Solaris Rock Climbing
Elevation: | 7,224 ft |
GPS: |
40.0001, -105.4125 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 54,996 total · 220/month |
Shared By: | Ray Snead on Oct 4, 2003 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
2/1/24: W. McCurry: to protect nesting golden eagles, U.S. FS annual area closures in Boulder Canyon beginning 2/1/24 - Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, Eagle Rock, Security Risk.
USFS lifted closures 7/26/23.
From W. McCurry: 2/10/23 Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk opened. Eagle Rock stayed closed - info: fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news….
W. McCurry, NFS, Arap./Roo. NF: USFS began annual area closures in BC 2/1/23. The closures were Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Through 7/31/23, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera will remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District with BCC monitors nesting progress & informs climbers about giving the eagles space to raise young.
Fed. & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting closures. Signs are posted at key access pts into the closed areas. Closure info: fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/eagles.
K. Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist, Nat'l Forest Service: as of 6/8/21: BC areas reopen after unsuccessful nesting.
K. Armstrong, NF Ranger 7/29/20:
Following a 5 mo. closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF has reopened Eagle Rock.
“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong & healthy eaglet this year,” wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, only 1 survived to fledge, which isn’t uncommon in birds of prey.”
Visits to the nest did not reveal the exact cause of death of the 2nd chick, but climber cooperation with closures are crucial to the eagles.
“Golden eagle pairs are most susceptible to disturbance when choosing a nest. These closures allow the birds to pick the best site for survival without impact of other factors, such as human presence. Once chosen, nest sites stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.
After the eagles’ site selection was made, unused areas opened in Apr.
The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Effective through 7/31/20, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving the eagles space to raise their young.
It is against federal & state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, & wildlife professionals under an agreement with the FS enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest & the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, & the public. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting all closures & leaving immediately if you should accidentally enter one.
For the most current closure information, check signs in the areas, call the Boulder Ranger District office @ 303-541-2500, or visit local climbing websites or fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
As of 4/21/20, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open. Eagle Rock stays closed until 7/31/2020 confirmed with Matt Henry, Rec Prog Mgr, FS.
From K. Armstrong, FS Pub Aff, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607: 3/20/19, Blob, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security are open. Eagle stays closed to climbing & other activities through 7/31/19.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress & to inform climbers.
See - fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
Perennial notice:
Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security will close 2/1 - 7/31 for nesting. Depending on updated information, the closure time can be shortened/lengthened.
Each year, BC raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting 2/1 through 7/31 at Eagle, Security, Blob, & Bitty Buttress. The area is monitored & closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the FS Boulder Ranger District, BCC, & Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. More info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/rec…
Description
A worthy crag, Solaris lies just left of Avalon. The crag consists of four buttresses separated by steep gullies. The main walls face west and provide morning shade for hot-weather climbing, and afternoon sun for climbing in cooler weather.
There are over a dozen routes here, most of them developed by Richard Rossiter and various partners.
Most routes are fully bolted sport routes, and can be done with a 50m rope and a set of quickdraws. There are a few trad routes and a few that require some gear in addition to the bolts.
Solaris has routes on three levels: the Lower Tier, the Main Wall, and the Summit Tower. To get to the Lower Tier, continue up the talus about a hundred feet above the creek, then cut left and down along the base of the wall for several hundred feet.
L->R:
Routes on the Lower Tier:
A. Crumbs, 8+, 1p, gear, 60'.
B. Left Line, 8, 1p, 60', bolts. Face with horizontal cracks to slab. Can continue on Leftovers, 5, 120', gear.
C. Arete, 9, 1p, 60', TR.
D. Crack, 9, 1p.
E1. Right Line, 8, 1p, 50', bolts. Face to tree to pillar.
E2. The Right Way, 8, 55', gear.
To get to the Main Wall, continue up the talus and look for cairns. Cut L at the cairns and follow a trail along the base of the wall. The first route you'll see is Contact. The other routes lie several hundred feet farther left, past a gully.
Routes on the Main Wall:
F. Fawkes and the Pilot, 10, 1p, 65', bolts.
G. Don't Get Me Started, 5, 1p, 70', bolts. Face to ramp.
H. Start Me Up, 7, 1p, 70', bolts. Face to slab.
I. Just End It, 8, 1p, 70', bolts.
J. The Luminosity, 9, 1p, 80', bolts. L side of roof.
K. Tower of Power, 10-, 1p, 80', bolts. R side of roof.
L. My Place In the Universe, 11, 1p, 65', gear.
M. Mission to Mars, 10-, 1p, 40', bolts & gear. Crack by tree.
N. Party On, 10-, 1p, 80', gear.
O. Harvest Moon, 8+ PG-13, 1p, 80', gear.
To the right of the below mentioned gully.
P. Contact 9, 1-2p, 130', bolts. Corner to face.
A steep gully lies between Contact and Mission To Mars. There are 3 routes on a ledge on the right at the top of this gully.
Q. Mephistophiles, 10, 1p, 60', gear & bolt. Finger crack to face to crack.
R. Twilight Zone, 10-, 1p, 60', bolts. Face.
S. Kundalini Express, 8, 1p, 80', gear. Dihedral to slab to headwall. R of Twilight Zone.
The Summit Tower is on the tier above the Main Wall (according to R. Rossiter's excellent guidebook is Japanese Garden):
T. Stellar Drifter, 9, 1-2p, 150', gear. Crack by tree.
U. Cosmic Explorer, 11+, 1p, 50', bolts. Slab R of P2 of Stellar Drifter.
V. Chomo Lungma, 7.
At the cutoff to the Main Wall, you can head south (upstream) and find a path to the Tarot Wall area on Avalon.
Getting There
Approach #2: If the water is too high to wade, you'll have to cross the creek via a tyrolean traverse. Unfortunately, the tyrolean traverse that used to be set up below Solaris is no longer present (as of 5/25/06), so the easiest tyrolean to use is the one below Avalon, another tenth of a mile up the canyon. You can park at a paved pullout on the right across from Avalon at 8.2 miles to shorten the walk to the Avalon tyrolean. Use the Avalon tyrolean, then hike up the talus angling left below the First Tier of Avalon. Continue up to the left side of Tarot Wall on the Second Tier of Avalon, and take a path north (downstream) toward Solaris. Go through a short wooded section, cross a talus field and within several hundred feet you'll arrive at a trail leading to the Main Wall of Solaris (look for cairns).
Classic Climbing Routes at Solaris
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