Type: | Trad, 210 ft (64 m) |
FA: | Tony Bubb & Alec Sharp, 10/3/04 |
Page Views: | 1,085 total · 5/month |
Shared By: | Tony B on Oct 2, 2004 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closures - lifted
Details
Update: as of 6/7/23 per Mike McHugh, ECSP: all closures have been lifted within Eldorado Canyon State Park, including Continental Crag.
Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.
Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.
These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.
Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.
See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.
Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:
Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!
Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.
Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.
These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.
Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.
See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.
Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:
Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!
Description
This is a good "adventure" route in a secluded setting. The route was generally a shave runout, but only slightly runout at crux moves. Available protection was mostly good and the rock was mostly solid and clean. We both enjoyed the pitch, but found it slightly spicy.
Approach the Veil with an eye on the tower on its left side. Rack up at the bottom West Face of the north (left-most) climb. This route climbs the right side of the arete that goes up ~200+ feet from the ground to the top in a single pitch.
Climb: There is a small bulge just off the ground with a huge stone under it to stand up onto, establishing yourself into a short and shallow hand crack on the right. (Good pro 2-3") Make some moves up this (5.9?) to reach a stance, at the top of the crack and then place a 1" TCU (or 2 of them, for sanity's sake) in a short section of fingercrack just above this, and 7 meters off of the ground. Do the crux moves climbing the face and arete to go up to a small tree, perhaps 15 meters up, passing this and continuing just right of the arete. The crux 5.10 moves will be above the 1" pro a distance, but it should prevent a ground fall. The climbing difficulty will ease back to 5.9 then 5.8 at about the time a groundfall would seem possible. This will require focus. Continue up the right side of the arete on moderate (5.8) and moderately runout climbing, switching to the left just below a large ledge (5.9), to make a beeline for the second half of the arete which is set back from the edge (5.8). Although this sounds like an indirect line, you are actually heading directly towards the next bit of climbing on the right side of part II. Surmount this ledge and continue directly up, again on the right side of the main arete's second half, which is mostly easier (5.easy to 5.8) and pretty well protected for the crafty leader.
Approach the Veil with an eye on the tower on its left side. Rack up at the bottom West Face of the north (left-most) climb. This route climbs the right side of the arete that goes up ~200+ feet from the ground to the top in a single pitch.
Climb: There is a small bulge just off the ground with a huge stone under it to stand up onto, establishing yourself into a short and shallow hand crack on the right. (Good pro 2-3") Make some moves up this (5.9?) to reach a stance, at the top of the crack and then place a 1" TCU (or 2 of them, for sanity's sake) in a short section of fingercrack just above this, and 7 meters off of the ground. Do the crux moves climbing the face and arete to go up to a small tree, perhaps 15 meters up, passing this and continuing just right of the arete. The crux 5.10 moves will be above the 1" pro a distance, but it should prevent a ground fall. The climbing difficulty will ease back to 5.9 then 5.8 at about the time a groundfall would seem possible. This will require focus. Continue up the right side of the arete on moderate (5.8) and moderately runout climbing, switching to the left just below a large ledge (5.9), to make a beeline for the second half of the arete which is set back from the edge (5.8). Although this sounds like an indirect line, you are actually heading directly towards the next bit of climbing on the right side of part II. Surmount this ledge and continue directly up, again on the right side of the main arete's second half, which is mostly easier (5.easy to 5.8) and pretty well protected for the crafty leader.
Protection
A standard rack with thin to 3". The crux is most recently protected by a 1" piece. Without this, a long ground-fall could occur. A 70M rope will insure that the climb is not a rope-stretcher. Perhaps with a short line, one would set a mid-route belay.This is a very long pitch (60m+) and a healthy number of long slings would be useful. Double ropes could be beneficial, but we managed just fine on a single.
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