The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
Jason Alexander enjoying his first lead on Cowboy ...
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An excellent beginner lead with generally solid gear placements. Scramble up onto the large shelf just left of the Tourist Gully. Cowboy Boot Crack follows the disjunct crack system on the left side of the blunt arete until it meets the ridge, then follows easy ground to a belay at huge eyebolts. Downclimb the Tourist Gully (5.0) or rappel. A 60m rope will just barely reach the platform for the rappel and for setting up a TR.
This route just gobbles up small to medium stoppers. One can stop at the bolts for Trigger Finger, the .9 face climb just left of Cowboy, for a more manageable rappel. Remember the Garden mantra: Pull down, not out.
I did this route again on Sunday. There is a placement where the Cowboy Boot (the 15-foot tall finger-like formation near the bottom of the route) leans up against the headwall where one could girth-hitch a bridge (I hesitate to call it a pot-hole) between the Boot and the headwall. The bridge is dangerously eroded, and I doubt it would hold a fall.
To me, this raises an interesting question. Obviously, the bridge (or whatever you geologists would prefer to name it) has eroded because of use by climbers. What had been a beefy, thick naturally-occurring Big Bro when I first started climbing four years ago is now a mere finger's-width. I'm sure some natural erosion has taken place, but it's easy to see the groove where slings have been rubbing away at the rock. Besides not using this any more (I won't), do we as climbers have any affirmative obligations to repair the damage? Is there any cost-effective way to do it in the first place?
Just curious to see if anyone has any thoughts on this issue.
It's certainly possible to traverse in to the anchor from the tourist gully. There are one or two mandatory fifth class moves, if the correct route is chosen. It feels more exposed than it looks from the ground.
By David Danforth From: California/Colorado Dec 30, 2002
You can climb the leftern part of the tourist gully to get to the anchors. It's a good way to get up and set up a nice TR. When you get ot the base of the route, just right, there is a small gully next to the tourist gully. Head up the one next to Cowboy. its not too tough but a little exposed. Then, when you get to the top, its just an easy move over a horn and you are right above the anchors.
If you use the double ring bolt anchors at the top, bring your 60m rope for rappel. Stoppers, #1 camalot, and a draw (or two if you continue to the upper anchor) will sew it well.
By Joshua Balke From: Colorado Springs Jun 24, 2007
Took some beginners out this afternoon and a friend ascended the Tourist Gully clearly trailing a rope to set up a TR and was told promptly by someone to get down. I was a bit irritated when I showed up to hear this as he was clearly a "technical climber" with rope and gear and climbing perfectly safely. So, the answer to the above is yes you can, but you may be shouted at.
By England From: Colorado Springs, CO Sep 28, 2008 rating: 5.6
Good route. Short, and leaves you wanting more. Found excellent placements for a 6 & 7 Hex (passive), and technical Friends 1.25" thru 2" (active). A lot of other placement opportunities, mostly small to medium nuts.
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