Wind Tower - SW Face 

Anybody happen to know what that easy little warm up slot to the right of The Bomb is??? I can't find beta on it anywhere. I'd give it a 5.3 or 5.4... Done it twice to just get warmed up and play around. Kinda fun, but short and easy. Set up the belay on the tiny evergreen to the right of the first Bomb rap. Last two times I did it I scooted climber left to Calypso's pins and rapped from there. Any info, let me know!!! Thanks.~WM

GET THE BETA ON YOUR DECENT ROUTE or it's just a pain in the ass.

If you climb to the top of Wind Tower instead of taking the exit trail, do yourself a favor and take the time to get the beta on the decent (repell bolts) for your route!! We went half-hearted to the top thinking we'll just find our way down when we get there, everyone had told us that "they're there." We didn't immediately find a way down and thought we'd cruise down the slabs. It took us longer to get down than up. We did one repel plus a mini one. We didn't feel as bad about it after we noticed quite a few sets of slings littering the trees. :)

In that case.... after topping out on the wind tower, travel north for approximately 200 yards from the summit point. Travel is typically easiest on the E side of the ridge within ~50 yards of the ridgeline (it varies). Get to an obvious rotton notch that's about 10-15 feet wide. The bolts face north, are in this notch, and are set up to allow a good rappell back down to the visible descent trail 60 feet below.

Anyone every try to climb (or even specifically locate) the climb Smooth Z, just down from Raisin Bran on the SW corner of the Wind Tower. I couldn't find a distinct line, let alone one I could protect with 2-2.5" cams in anything resembling OK rock. I sure have a nice hole in my left hand from where I tore a hold off with though... 8 days later and I still have a portion of the stigmata left. This roof Feels darn hard for 5.11, presently. I couldn't even dog my way up it.

I usually abhor such crowded routes and have gotten back to the Flatirons after years of Eldo but who doesn't love this one? At one time this was said to be the most travelled route in the state. Can anyone comment that it still is?

We did the three pitches up Wind Ridge today... the third pitch is definitely worth doing. Roof feels like 5.6. Jug city after that. From the summit, the best to do for [descent] is to downclimb towards the north until you run across a thick old cable strung across the slabs. This runs for 40 or 50 feet. From there, don't head straight up the notch, but continue 20 feet or so to the next one. On the West facing side there's two [vertically] stacked rappel bolts. It's an easy single rope rappel to the decent trail. Enjoy... I sure did!