Poker Face 

Getting to the first bolt is a bit of a challenge if you're not too tall. After that, it's fun, easy climbing to the shared anchor!

The anchor bolts up there that are also shared w/Pony Up freaked me out a bit. They're worn through about half way from rope and could stand to be replaced.

Gear Maintenance - This topic has come up repeatedly over the last two years. Mark Rolofson and I, along with several other folks, started replacing worn anchors at North Table Mountain last year. I have personally replaced 22 double bolt top anchors on NTM alone and Mark has replaced at least 26, to say nothing of individual spinner bolts and hangers. This is simply a price that will have to be paid if we all intend to use in situ gear. Many of the routes in Clear Creek, Boulder Canyon, NTM, Castlewood, Shelf Road, etc, etc are badly in need as well. We thrashed about with some sort of mechanism for funding the process and organizing the effort. So far, Mark has been stuck with the lion's share of this task and he certainly can't do it alone, nor even with my help. First, we need a list of routes, compiled by area, where the old gear needs replacement. Second, we need to divy up the cost in some rational way. On average, a double bolt top anchor will cost close to 20 bucks for bolts, hangers, and rap system (chains, rings, etc.). Third, we need enough people willing to do the work that the job gets done. Fourth, we need a mechanism for recording which routes have been repaired and when. This is not a minor effort. Pick up a copy of Mark's or Rossiter's guides and you quickly realize that there are hundreds of popular routes in the Front Range alone that are in need of repair. This is also not without its potential legal issues. As best as I can tell, the anonymous individual effort to replace old worn anchors has only scratched the surface. Once again, it seems timely to cobble our thoughts together and see what we can come up with.

The worn cold shuts at the top of Poker Face were replaced sometime this week. Kudos to someone.

Commiting first move gives this route a 5.9 rating in most guide books, but after the first clip its hard to say its much more than a 5.7. Get the first move wired and this becomes a mellow warm up, worth a lap prior to moving on to harder routes.

- KT

A fun little warmup, I agree with Kyle. A friend of mine led this as her first outdoor lead, and it worked out well. She's short, so it was a bit bouldery for the start.

I recovered a few draws this evening (3/20).

I will be very happy to return them to the owner.

7 bolts including the anchor. The first moves (if leading) could use a spotter - very bouldery, and give the route its rating. Easiest line to start seemed to be on the right hand side for us. Above this first bolt, mostly 5.7ish climbing.

Fun warm up, bouldery start, if shorter.
Note on worn rap bolts: if people would not TR or lower off bolts they would last a lot longer, so add your own draws for TR, and rappel off, vs lower off, bolts would last much longer.

Like Pony Up, this route has a rather tricky first bolt. Be careful getting to it, as it's essentially a pretty pumpy boulder problem.. There is a left traverse and a right traverse to the first bolt. Follow the chalk. The right is a bit harder than the left. After that it's easier, but not super easy. I wouldn't say it's a 7, but an easier 8, but it's relative I suppose. I guess it's a 7, but a less "quality" 7, and so it makes the route harder because it's not as intuitive as a "better" climb.

Steep but with big holds at the start - UK technical grade 5a but very safe due to bolts.