Type: | Trad, 250 ft (76 m), 2 pitches, Grade II |
FA: | John Chapman & Steve Hickman, 1963 (from Rossiter)? |
Page Views: | 10,260 total · 36/month |
Shared By: | Charles Vernon on Dec 31, 2000 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/28/23
Details
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Description
Organ Pipes is a very strange moderate route (with an excellent 5.8+ crack variation) on the Lower Twin Owls, which is the large buttress directly below Twin Owls, and essentially connected to them. The route [used to be] identified from the [old] parking lot by some steep looking grooves, left of a huge corner, which reach up to the center of the Twin Owls. Take the marked approach trail from the new parking lot, following the signs for Lower Twin Owls. When the trail reaches the broken rock at the base of Lower Twin Owls, head left along the base. You'll soon (~35') see a wide, forested gully (which ascends West of the Twin Owls) on your right heading uphill. Hike and scramble up the gully (steep & loose for some) for several hundred feet until you can see the distinctive Organ Pipes (huge corner) through the trees uphill to your right. The start is in an alcove at the base of the (now less-steep looking) grooves (next to a leaning tree) with the large wall of the corner looming to the right.
P1. Pick a groove fairly close to the corner, and use clever route finding to attain a perch in the corner about 100 feet up (insecure, Lumpy-style 5.6).
P2. Climb more of the same, to a ledge just below the top. Belay here, or climb the corner (5.6), a crack just left (5.7), or a beautiful hand crack left of that (5.8, recommended).
Descend by scrambling east along the base of Twin Owls, to pick up the eastern approach trail, or continue up a route above. If taking the easiest variation, the route is exactly 200 feet long.
P1. Pick a groove fairly close to the corner, and use clever route finding to attain a perch in the corner about 100 feet up (insecure, Lumpy-style 5.6).
P2. Climb more of the same, to a ledge just below the top. Belay here, or climb the corner (5.6), a crack just left (5.7), or a beautiful hand crack left of that (5.8, recommended).
Descend by scrambling east along the base of Twin Owls, to pick up the eastern approach trail, or continue up a route above. If taking the easiest variation, the route is exactly 200 feet long.
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