BETA PHOTO: Redgarden Wall, showing the major features and the...
Description
Some will arguably consider this the premier section of the premier cliff of the premier area for the Denver Metro area. Many will agree that it contains the premier route for the area with The Naked Edge. This section of Redgarden Wall will include terrain left of Redguard extending to Ruper and including all above the Roof Routes and above the Lower Ramp.
Wow, what an amazing stretch of rock with an amazing history. It all began, as documneted in B. Godfrey's & D. Chelton's Climb!, with the first ascent of T2 by Layton Kor & Gerry Roach in 1959, starting with the intro by Kor of "want to go climbing tomorrow, Gerry?", "Sure, Layton, what's up?", "Uh, just a route in Eldorado. I'll pick you up at 4 a.m." The climb proceeded as planned with the classic-Kor statements during the ascent of "This route's gotta go!" and Tower Two was opened for climbing.
The famous Naked Edge began with Stanley Sheperd visualizing a line up this same buttress while reading the lurid novel Naked Edge (which has been made into a movie). The unstoppable Kor followed a terrified retreat off the line with S. Komito with success in 1962 with B. Culp to open this most famous line. In 1971, Jim Erickson & Duncan Ferguson fulfilled Pat Ament's vision of a free Naked Edge. Subsequently, it has become the goal of ultra-bold soloists and even captured on film of the late-Derek Hersey soloing Naked Edge (along with The Diving Board) in Peter Mortimer's excellent Front Range Freaks. However, note this is a bold line has hazards for even gifted climbers. Some may recall the incredible story documented in Jeff Achey's Climb and in an article in Rock & Ice of Coral Bowman, in 1978, who rappelled off her line and in superhuman fashion grabbed and caught herself barehanded with her haul line, & horribly burned her hands. She saved own her life but the experience completely changed her climbing career. So, be careful up there.
Many videos have celebrated the spectacular climbing here including Peter Mortimer's excellent Scary Faces with its focus on Jules Verne, Beth Bennett & Lynn Hill's video on an early all-female free attempt (title?), and others.
The climbs here are what many of us dream about and live for!
It would be wise to plan your descents before you leave the ground since none are completely obvious. Many of the lines that go to the top can be descended with at least 4 methods. 1) You can rappel the Swanson Arete or Dirty Deed rappels with double ropes. 2) You can downscramble the East Slabs Descent (plan - to be fleshed out with its own separate description) low 4th class- note this is exposed, lengthy, and particularly slippery when wet. You may wind up a long way from your gear and comfortable shoes. Also, the last bit can be challenging in the spring with a wet slab finish or funky downclimb down a chimney. 3) you can rappel the Chockstone Chimney rappels which take you to the top of the Upper Ramp or Meadows. Here, you can rappel the Vertigo rappels (60m or 2 ropes) or carefully descend the Upper Meadows to the rappels below The Naked Edge. 4) You perform the lengthy traverse W or left off the top going to the top of Redgarden Wall around Hot Spur and into the 3rd class+ gully.
Getting There
To access this section of Redgarden Wall, you should park at the east end of Eldorado Canyon SP, hike uphill briefly, cross the bridge. Here you may choose one of 2 approaches depending on your exact line and preference. To access the furthest R routes, you can hike either around either the L of the The Whale's Tail or you continue upstream, cross the concrete pad, follow the trail, take the right fork and you arrived nearly at the base of T2.
The Edge is one of the most classic climbs in America.There are several ways to reach the base of the Edge, the easiest and quickest is Touch and Go. Touch and Go had a line on it when we were racking up, and we took a runout .8 crack thirty feet to the right that ended at some bolts near the base of Anthill Direct. From the Lower Ramp climb the Cave Pitch, an interesting 5.8 overhang, and reach a three-bolt belay at the base of the first pitch....[more]
The rappel tree on the top of the upper ramp (that puts you more or less at the base of Vertigo) is NOT stable. I was up there last week in high winds and the entire tree was lifting up out of the ground with each gust. I was sitting on the rocks near the tree and was lifted off the ground each time the tree would move. I left a rap anchor that consisted of three equalized stoppers, but I'm afraid the new anchor will be treated like booty gear. The tree may be fine, but under the circumstances I was not willing to trust my life to, "it's probably okay".
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO Mar 29, 2007
ROC wrote:
WARNING!!! The rappel tree on the top of the upper ramp (that puts you more or less at the base of Vertigo) is NOT stable.
A bolted rappel anchor was installed near this tree on 8/21/06, after approval by the Eldorado Fixed Hardware Review Committee. See Photo, Photo, Photo for details.
Redgarden - Tower Two
Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!
RSS Feed
