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Teen Queens' Crag Rock Climbing

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Routes in Teen Queens' Crag

	Too Little Too Late (AKA: Discipline) T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Too Much Too Soon (AKA: Freedom) T 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b

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Elevation:	8,000 ft	2,438 m
GPS:	40.4032, -105.5182 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	3,711 total · 19/month
Shared By:	Tony B on Jul 6, 2008
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24 Details

From the Denver Post 7/21/24: some of the raptor closures have been lifted, officials announced.

Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.

Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.

Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.

Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)

Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.

Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!

Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:

Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock

Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.

All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.

Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…

When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.

Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.

Description

Teen Queens' Crag is a small crag with a few good lines that lies perhaps only 5-10 minutes from the new 'Gem Lake' parking for Lumpy. This is a good option if you only have a short time or weather is questionable. The crag and climb names are dedicated in remembrance of the modern social phenomenon of the most recent 'Teen Queens.' Lindsey Lohan, Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, Nicole Riche, etc... the crowd of millionaire kids becoming Hollywood screw-ups.

Presently there are 2 routes on the rock. Not great but not bad. Probably as good as anything else that close to the car, and north-facing so as to catch shade until at least mid-day.

The routes are:
1) 'Too Much Too Soon' (AKA: 'Freedom'), a surprisingly good 5.7 rising traverse along a ramp that runs 80 feet to a vertical crack crux and then out along the summit to the top of 'Too Little Too Late' for the rap station.

2) 'Too Little Too Late' (AKA: 'Discipline'), a 5.10 crack to seam to face climb that lies perhaps 200 feet up the shallow gully. The line climbs up from a crack-start near the right-most of two medium pines growing very close to the rock. The crack ends 1/2 way up and leaves a few options for particular stopper or RP placements on the way to the top.

To descend from this crag, you can go to the second on two very large huecos on the West side of the summit, just above the top of 'Too Little Too Late' and find there a 2-sling threaded socket and a steel link. Medium cams can be added to this to create a good belay or TR anchor if desired. In wet weather, these huecos may be holding some water and be less pleasant to belay from.

Getting There

Head up north from the new parking lot toward the Gem Lake trail, head right at the T-intersection as for Crescent Wall, but before that comes into view, you will travel within meters along the base of pair of rising slabs on the right. Looking up above the toe of the first, you will observe a crag perhaps 80' in height with a roof formed by 3 blocks jutting out over the NW end, well overhead. This is the toe of "Teen Queens Crag".

The shallow and low-angle gully that extends from the base of this and up between it and the second rock that is passed is perhaps 10 meters wide and very easily walked. Approached from this point, both climbs will be on your right.