Boulder Area must do's

I will be in Boulder Oct. 2-10, and want a must do list from some locals. Due to injury, I am not in great climbing shape, only been back in it for a year after a two year layoff. I can comfortably lead 5.8, or maybe a short section of 5.9/.10 if well protected, technical rather than steep/juggy.
The emphasis should be Eldo, I really love that place. What will be cold, what will be warm, loose rock etc.

Eldo:
Ruper
Swanson's Arete
Rewritten
Bastille Crack
Gambit
Touch and Go
Flatirons:
First
Third
BoCan
Empor
Cussin Crack
Curving Crack

Thanks ahead of time.
I have two guidebooks by Rossiter, one is High Over Boulder. The other is a Falcon Guide for Eldo.

in Eldo-Rosy has a short, technical, 10b/c crux and linking it into upper Ruper or Alice in Bucketland makes for a sweet ride. Star Wars on Lower Peanuts is a very, very cool 8.

For Eldo, hike a few extra minutes up to Cadillac crag for a handfull of fantastic moderates (.7-.8+) with some options for your buddy to toprope/lead hard hard hard bolted face routes. It faces west, and will be nice and warm in the sun in the afternoon. Farther down the ridge, Xanadu is a great 10a that protects well enough and could be fun for you if you want to push yourself, and there are many fun 7's around that area too.

In BC, Cussing Crack is fun, but mildly intimidating if your only leading 8's. Even though there is a plethora of fantastic climbing in BC, I can't really recommend an outting to anywhere other than maybe Castle or Cob rocks, there are better destinations for someone on a vacation out here.

Flatirons, solo the standard route on the first, then head back up Zig-Zag for slabtacular fun. There are a lot of great solo's in the southern flatirons, but the approaches and finding them can be a little tricky, unless you have a book or good directions stick to the main areas.

The weather has been beautiful here and probably will be on and off all winter, so just plan on cool mornings heating up quickly by 11 or so.

LUMPY!!!

In Eldo Long John (5.8) is my favorite route under 5.10. The first pitch is easy but heady. The rest is fantastic.

V3 on Cadillac is my favorite single pitch 5.8. Good crack climbing in a corner.

Better then anything in that range in Eldo (my opinion of course) would be to drive south for an hour to Cynical Pinnical and climb the standard route. Many people think this is the best 5.9 route in the state. Three outstanding pitches of splitter crack with endless gear options. Have your buddy lead the 5.10 3rd pitch variation so you can top out on the tower. However, avoid this route on the weekends or if it is really hot.

Touch and Go to the Anthill Direct is one of the best long routes I've done. Every pitch is awesome!

"in Eldo-Rosy has a short, technical, 10b/c crux and linking it into upper Ruper or Alice in Bucketland makes for a sweet ride."

What? The guy said he is a 5.8/9 leader. Alice would be a head ride for sure, so would Rosy. Both awesome routes though.

Prod.

umph slot. that's the ticket.

+1 on Touch n Go into Anthill Direct with the direct 9 finish. (south facing)

+1 on Long John and Gambit (west/south facing)

+1 Ruper (top pitches are a bit heady!) (south)

Vershnidung- 5.8 handcrack, super fun! (west/south)

+1 on Star Wars (west)

+1 on V3 up at cadillac crag, along with Gonzo and 'your ugly and your mother dresses you funny'. (south)

+1 Rewritten doing the Great Zot first pitch and Arete finish. (south)

One I havnt seen is yellow spur!!! especially if you have a rope gun to do the 5.9 bolt ladder (although the hard part does protect, you are on bolts, and its technical/thin rather than juggy/steep, then runout 5.7ish traverse to the belay) and perhaps the awkward 5.9 first pitch. You can swing pitches in the middle for sure at 5.8. (south)

You can honestly skip bastille, I know its all famous and everyone does it, but after doing it a few times, I'd much rather go jump on anything else on the list first. (north)

Blind Faith, listed at 10a, but its 5.7, 5.8 climbing into a 2 move 10a handcrack crux that protects super well. Its a burly slightly overhanging move, but bomber pro (#2 c4) will be at your waist. (west)

Know your descent for any of the long routes! nothing more humbling than topping out Rewritten or Yellow Spur and not knowing how to get down! Take a headlamp FOR SURE.

• edit for cardinal fixings...

Rincon wall: Emerald city and second pitch of Over the Hill. Then go down, past Rincon, and have your partner lead Chockstone to the top. Then go over to the top of West Ridge and let your partner lead Prince of Darkness.

Or start at Handcracker Direct (for your partner) or Long John Wall(for you) on West Ridge and go the other way.

Phill T wrote:+1 on Touch n Go into Anthill Direct with the direct 9 finish. (south facing) +1 on Long John and Gambit (east/south facing) +1 Ruper (top pitches are a bit heady!) (south) Vershnidung- 5.8 handcrack, super fun! (east/south) +1 on Star Wars (east) +1 on V3 up at cadillac crag, along with Gonzo and 'your ugly and your mother dresses you funny'. (south) +1 Rewritten doing the Great Zot first pitch and Arete finish. (south) One I havnt seen is yellow spur!!! especially if you have a rope gun to do the 5.9 bolt ladder (although the hard part does protect, you are on bolts, and its technical/thin rather than juggy/steep, then runout 5.7ish traverse to the belay) and perhaps the awkward 5.9 first pitch. You can swing pitches in the middle for sure at 5.8. (south) You can honestly skip bastille, I know its all famous and everyone does it, but after doing it a few times, I'd much rather go jump on anything else on the list first. (north) Blind Faith, listed at 10a, but its 5.7, 5.8 climbing into a 2 move 10a handcrack crux that protects super well. Its a burly slightly overhanging move, but bomber pro (#2 c4) will be at your waist. (east) Know your descent for any of the long routes! nothing more humbling than topping out Rewritten or Yellow Spur and not knowing how to get down! Take a headlamp FOR SURE.

Nit picking but it can matter when it is really hot or cold.

Long John - south west

Vershnidung - south west

Star Wars - north west

Most of Cadillac - south and south west

Just fyi.

My $0.02

Long John w/ Break on Through start should be up there on the list.

I think Gambit is over-hyped and that long John is a FAR better climb.

+10 for Handcracker

Blind Faith is another great one, as said before first pitch has a short crux that protects well, I took my first real lead fall on gear here. Nice 6 foot lob didn't hit anything on the way down, actually did it twice before I figured it out. Make your ropegun take the second pitch though technically easier its definitely spicy.

If you got up to do Star Wars a couple more minutes up the hill is Heavy Weather 5.9 which I thought was another superb climb!

Not so sure about the essential nature of my recommends-however... the West Ridge in Eldo offers a lot of bang for your buck in the moderate range, and October is a great time to be there.
Washington Irving 5.6, is a great way to get a feel for the rock, with excellent protection.
Mesca-Line 5.7+, classic and just a tad spicy, not dangerous.
Pony Express(first pitch) 5.9,interesting and safe if your gear skills are average.
Positively Fourth St, 5.9, short, but sweet.
Steve Levins' new Eldo guide is pricey, but is simply the best guidebook I've ever seen.

Bastille - 5.7 Shady

Touch and Go - 5.8 Sunny (Finish up on Anthill)

Perversion (Micky Mouse)- 5.9 Am shade / sunny afternoon

Rosy Crucifixion - 5.10- Sunny (Nice finish is which I just did is Body Tremors 5.8 to Smoke and Mirrors 5.10a )

I think these represent great standards for their grade. It should be noted I tend to think in terms of old school grades. If you go up to Mickey Mouse and your partner feels up to it don't miss Captain Beyond.

wow Greg, yeah total brainfart, flipped E/W for most of those...

Neptune's has a good tick list on their website:

neptunemountaineering.com/n…

Nobody mentions Wind Ridge or West Overhang of the Wind Tower as great 5.7-5.8 intros to Eldo?
Hmmm...

Rosy Crucifixion would be a bad idea if you are not solid at the grade. I dunno what possesses people to suggest that to a guy saying he's only leading 5.8. And Alice in Bucketland too? The '5.8+' climb which Rossiter described in the guidebook as "guaranteed to elicit fear and loathing in the 5.8 leader" ???

Come on people, he wants fun, not shit in his pants.

Chris Wiedner wrote an article about the best climbsin Boulder published by the Daily Camera once too... done by survey of 100+ people. I read it, but forgot what the title was. Has anyone got a link.

Brett Brotherton wrote: I think Gambit is over-hyped and that Long John is a FAR better climb.

I would have said exactly the opposite. No accounting for taste either way.

Brett Brotherton wrote: Blind Faith is another great one, as said before first pitch has a short crux that protects well, I took my first real lead fall on gear here. Nice 6 foot lob didn't hit anything on the way down, actually did it twice before I figured it out. Make your ropegun take the second pitch though technically easier its definitely spicy.

Ditto. +1, etc...
If you are tall (5'10" or above) the RIGHT HAND finish to P1, a variation, is just one hard but more secure move, also on great gear.
That's a go-for-it route if you feel like it, otherwise a good one to follow.

Umph Slot. Very funny, Slim! Notorious nasty sandbag.

Hi-sorry to jump in the chain. I'm new to Boulder and have friends visiting already. Can anyone recommend routes in Eldo that you can do with 3 people? I'd say 5.7-5.10a/b.

Thanks and if this is against protocal let me know- I'm also new to MP.

Leuko wrote:Hi-sorry to jump in the chain. I'm new to Boulder and have friends visiting already. Can anyone recommend routes in Eldo that you can do with 3 people? I'd say 5.7-5.10a/b. Thanks and if this is against protocal let me know- I'm also new to MP.

Every route in Eldo can be done with 3. Probably half of the routes I've done in Eldo were with 3.