Free solo Flatirons sept 27th. Need a partner/ route guide

I'm looking to free solo the first flatiron. I believe the route is called "direct east route". It's the one with 10 pitches at 1000ft. I have done a good amount of research about the first flatiron and this particular route. I would like to climb with someone that has free soloed the route and/or free soloed some of the flatirons. Someone that will make sure I don't get off route.

Here is a little rundown about myself: I just planned a spur of the moment trip out to boulder. 23 years old. I'm coming from auburn AL. I'm a manager of a climbing gym. My primary discipline is sport climbing and bouldering. I have few trad routes under my belt.

I'm graduating in dec and I'm wanting to checkout some local/regional companies to apply to. Other than that I just want to have a rad weekend vacation.

Cheers

Jarred Stacey
918 457 8670
jds0032@auburn.edu

Just go find out. No matter what way you go it's not going to be hard. If you're ready to free solo it, you should be ready to down climb it, right?

S Denny wrote:Just go find out. No matter what way you go it's not going to be hard. If you're ready to free solo it, you should be ready to down climb it, right?

And I recommend maybe soloing the flatironette and 2nd flatiron first as well. Get a feel for the style of climbing, as well as the features. Both those climbs are shorter, easier and less committing.

The flats are awesome, but they are their own style of climbing. Sometimes dirty, sometimes greasy and smooth, diverse and usually almost always awesome.

Do some low .5ish scrambles and get your feet wet.

Just my opinion of course.

Scott McMahon wrote: And I recommend maybe soloing the flatironette and 2nd flatiron first as well. Get a feel for the style of climbing, as well as the features. Both those climbs are shorter, easier and less committing. The flats are awesome, but they are their own style of climbing. Sometimes dirty, sometimes greasy and smooth, diverse and usually almost always awesome. Do some low .5ish scrambles and get your feet wet. Just my opinion of course.

Thanks for the advice guys!

Jarred-Stacey wrote: Thanks for the advice guys!

One additional suggestion: go climb the Southwest Face first. That ends up being the descent route, and if you don't have someone to show you the way, could be exciting...

It would be easy to do this after doing the second flatiron. You top out Freeway (the route most folks do on the 2nd), you are basically on the trail between the 1st and 2nd. Keep going up the trail for a few more minutes and you will get to the southwest face of the 1st.

I tried to solo it once. After the 36th straight hour with no end in sight, I hunkered down behind a dead condor to rest. The next day brought better weather but the warmth caused a huge fissure to open up, nearly swallowing me whole.

After about a week and possibly a yeti sighting (and act of sodomy), I found myself at the summit. Upon returning I had 3 toes amputated, not from frostbite but just so I'd always remember the experience.

I understand the desire not to get off route on this route, but if you need a companion, if you will, to feel comfortable soloing this you should find a better objective. I say this as someone who's not a local and who did solo this route on a short trip to Boulder. However, I was and am primarily a trad climber, had done a lot of slab climbing (being from So Cal it's hard to avoid) and had previously soloed some interesting things, like Snake Dike and the East Face of Mt. Whitney. Even with that, I thought the route demanded most of my attention and I ended taking an alternate exit up high because the normal finish had some reachy moves and felt insecure without a rope. YMMV. I am not dissuading you from trying this; just trying to suggest that perhaps you consider some alternatives that you'd feel comfortable on without a partner.

You could consider the East Face Standard route up the 3rd flatiron.

There are always people there on the route & if there aren't all you have to do is follow the eyebolts and you will be on route.

The downclimb is the hardest part but not that bad.

Sorry, Nicelegs: the Yeti was me. It was a lonely winter.

Jarred: I'm in town this week on business and have been climbing a bunch. I'm going to shoot for a 3rd, 2nd, 1st, link-up early Friday morning (26th) if that interests you. I'd echo what the others have said here about doing Freeway on the 2nd as an intro. It was my first Flatirons solo and was very comfortable even with some meandering around: a good way to get a feel for the place. You can wear approach shoes (or whatever really) and step off one trail and onto another so there's no worries about downclimbing, etc.

Just eat some 'shrooms. You'll be fine.

Tug wrote:Just eat some 'shrooms. You'll be fine.

^^ Best advice yet. Also get naked. Seems to help.

Ho hum, another naked stoned free soloist in Boulder......