The Ghetto  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  6,199. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Pinklebear on Sep 13, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 81° | 50° 72° | 52° 84° | 59° 90° | 61° 90° | 63°

Some crags in this area are closed 1 February to 31 July: MORE INFO >>> The following crags are closed 1 February to 31 July: First Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon) Second Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon) Third Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon) Third Flatiron Queen Anne's Head WC Fields Pinnacle The Ghetto East Ironing Board West Ironing Board The Fin Green Thumb Jaws Details www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&>;&g>>> 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 Flatirons Climbing Council Preserving climbing access in the Flatirons

Ghetto Cruising.

Description 

The Ghetto is far and away the best overhanging bouldering area in Colorado -- and perhaps the best overhanging bouldering outside of Hueco Tanks. Blessed with an iron hard veneer similar to the stonker stone on the Third's east face, this slot/cave affair offers problems ranging from 8-move, powerful V9s to 90+ foot link-ups, where you're never more than a foot or two off the ground.

Though some climbers find the landing intimidating, people *have* taken the whip here and walked away to talk about it. Your best bet, when pumped, is to simply step down to the slab.

The Ghetto has three basic sectors:1. The Anacostia Wall -- this is the short, heavily-huecoed wall down low (furthest south) with a dirt landing and lots of chalk.

2. The Underdog Cave -- this is the lower slot of the Ghetto, just below the flat staging area above the felled tree. The landings here vary from dirt platforms to tight slots.

3. The Upper Ghetto -- this is the meat of the area, with the longest problems, biggest link-ups, and biggest exposure. Most boulderers will groove on the up problems near the cave's right side, while the more spelunking-oriented will get off on Inner Space, Guanophobia, etc., which climb out into the light from the deep, dark bowels of the slot. The 5.11 lip traverse of the upper wall is not to be missed.

Getting There 

The Ghetto sits on the southwest side of the Third Flatiron, high on a bench that's visible from the small pass on the Royal Arch trail.

Approach via the Royal Arch Trail. As you climb steeply out of the riverbed, you'll notice a large, roof/block on your left after about 5-10 minutes. 150 feet further is a seasonal closure sign tacked to a tree. Drop into or contour around the gully here (a climber's trail is visible), then head up and north into the long gully leading north to the Upper Bench (this is listed as an alternate descent route for the 3rd in many guidebooks).

About halfway up the gully you'll pass a small crag on the right (the south face has two bolts, the west face has "Holier than Thou; a 5.11 route past 4-5 bolts up the overhanging, huecoed face).

Scramble up past this, then 100 feet later come to a notch between this crag and a short, wavy wall. Don't climb the south-face of the notch -- spooky 5.7. Instead, stay in the gully, go 10 feet farther (if you get to the big tree you've gone too far -- unless you want to climb the tree to get into the Ghetto) and climb the west-facing wall via good rails to a ledge. Up over another step, then scramble north on a ramp and Voila! -- you're looking right at the Anacostia Wall.

The Ghetto is closed each spring from February 1 - July 31 for nesting raptors. Please respect this, and keep this unique environment clean.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Ghetto

Dr. Slutpants V7  CO : Flatirons : ... : The Ghetto

Dr. Slutpants, though a bit of an eliminate, is one of the best problems at the Ghetto - absolutely sustained crimping on a bullet-hard shield of rock.It takes the very leftmost line of holds out the Underdog Cave, sharing a start with Underdog but finishing on a specific set of lip holds that are often ticked (if not, ask a local for the beta).Begin as for Underdog, but instead of levering up to the pebble from the left-hand gaston, move into a crescent-shaped crimp high and left. Match up, pow...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

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Early '90s.

KC. Circa 1994.