Hodge Podge  5.9

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches FA:  Unknown Submitted By:  Joe Keyser on Sep 14, 2003 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Seasonal Raptor Closure MORE INFO >>> The Cathedral Spires area, including Block Tower, Cynical Pinnacle, Snake Buttress, the Dome, Hall of Mirrors, Sunshine Wall, and Poe Buttress, are closed annually starting March 1 for raptor nesting. After careful monitoring of nest sites, Jefferson County Open Space opens certain areas of Cathedral Spires and maintain spot closures for active nests through July 31st. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

Hodge Podge starts on the far left side of Snake Buttress, and offers a variety of different climbing.

For the first pitch, climb up the obvious crack in a right facing dihedral. The crack is awesome on this pitch, and goes from fists, to fingers, but is mostly used for a layback with slippery feet. You have to scramble in from the right up some easy cracks. If you want pro in the initial cracks, you may want to try double ropes due to the proximity to the rest of the pitch. The start is additionally complicated by a couple of really angry sticker bushes that you have to climb directly through. Traverse left to get to the start of the sweet looking splitter crack. Climb, layback, and undercling the crack until it just about ends, then traverse right out onto the face aiming for an old 1/4 inch bolt. This bolt is your last pro for about 30-40 feet of 5.7 face climbing to the bolt anchors under a huge roof. (You could also continue up the crack system in the corner, then traverse to the anchors under the roof, but you would have to climb through another huge bush). The anchor is two rusty 1/4 inch bolts, and one newer 1/4 incher. We added a sling to this anchor. Rap, or continue up the climb.

The route continues from the bolt anchor up into the OW roof to fist crack. You get another rusty bolt about 5 feet above the anchor, just before you chimney, and arm bar your way into the crack, then go up to the top. If topping out, walk off to climber's right. This is a nice climb, and would be really nice without the painful sticker bushes. Just an opinion, but, the climb seemed pretty challenging for the 5.9 grade! It offers all sizes of crack, and some face climbing, and on mostly good rock. There is also a 5.11c start to this climb (Dr. Demento) that looks really good, and less bushy to start.

This route is located on Snake Buttress. To get to Snake Buttress, keep heading North past the normal parking for the Cynical Pinnacle parking area, for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile. Park in a pullout on the East side of the road (by the river). You will be directly below the rock, and will see it as you drive up to the parking spot. You can spot the crag when you are looking at the back-side of the Cynical Pinnacle, and it will be to the right, and down a bit. Hike directly up the drainage, starting up an old road that is gated (steeper, and longer than it looks), and Snake Buttress will be the second major rock that you encounter. If you keep on the right path, you will encounter a couple of cairns on the way up. As a comparison, the approach is maybe a bit shorter than the approach to Cynical Pinnacle. The buttress contains a good number of nice bolted slab climbs, and a couple of nice cracks.

Protection 

Heavy on the cams. Maybe doubles, and bring a couple of big pieces. Long slings helpful. Hedge trimmers (just kidding)!