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The Pear

Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Lumpy Ridge
Warning Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24 DetailsDrop down

Description

West of all the Books, an intruiging combination of good beginner routes, odd-looking overhangs, and enjoyable bolted slabs. Do La Chaim (5.7), Good Timing (5.10a), and Fat-Bottomed Groove (5.10d R) for a taste of all three.

Descent: you can walk off nearly nearly every climb after two pitches. Routes west of the landmark, giant Batrachian Dihedral intersect a convenient ledge. East of the dihedral, the "walk off" is quite confusing--wander over to the right (east) when things get lower-angle and easy, and look for a way off--the best way is counterintuitively higher than it appears, though it is easy enough to do a short rappel from most points lower than that. If summitting (usually 4-5 pitches), rappel from slings to the north and hike around east to the base.

Getting There

Go on the west trail from the new parking lot towards the old Twin Owls trailhead ~0.6 miles. Follow signs west from the old Twin Owls trailhead along the flatter/lower Black Canyon Trail. Continue past the trail to the Book. There is a sign marking the trail to the Pear. This is just West of the Bookend. ~45-55 minutes to approach.

Routes from Left to Right

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
 3
● Thorazine
Trad 2 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 10
● Platinum Stethoscope
Trad 2 pitches
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 7
● Salud
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 41
● La Chaim
Trad 2 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 2
● Neko's Route
Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b R
 6
● Finger Tripping
Trad 2 pitches
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 5
● The Pit of the Pear
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 238
● Magical Chrome Plated Semi-Autom…
Trad 5 pitches
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 11
● Sibling Rivalry
Trad, Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 20
● Root of All Evil
Trad 3 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 2
● Sweet Sabrina
Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 8
● Good Timing
Trad, Sport 3 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 4
● Slippage
Trad 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R
 9
● Whole Thing
Trad 3 pitches
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R
 3
● Fat-Bottomed Groove
Trad 2 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b X
 3
● Heavenly Journey
Trad 2 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 24
● Right Dihedral
Trad 3 pitches
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R
 1
● Northern Lights
Trad
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a X
 15
● Gina's Surprise
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 10
● Dextrous Digits
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 14
● Jam on It
Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 2
● Devil's Lake Revisited
Trad
V8 7B
 3
● Sloper Ramp
Boulder
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Thorazine
 3
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a Trad 2 pitches
● Platinum Stethoscope
 10
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 2 pitches
● Salud
 7
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● La Chaim
 41
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad 2 pitches
● Neko's Route
 2
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, Sport 2 pitches
● Finger Tripping
 6
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b R Trad 2 pitches
● The Pit of the Pear
 5
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
● Magical Chrome Plated Semi-…
 238
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 5 pitches
● Sibling Rivalry
 11
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Trad, Sport
● Root of All Evil
 20
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad 3 pitches
● Sweet Sabrina
 2
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad
● Good Timing
 8
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, Sport 3 pitches
● Slippage
 4
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad 2 pitches
● Whole Thing
 9
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R Trad 3 pitches
● Fat-Bottomed Groove
 3
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R Trad 2 pitches
● Heavenly Journey
 3
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b X Trad 2 pitches
● Right Dihedral
 24
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad 3 pitches
● Northern Lights
 1
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R Trad
● Gina's Surprise
 15
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a X Trad
● Dextrous Digits
 10
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad, TR
● Jam on It
 14
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
● Devil's Lake Revisited
 2
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● Sloper Ramp
 3
V8 7B Boulder

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Pear with Observatory Dome in the upper left corner. The left-facing Batrachian Dihedral is the obvious dihedral on the left part of the Pear and the jagged dihedral on the right is Right Dihedral.
[Hide Photo] The Pear with Observatory Dome in the upper left corner. The left-facing Batrachian Dihedral is the obvious dihedral on the left part of the Pear and the jagged dihedral on the right is Right Dihed…
The Pear (right) and Sundance (left) as seen from the approach trail. Photo by Tony Bubb, 2002.
[Hide Photo] The Pear (right) and Sundance (left) as seen from the approach trail. Photo by Tony Bubb, 2002.
A view of the corridor just below the summit of the Pear looking east.
[Hide Photo] A view of the corridor just below the summit of the Pear looking east.
Erin, 3, playing on the great beginner rock of the Pear. Too bad the new trailhead will make it pretty tough for newbies like Erin to get there.
[Hide Photo] Erin, 3, playing on the great beginner rock of the Pear. Too bad the new trailhead will make it pretty tough for newbies like Erin to get there.
Looking up toward the rap anchor from the corridor below the Pear's summit.
[Hide Photo] Looking up toward the rap anchor from the corridor below the Pear's summit.
Route overlays for some routes on The Pear.
[Hide Photo] Route overlays for some routes on The Pear.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Michael Komarnitsky
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] The very highest northern pinnacle has chains you can rap from - though we used double 60s and easily reached the ground, it might have been close with a single, as you're dropping into a deep trench. Alternately, scramble about 100' east to a bulbous rock where there are another set of chains with a considerably shorter drop. Then follow class II/III descent to the east and around - though one girl in our party had a spectacular feet over head spin fall (probably 7.8 out of 10) after stepping on a loose boulder - so do so carefully. Sep 3, 2001
Kurt Johnson
Estes Park, CO
[Hide Comment] The perfect rock for a fun and mellow day of climbing, especially for beginers. It's got the easiest approach of any of Lumpy's formations and a greater collection of easy to moderate routes. It's definitely got its challenging runout routes as well, but it can't be beat if you're looking for a day of rest and relaxation on the rock. Dec 18, 2001
George Bell
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] A single 60m rope makes the rap from the summit. Rossiter claims this rap is only 75 feet so it would appear even a single 50m rope would make it. It is possible to walk off to the west from here, although this involves downclimbing some 5.0 slabs - not recommended! Aug 5, 2002
Errett Allen
[Hide Comment] First time I did Chrome Plated, got caught in a raging snowstorm on the 4th pitch. I discovered you can easily get off the Pear by traversing left (west) to an obvious pine tree that is below the summit headwall. The ledge turns the corner to the right (north) at this tree. The pine often has rap slings on it, but just continue traversing straight north across blocks and ledges beyond it (third class -- some exposure) into the west descent gully. Aug 19, 2002