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Girlfriend friendly front range multipitch

Original Post
Christian Mason · · Westminster CO · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 161

OK, so my girlfriend has been climbing for a number of years, but still gets sketched out when we get more than a pitch or so up. She also has a fairly serious bee allergy, so there is some danger to her in being out someplace where retreat is difficult. She carries an epi-pen (which she's never had to use) but any serious bee encounters in the back country could still present a problem.

She's expressed an interest in getting past this and trying to get comfortable climbing longer routes.
She also has a fairly specific list of requirements, so I'm hoping someone can help out:

Technical difficulty should be 5.9 or less (ideally 5.8 or less).

2-5 pitches

Mostly sound rock. A band of choss that we have to avoid (like at parts of eldo) is probably OK, but routes where she's likely to be dodging missiles are not.

Easy retreat. Ideally with bolted belays or something like trees or other natural features so that we can bail easily without leaving much.

Proximity to the Boulder area is a plus, but we're not opposed to driving a bit either.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

Why not the flatirons? The first flatironette has a walk off after about 2-3 pitches and also the the east face gully on the first. With the gully, I think the guide books say to cross the gully onto the face, but instead stay in the right dihedral. It's about 3ish pitches and also pulls right into a notch under the N. ridge with a walk off.

The third has bolted belays, but I don't believe they are rap-able without doubles and it's a much longer climb.

Then of course just for good measure: Angel's way, stairway to heaven, the spy etc. That way the climbing is easy but nice and long.

Check out Gerry Roach's "Flatiron Classics".

All killer diller...

MTN MIA · · Vail · Joined May 2006 · Points: 405

Eldo has some great multi pitch stuff but retreat is not easy, but hey you are super close to civilization.

Lumpy is just the best, can't think of any routes however with easy retreat....

To me it seems as the bee season is rapping up..... In fact I havnt seen many this year. Maybe you guys should plan to climb early summer and fall as bees seem to be more prevalent in July and August. Any thoughts on this from other climbers?

Adam B · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 310

Sheep Rock and Helens Dome are a nice.

mountainproject.com/v/goose…

Kelly P · · The Bubble, CO · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 10

Why not start her on multipitch sport? Tonnare Tower in Boulder Canyon has a few great 2-3 pitch sport and mixed routes, easy approach and descent :)

Brian C. · · Longmont, CO · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 1,100

I'd also throw in a vote for the Flatirons. My wife loves the low-angle of the east facing slabs. Tip Toe Slab on Frontporch is short and close to the car.

PS - There were a bunch of hornets hanging out in a puddle on the first pitch of the Direct on the First Flatiron so I'd avoid that one.

Andrew Sharpe · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 25

3rd Flatiron

Canon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2011 · Points: 0

swansons arete in eldo, organ pipes on twin owls, pin route on same.

will smith · · boulder · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 35

2 nd for Tonnare Tower in Boulder Canyon easy 5.8's

mountainhick · · Black Hawk, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 120

"an epi pen"

With serious allergy, that might buy you 15 minutes or less of an open airway.

If she's allergic to the point of anapylaxis, she should consult with a physician that understands the remoteness of her environment. Even just up a couple pitches with an anaphylactic emergency could mean hours of delay to get her to help or help to her. Usually this means carrying multiple doses of epi plus antihistimine and steroids. Just had a student with this level of allergic reaction on a climbing camp. His doc sent 8 epi pens plus many does of benadryl and prednisone along with him.

Christian Mason · · Westminster CO · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 161
Ben Hicks wrote:"an epi pen" With serious allergy, that might buy you 15 minutes or less of an open airway. If she's allergic to the point of anapylaxis, she should consult with a physician that understands the remoteness of her environment. Even just up a couple pitches with an anaphylactic emergency could mean hours of delay to get her to help or help to her. Usually this means carrying multiple doses of epi plus antihistimine and steroids. Just had a student with this level of allergic reaction on a climbing camp. His doc sent 8 epi pens plus many does of benadryl and prednisone along with him.
Excellent point. She's seen an allergist about them. He indicated that he though the allergy was serious enough to be dangerous.

That said, she has been stung, and hasn't required the epi, just a constant trickle of benedryl for the 24 hours following. I think her having a life threatening reaction from one sting is probably not super likely (but is certainly possible) but there's always the possibility of multiple stings.

She currently has a double strength epi pen that she carries when we do anything outside. We probably SHOULD get more if we're considering doing more back country stuff.

She's also considering getting regular allergy shots. These take a few years to be fully effective, but they can generally nearly eliminate the allergy with them.
Christian Mason · · Westminster CO · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 161
Kelly P wrote:Why not start her on multipitch sport? Tonnare Tower in Boulder Canyon has a few great 2-3 pitch sport and mixed routes, easy approach and descent :)
Excellent suggestion. We've done a few of these :-)
Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880
BigJuggsjohnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 220

Castle rock area in Boulder has some good 7,8 and 9s easy approach some moderate walk off , rock is clean and solid. There is a multi pitch sport called wrinkles in time at upper dream. Solid classic moderate for a 9. Some nutts required at first 20 ft then all bolted. Aprons on mt Evans although loose moderate approach good alpine exosure. Im sure she can lead a few pitches on all those routes I mentioned which will five her a sence of accomplishment and more desire to proceed in that direction.

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264
Ben Hicks wrote:"an epi pen" With serious allergy, that might buy you 15 minutes or less of an open airway. If she's allergic to the point of anapylaxis, she should consult with a physician that understands the remoteness of her environment. Even just up a couple pitches with an anaphylactic emergency could mean hours of delay to get her to help or help to her. Usually this means carrying multiple doses of epi plus antihistimine and steroids. Just had a student with this level of allergic reaction on a climbing camp. His doc sent 8 epi pens plus many does of benadryl and prednisone along with him.
+1, if it's that serious maybe you should stick to single pitch or wait till winter.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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