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Eldo sucks AKA the crag blasphemer's thread

Original Post
willeslinger · · Golden, Colorado · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 25

I don't particularly love Eldorado Canyon SP, but most of my friends think it's pretty much the greatest climbing area of all time ever to have sprung out of the earth's crust.

What's that area for you? The ultra classic place to climb that you feel bashful for even slightly disparaging, but in your heart of hearts you just don't absolutely love.

J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926
willeslinger wrote:I don't particularly love Eldorado Canyon SP, but most of my friends think it's pretty much the greatest climbing area of all time ever to have sprung out of the earth's crust. What's that area for you? The ultra classic place to climb that you feel bashful for even slightly disparaging, but in your heart of hearts you just don't absolutely love.
If you are gonna try and stir the pot, at least go all in. Here watch.

Eldo = choss pile.
Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665

1) J-tree = short slabs.
Nice weather in December though, so I'll probably keep going there in the winter.

2) As well, sport climbing in Red Rocks. (the long trad is fine)
WTF? It's for people that never heard of Red River, apparently.

3) Devil's Lake Wisconsin. They's make it a city park in any state West of the Mississippi, but where it stands, they worship it.

That said, I'd spend a day at any of them before doing dishes or mowing the lawn... They're good places. Just not up to the hype.

Glenn Schuler · · Monument, Co. · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,330
J. Albers wrote: Eldo = choss pile.
Yeah, but it's an ultra classic chosspile!
csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

Eldo?! How about this...all of RMNP is a chosspile! Tetons too while we're at it.

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759
Wikipedia weighs in:
El Dorado is also sometimes used as a metaphor to represent an ultimate prize or "Holy Grail" that one might spend one's life seeking. It could represent true love, heaven, happiness, or success. It is used sometimes as a figure of speech to represent something much sought after that may not even exist, or, at least, may not ever be found. Such use is evident in Poe's poem "El Dorado". In this context, El Dorado bears similarity to other myths such as the Fountain of Youth and Shangri-la. The disillusionment side of the ideal quest metaphor may be represented by Helldorado, a satirical nickname given to Tombstone by a tardy miner who complained that many of his profession had traveled far to find El Dorado, only to wind up washing dishes in restaurants.
Drew Spaulding · · Boulder, CO · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 3,885

You could climb in eldo for the rest of your life and not climb the same thing twice... Scare yourself shitless and climb something new everyday... perfect!

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Drew Spaulding wrote:You could climb in eldo for the rest of your life and not climb the same thing twice... Scare yourself shitless and climb something new everyday... perfect!
Ooh, I get to play Devil's Advocate again! Yay!

Don't forget that "a lot of climbing" is a different thing from "good climbing."
D F · · Carbondale, CO · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 406

I think the "love" aspect has more to do with the people you find in these places. Imagine how much you'd love any of these climbing areas if you had any one of them to yourself. Conversely, it's hard to be super stoked on Serenity Crack or even Astroman when you wait all day to follow eight other climbers up the thing. Rifle is my home crag and most of the time I love it even though it is definitely choss. Days when I don't love it are usually the super crowded days when it just doesn't seem worth it. Let's face it, a cliff crowded with climbers who tend to have selfish and competitive personalities, and who are all irritated about the cliff being crowded, is less than enjoyable. On the other hand, sometimes there are those magic "sessions" when every one clicks and has fun. Just keep that in mind when you find yourself grumbling about the gumbies on Ruper.

Andrew Gram · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,725

Indian Creek. The climbing is really good, but the experience of being there now is terrible. I am grateful that the bro brahs concentrate there instead of spreading out to the rest of the desert.

Joshua Tree - it is the City of Rocks with worse rock quality and shorter pitches.

The Yosemite comment is funny though. Kinda like looking at the Pacific Ocean and thinking it should be bigger.

Tony T · · Denver, CO · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 45

Aww, I like the intent of the OP. He's not talkin' smack per se. A lot of climbing is just personal preference, and I personally do not prefer Lumpy! Friends who swear by it tell me not to give up and check out this other spot, etc.

That being said, I love Eldo, but I can see how some people might not. Have you tried a four-star tour yet? A friend and I climbed most of the four-star 5.7-5.9 routes in Levin's book and each route really makes you love Eldo more.

<3

Go Back to Super Topo · · Lex · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 285

ELDO sucks get over it people, quantity is not quality. BOCAN is overrated too while we are on the topic of quantity.

The fact that people who rave about Eldo being so amazing just proves the boulder stereotype. No body gives a hoot about how hard you climb or how sweet your super projs are at your AMUHZING crag. so shut up, just shut up. Go climb so we dont have to listen to how you crushed your awesome 5.10 projects that would be a 5.5 in eldo.

Go Back to Super Topo · · Lex · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 285

no if we are talking about women in climbing towns

............eldo still isnt on the list

Nick Stayner · · Wymont Kingdom · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 2,315

Is that why people from Boulder always wind up in Tensleep :) ?

But seriously... rock climbing is such a diverse sport with so many unique experiences to be had. Each crag has something to offer. In that sense, i've never visited a crag I didn't like.

camhead · · Vandalia, Appalachia · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,240

The Red. The climbing is ok, but the scene has made me stop loving it for several years.

Other crags I think are overhyped are Reimer's, HCR, and all of the Front Range except Splatte.

Sir Wanksalot · · County Jail · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 10

I always thought I hated eldo cause it was scary.

Pete Cutler · · Des Moines, IA · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 5

vedauwoo...

Nick Barczak · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 75

I'll join the h8ters club.

I'm not impressed with Horsetooth Reservoir bouldering. I'm not particularly strong, and can't boulder all that hard. But there's very little there that really intrigues me. I know its supposed to be a great classic area. But once you visit some of the other premier bouldering areas around the country, Horsetooth just seems second-rate. Maybe I'm missing something. Or maybe I just need to be able boulder V10.

Eldo? eh, I spent a few days there, but wasn't all that psyched. I've happily spent more days up in Vedauwoo that anywhere else this year.

Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665
Drew Spaulding wrote:You could climb in eldo for the rest of your life and not climb the same thing twice... Scare yourself shitless and climb something new everyday... perfect!
I love eldo, but man that's an exaggeration. Unless you climb 5.12+, you run out. One a day for 2 years about does it, and I have days where I do 5-10 routes...
Sir Wanksalot · · County Jail · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 10
Nick Barczak wrote:....Or maybe I just need to be able boulder V10..
I feel that way about all bouldering.
Tits McGee · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 260

I think I have heard this best explained by one of my climbing mentors...

"If Eldo had a 3 mile approach, no one would climb there."

I find Eldo scary, chossy, and challenging. It's kinda like an ex-girlfriend that I know is crazy and has done scary stuff to other dudes, but for some reason I am motivated to keep going back to her...

Maybe I climb in Eldo to prove that I am not scared of the loose rock, tricky gear and crazy runnouts on moderates. Or maybe I am just plain stupid.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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