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The Shaft Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Shaft

L › R R › L A › Z

	[Redacted] S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Coal S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Copper S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Gold S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Iron S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Lead S 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Molybdenum S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Nickel S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Shaft of Light S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Tip of the Shaft S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Tungsten S 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Unknown at The Shaft S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Vanadium S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a

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Elevation:	9,209 ft
GPS:	39.25653, -105.10211 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Richard M. Wright on Sep 25, 2001
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Access Issue: Raptor Closures Details

March 1st-July 31st: Devil's Head Rock, Sin City, & Recovery Wall are closed for raptor protection. The vast majority of the other crags are unaffected by the closure. Please visit:
fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/al… for additional information and maps.

Description

The SHAFT is one of the newer areas at Devil's Head. All of its routes were installed after "The Devil Made Me Do It" guide was published. The Shaft is characterized by its remarkable position between two East-West running fins that form a corridor so narrow at its top that it as been stemmed!! The base is wider at 15 to 25 ft. The Shaft gets about 32 seconds of sunlight on a good day, so this is certainly a summer crag; on a hot day it can be the coolest climbing to be had anywhere in the front range. The rock in the Shaft is slightly different from the rest of Devil's Head in that it lacks the patina typical of The Headstone or The Red Wall. It is highly featured with bomb proof edges and incut flakes. Routes are all very short by Devil's Head standards, topping out between 40 and 50ft. Everything at The Shaft is bolted. All of the FAs were by the Head Crew with most routes attributed to Tom Hanson and Tod Anderson. Rich Magill, and Pat Burwick added a bunch as well.

Getting There

From the Zinn Overlook, take a faint trail to the right, through the woods for 100ft or so, heading for The Starcastle. Then head directly up hill by a very indistinct trail. You want to hit the main yellow wall above on the right side to avoid the large blocks in the talus field. Negotiate the base of The Starcastle to last route, "Dawning Of The Day" which sits on the South flanking edge of the formation. Cut due west at this point and head down an easy scramble to the forest floor. Here you will pick up a faint trail that continues West and South for 200-300 yards. It should go directly to the North end of The Shaft, however, it is quite indistinct until you walk around the North end and peer down into the narrow corridor of The Shaft between two largeish fins of rock. The climbing is on both sides, with the left side being much better and much steeper.

13 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Shaft

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 8 ● Tip of the Shaft Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 9 ● [Redacted] Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 8 ● Copper Sport
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c 13 ● Lead Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 4 ● Iron Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 16 ● Nickel Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 4 ● Molybdenum Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 17 ● Coal Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 11 ● Gold Sport