Satan's Slab 

To get off the ridge from the vicinity of the house-sized boulder, sneak west through the gap just north of this giant boulder. Climb down an easy gully to a drop-off, then do a 40' rap over this drop-off to reach the gully between Satan's Slab and Angel's Way. You can scramble down (or up) this gully.

This is a really cool route, it has clean rock an almost mystic atmosphere and feels like mountaineering towards the top of the ridge. I descended a chimney to the West near the top of the 6th pitch, it involved 1 rap and some easy down climbing...........

Rossiter's description is a little off. He says to climb this in 4-5 pitches...it took us 6 to reach a gully that we descended to the east. Downclimb to a tree with rap rings, be careful on the downclimb a fall would be very nasty. There are 3 raps off of the east gully until you get to solid ground between Ridge One and Two.

A few comments based on further experience with this rock: (1) Generally closed Feb 1-July 31. (2) With the high start, pitch 1 is quite short, 100' at most, and follows a crack with a tree about 20' up it. (3) Be careful where you belay at the top of p. 2, there are really only 2 places where you can get more than one piece in (lower one is better). (4) Better protected than the east face route (called Purgatory on this site), but still expect 20-50' runouts on 5.5. (5) The last pitch done the easiest way is also very runout, but only 5.4 or so.

I feel that neither Roach nor Rossiter describe the route that we naturally contoured to, but it is the one in this picture. It is my least favorite Flatiron route and the most runout. With a 50m rope, we had to simulclimb about 30 feet at around 5.6 on friction. Better to just turn around and explore more of the terrific backside of Stairway.

Interesting to read all these comments on Flatiron routes, thanks for the feedback. Your experience here sounds more like mine on the East Face route (called Purgatory on this site). The main problem I've had with this route is it falls within the bird closure, once I hiked all the way in just to read the sign.

I found the crux to be different than described here, more where Rossiter shows 8+ on his topo, that is just after you haul yourself over the first roof. I think I traversed at back right at the appropriate time, there was a small undercling like crack, but for me this was tricky and balancy. If I were an inch taller, or had longer arms, this may have been trivial, but I was way above my last piece thinking, damn, don't fall! The rest of the route is great, spicy enough to keep you on your toes, and just keeps going and going......

I agree with the comment by Shad; the trickiest move is 10' after you pull around the roof, and the pro is lacking at that point. I remember that either a pink or red tri-cam came in handy there.

Made for 60m or 70m ropes. The best belays are more than 50m apart. Great rock and great position though. A favorite.

Somewhere up near the top of this outing we encountered a 20ft tall, 40ft wide boulder with a completely isolated top. The back corner came within ~5ft of the main wall, with a Do-or-die gap jump between you and it. We called this "Satan's Leap" and thought it added to the adventure significantly.

I second the 70m beta. We stretched the rope a number of times with a 70m and still belayed 10 pitches. The upper pitches could be simul-climbed by a strong party, though.

Great position in the canyon....

Climbed this today and followed what we thought was a pretty natural line up the ridge from the lowest point of the slab, but there wasn't a roof-pull or a right-angling crack, just loads and loads of awesome friction. A couple arbitrary variations along the ridge made for some fun 5.8ish boulder problems along the way. Belayed 6 pitches, some with simuling, on a 70m rope, and estimate about 1400 ft of climbing, including the house-sized boulder belay-moving section. Great route, even with us getting off route a bit.

Climbed Satan's Slab today; finally got to finish the route!

Beware of Poison Ivy, it is present on the approach and damn near everywhere on the descent.

Freesoloed the first pitch, then climbed six more with a 70m rope--stretching to its full length a few times. Got some "style points" for the P2 crux: bomber handjam, then swung my feet off and around for a one-point-of-contact swing into a kneebar to pull the move. That was a fun way to do it, although I admit it was not how I had originally intended to. hehe.

The rest of the route is pretty easy, just keep your wits about you as it is common to go 10m or more with no gear on easy but slabby terrain. Routefinding is straightforward--just go up and follow the gear! Protect where you can, we did a few 70m pitches with just 2-4 pieces in....

Bring your bushwhackin' knickers.

Just climbed this thing. Thought it was worth it but probably won't do it again. Pulling around and getting to the top of the first two roofs are the hardest moves. We simuled everything else. I read that lots of people are rapping off the top to get down. This is unnecessary. Descend down the left side of the chimney that splits the large summit boulder and the ridge proper and scramble down the gully climber's left of the ridge you just climbed.

On a different note, does anyone know what those short sport/trad routes are towards the end of the descent back to Skunk Creek? They look very hard (some holds looked chipped)? Just curious.

I can't say specfically whaich routes you refer to, but the descent down there goes back down the back side of what is known as "Ridge 2" in Skunk Canyon, and that is covered in the several Flatirons guides. I imagine a quick look there will help you ID what you were looking for. If on the other hand you are referring to just before hitting the creek and having already left the Ridge 2 rock, you'd be at the base of Ridge 1, near The Guardian, with Armed Forces way up above that. I don't recall anything being chipped there though.

Nic, if you went down the gully W of Satan's Slab those climbs may be "Doric Dihedral" and "Beware the Future" which are listed under the rock Satan's Slab. The Guardian is possible too, but I always have trouble seeing the bolts on that route from the creek.

Thanks.

Climbed this for the third time and still enjoy it. But it has been years since I've been on this route and the description could use a few extra points:

Approach for this climb:
Once you leave the Mesa trail, look for the cairns that keep you in the creek bed and to the left side about halfway through. The path is pretty good if you stay on it up to the climb. Minimal bushwacking.

Pitch 5: I did not see any bush (it may or may not be there) and was confused with the belay location. The most obvious route goes up the face and stays near the arete until it levels out and belay at a big ledge with huecos on the wall.

Pitch 6: When you leave the belay, stay on the lower crack that steps out onto the face. Don't climb the large crack above the belay stance. The 5.7 step down into the gully (the second gully traversed) by the big tree actually steps onto a block that is about 30 feet above the tree. Don't descend towards the tree as it seems to suggest in the description. After you step onto that block, the route continues up the ramp and belays at a ledge at the top and right of the ramp.

Pitch 7 & 8: Walk right around the large boulder from the belay, then down, and up to the right to the south side of the final slab ridge. This large ledge with flat broken rocks is the belay. The standard finish (5.5) climbs a crack angling up and right on this southern wall and steps onto the face. The most obvious belay is after a good crack on the middle of the face that angles right and connects to the large gash through the center of the face where there's a stance and good pro.

Pitch 9: Don't bother with the last extra 15 feet of climbing to the true summit, after climbing 1400 ft., it's not worth it. The chimney and ledge descent is fun.

I soloed the upper section from the Omen. The bush on P5 is there, though more accurately described as a diminutive fir tree, which lies fairly flat against the rock. It's right on the arete.

Also, not sure why you would skip the summit when you've covered that much ground and it really doesn't take that much extra time.