The Cathedral Spires are closed from March 1 to July 31 for raptor nesting.
Cynical Pinnacle
Description
Cynical Pinnacle is probably the most popular of the crags in the Cathedral Spires of the South Platte. It's prominent south-facing prow attracts the eye for miles. This spire hosts a number of fine routes. The ever popular Center Route gains the greatest lines & waits. However, Wunsch's Dihedral is an excellent sustained line for the intermediate to advanced crack climber. Turf Spreader draws the eye, but requires a pumpy roof to gain entry to its beautiful upper crack. The Prayer Book was once featured in a Jeff Lowe video. Breashear's Crack is a fun test piece for the advanced.
Getting There
Walk uphill up one of the various of the trails ascending from the North Fork of the South Platte River. You may pass various abandoned relics from a different era along the way.
Descent
Double ropes are necessary to rappel down the S face.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Cynical Pinnacle:
This route is three pitches of some of the best crack climbing around. I've heard it called the best 5.9 in the state. The first pitch is a hand/finger crack where you can use a little lie-backing. Belay at slings.The second pitch is the crux, it's a long pitch that leads up a perfect hand crack over a couple little bulges. Every jam is bomber, but, it is pretty sustained. Set a hanging belay once the crack is about to widen up.The third pit...[more]Browse More Classics in CO
Just wanted to mention that you can get down from the summit with a 70m rope. From the shoulder on top of Center Route, run across the wall to the top of the handcrack on Turf Spreader (bolt and fixed nut). Then to the next bolted anchor on the slab and so on.
Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!
RSS Feed
Slideshow
