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| Type: | Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, Grade III |
| FA: | Andy Donson, Ralph Burns |
| Page Views: | 828 total · 3/month |
| Shared By: | Andy Donson on Aug 24, 2001 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: Closures
Details
Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
Description
This route is on a couple of miles northeast of Notchtop. Approach as for Notchtop, but continue down to Odessa Lake. From the Odessa Lake outlet, look up (northwest) and see an obvious, flying buttress - this is the route. It's the same rock as Notchtop, so expect the odd creaky flake and spaced gear. It is very sunny, so dress lightly.
1) 5.9+ s, 190 feet. The left side of the buttress has 3 parallel grooves. Climb the left hand of these for about 100 feet, and then step right 10 feet and take another grove until a sloping stance is reached (tricky gear on this belay).
2) 5.8, 100 feet. Step 10 feet right and follow a shallow, left-facing dihedral (easier than it looks) to reach ledges. Continue up broken ground to a spacious ledge below the red summit tower.
3) 5.10d, 100 feet. On the left side of the red tower is a finger crack/seam, which leads to the left side of a small pinnacle. From atop this, climb a shallow, right-facing groove to a pumpy headwall (crux). Belay on the sloping ledge above.
4) 5.5, 120 feet. Continue up the crest of the buttress to the summit.
Downclimb and spiral around the back into a casual gully on the left of the buttress. Hike out via Fern Lake, jump in "The Pool", and catch the shuttle bus from the Moraine Park trailhead back up to your car at Bear Lake for full aesthetic value.
1) 5.9+ s, 190 feet. The left side of the buttress has 3 parallel grooves. Climb the left hand of these for about 100 feet, and then step right 10 feet and take another grove until a sloping stance is reached (tricky gear on this belay).
2) 5.8, 100 feet. Step 10 feet right and follow a shallow, left-facing dihedral (easier than it looks) to reach ledges. Continue up broken ground to a spacious ledge below the red summit tower.
3) 5.10d, 100 feet. On the left side of the red tower is a finger crack/seam, which leads to the left side of a small pinnacle. From atop this, climb a shallow, right-facing groove to a pumpy headwall (crux). Belay on the sloping ledge above.
4) 5.5, 120 feet. Continue up the crest of the buttress to the summit.
Downclimb and spiral around the back into a casual gully on the left of the buttress. Hike out via Fern Lake, jump in "The Pool", and catch the shuttle bus from the Moraine Park trailhead back up to your car at Bear Lake for full aesthetic value.
![[This route] is on the triangular face on the right and follows a line just to the right of the arete that separates shadow and light.](https://mountainproject.com/assets/photos/climb/107805973_smallMed_1494212476.jpg?cache=1701317687)
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