Starting near a tree growing at the base of the cliff, climb up and right on plates and chicken-heads past several bolts to reach good horizontals on lower angled rock. On an early ascent of this climb on a cold morning I jammed my hand back into a horizontal and reached down o my harness for a piece of gear to place into it. I was surprised to feel something smooth and slick jammed in the very back of the crack and much more surprised still when that smooth slick something started moving under the force of my jam. I ran quickly from that spot. My partner climbed carefully around it, peeking in and reporting to me that I was lucky not to have been bitten by a now very awake copperhead! Perhaps the cold morning made it less aggressive or perhaps I'd accidentally pinned down its head.
Location
If you stay right along the approach to Purple Valley to access the South Face on the right, and stay right of the large spire on the trail, the first route past that you will encounter is a bolted line up right of the tree at the base of the cliff.
Protection
A set of draws. I heave read that the FA party added a bolt
By Chris Chaney From: Golden, Colorado Oct 11, 2006
This route has been completely rebolted around 1999.
By Chris Chaney From: Golden, Colorado Oct 11, 2006
Also, a little better description to find the start of the route...walk right when you reach the pinnacle. The trail will climb up into a sort of corner where a small rocky ridge connects the pinnacle to the main wall at a prominent corner (the SW corner of the wall). Scramble up to the main corner of the wall and look for a bolted route that starts just right of the corner and about 15-20 feet above the trail. Make sure your belayer is secured or stick clip the first bolt.
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