The Maelstrom  5.11a

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Type:  Trad, 1 pitch, 140 feet Consensus:  5.11- [details] FA:  Reed, Hill, Saure, 1983 Submitted By:  Steve Levin on Jan 1, 2001 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (5) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Down low on the route.

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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 

The Maelstrom is one of the classic Front Range wide cracks as far as "line", quality, and effort to succeed are concerned, right up there with Crack of Fear and Peaches and Cream (Twin Owls), Road Warrior (Mt. Evans), The Obelisk (The Diamond), any number of routes at Vedauwoo, etc. I give it 3 stars, although some will argue a grunt-fest like this, by definition, cannot be awarded with such a distinction. The Maelstrom lies on Poe Buttress, between Cynical Pinnacle/Block Tower and the Sunshine Wall. Approach as you would Cynical Pinnacle, but veer up and left below the big boulder jumble below the cliffs. Plan on 45 minutes. If you are at the Sunshine Wall, it can also be approached from there, but this is a bit longer. This route is closed Feb-July for birds. A good winter route. The climbing starts out a bit chimneyish to OW, and hence the gear for the first 50' is sporadic- a fixed sling somewhere low down may exist. Higher, the climbing gets harder, sustained heel-toe, with an arm-bar crux 3/4 of the way up. Since I have a habit of climbing wide cracks the wrong-side in, I will leave it up to you to determine if you want your right or left side covered in road-rash. Rap 140 feet from tatty fixed anchors (updated since with bolts & chains). Good route in the testpiece frame-of-mind.

Protection 

Up to 6" or larger cams / Big Bros. Bring several. Long slings for those deeply-placed cams. High-top climbing shoes (protect those ankles) and long pants & shirt also help. Taping your hands is not required (no fist stacks...), but may be prudent. Two ropes off; 50m cords work.

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Near the crux.