Please consider carefully investigating the access to this cliff prior to climbing.
I tried to delete this photo, as I did with my oth...
Description
A small crag with a few good lines that lies perhaps only 5-10 minutes from the new 'Gem Lake' parking for Lumpy. This is a good option if you only have a short time or weather is questionable. The crag and climb names are dedicated in remembrance of the modern social phenomenon of the most recent 'Teen Queens.' Lindsey Lohan, Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, Nicole Riche, etc... the crowd of millionaire kids becoming Hollywood screw-ups.
Presently there are 2 routes on the rock. Not great, but not bad. Probably as good as anything else that close to the car, and north-facing so as to catch shade until at least mid-day.
The routes are: 1) 'Too Much Too Soon' (AKA: 'Freedom'), a surprisingly good 5.7 rising traverse along a ramp that runs 80 feet to a vertical crack crux and then out along the summit to the top of 'Too Little Too Late' for the rap station.
2) 'Too Little Too Late' (AKA: 'Discipline'), a 5.10 crack to seam to face climb that lies perhaps 200 feet up the shallow gully. The line climbs up from a crack-start near the right-most of two medium pines growing very close to the rock. The crack ends 1/2 way up and leaves a few options for particular stopper or RP placements on the way to the top.
To descend form this crag you can go to the second on two very large huecos on the West side of the summit, just above the top of 'Too Little Too Late' and find there a 2-sling threaded socket and a steel link. Medium cams can be added to this to create a good belay or TR anchor if desired. In wet weather these huecos may be holding some water and be less pleasant to belay from.
Getting There
Head up the Gem Lake trail as for Crescent Wall, but before that comes into view, you will travel within meters along the base of pair of rising slabs on the right. Looking up above the toe of the first, you will observe a crag perhaps 80' in height with a roof formed by 3 blocks jutting out over the NW end, well overhead. This is the toe of "Teen Queens Crag". The shallow and low-angle gully that extends from the base of this and up between it and the second rock that is passed is perhaps 10 meters wide and very easily walked. Approached from this point, both climbs will be on your right.
This crag is on McGregor Ranch land according to the maps and signage on the ground. We climbed at this spot extensively around 2000-1 before realizing our error.
Unless it can be proven otherwise, probably best to take this area out of the data base so as not to threaten access at Lumpy or create huge issues for climbing on the McGregor Ranch who own this property. Also, no reason to have a rap anchor on top of this cliff as it's a 30 second walk-off to the north.
Please check the maps at the new trailhead which show the park boundaries that are some distance out from the new parking lot. Signs request hikers to stay on the trail until through the McGregor Ranch and into the park.
There were a couple of guys last summer driling bolts on top of a walk-off crack climb (for an anchor) just east of the parking lot on (obvious) private land. Bad idea and I know the landowners were up there soon and unhappy about it.
As well, it's never a good idea to be drilling bolts on a busy weekend in plain view of a busy parking lot or hikers. A recent poll on "environmental impacts" showed that many of the "public" rank climbing third, right behind minining and timber as the greatest threat to our natural resources. Go figure....
I failed to realize these crags could be (probably are) on private land. It's true enough that they lie between the "Stay On Trail" sign and the Park boundary sign, but I hadn't made the connection until Eli pointed it out. I will remove my comments and pictures, and second the motion to remove the entire area from the database. Cheers, Jason
But it's such a great crag name, maybe it can be "saved" and used for some other outstanding cliff that is not on private property with "no trespassing signs". I'm sure there is someplace in Boulder Canyon that deserves this honor. It's been called "Gem Canyon" by the Estes locals for almost a decade but we sure do appreciate your help in coming up with other creative crag and route names - especially from such helpful Boulderites!
Teen Queens' Crag
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