys). The ledges are sloping (we got okay sleep, not great) - the two best are one near the wall on climbers right (at the anchor) and the other out on the left side of the tower. Nice views, cool bivy, great and memorable experience.

I have been up EP three other times, all in a day. Certainly the preferred way to climb the route, I agree. If you are unsure of your speed, get an early start, and if you are too slow, rap and bail.

If you want the planned bivy - go for it - will likely be a great time.

Climb Ohn. Wally