Aid routes recs front range Colorado

Hello all,

First thing, I already googled this topic and found a result from 2019 that didn’t really fulfill what info i’m looking for.

Anyways, I am getting into aid climbing and have been looking for routes to practice on in the Denver/Boulder area but I don’t want to spend hours scrolling through routes to find something so I figured people in this forum would have good recommendations. Please let me know what routes you recommend! I am looking at trying C2 so that would be the preferred grade, I am also willing to drive outside of the front range a bit for something good. Also, bonus points if it’s sunny and has a good spot to build a ground anchor for LRS.

Also Also if you are looking for an aid climbing partner on the front range let me know! 

Long time ago I practiced on Anaconda, on the Twin Owls up at Lumpy Ridge in Estes Park. I believe it was A2. 

I'll second that.  All the aid routes on the Twin Owls are great winter practice.  There's also a practice boulder

It’s short, but good roof practice (clean)… the “Practice Roof” on Castle Rock in Boulder Canyon. Just around the corner is Supremacy Crack, but avoid days when free climbing parties may be attempting this one. 

Any hard free cracks make good clean-aid practice. Castle Rock has a bunch to either side of the Practice Roof. All of those, including the PR, go hammerless. Tourist Extravagance, on the other side of the rock, is fun. Bell, Blob, and Bitty have some good clean-aid routes.

BoCan has a number of retrobolted sport climbs that were originally done with aid by Kyle Copeland when he was young. Animal World has a few of those. I’ve clipped sport bolts for protecting hook moves, because I’m not interested in risking injury.

Scout Rock in the SSV has some good ones. The Twin Owls have some great ones. Anaconda is one of the easiest, but has a scary opening placement. The Owls closed Feb 15 for nesting prairie falcons.

In the Splatte, the Bishop has some good ones. The summit pitch of Buffaloes in Space (Cynical Pinnacle) was originally aided by Kyle Copeland. Those will close on March 1.

I’ll PM you with more ideas. 

George Bracksieck wrote:

 I’ve clipped sport bolts for protecting hook moves, because I’m not interested in risking injury.

 I think it's unwise to hook face holds on face routes as that risks breaking more fragile but essential holds.

Peter Beal wrote:

 I think it's unwise to hook face holds on face routes as that risks breaking more fragile but essential holds.

I agree regarding edges and other potentially fragile features. Hooks can utilize strong, solid features, such as jugs, platforms, tapering grooves,  etc. A free climber is just as likely to rip any of the latter. 

Lots of good practice routes already mentioned. China Doll in upper dream canyon is the one of the only 'real' aid lines left around Boulder, it's got some C2+ on it though (hooks). There are a couple sandstone aid lines in Garden of the Gods, but you aren't allowed to LRS there (and who wants to be sitting in aid ladders with all the tourists watching anyways).

Really your best bet is to head to Moab though, lots of very reasonable aid objectives out there. Getting good at sandstone aid will make granite aid feel like a piece of cake. Just be wary of the free climbing grades on the aid lines out there, they can be pretty stout and chossy.

Scout Rock in Lyons has a great aid line. That can easily be climbed tr solo.  There is a bolt, if you lead it.  If there wasn't a bolt.... Great practice. 

Thank you all for the recommendations this is a great starting point I can’t wait to check out these lines. Seems like anaconda is a good starting point. I also have been interested in castle rock but heard it’s snowy all winter haven’t checked it out so I have no idea tho.

Thanks again!

Twin owls routes are super fun, anaconda should be first on your list. Also when the weather gets warmer there’s some really fun aid routes up in Veadawoo

Any specific recs for voo aid lines Jeff? 

The Aid Crack on The Bishop goes about C2+ with some hand-placed beaks. Last couple of moves to the anchors are thoughtful, but that's about it. Kind of an approach, but worth it for position and being alone. Every time I've done it I've been the only person up there. 

George Bracksieck wrote:

In the Splatte, the Bishop has some good ones. The summit pitch of Buffaloes in Space (Cynical Pinnacle) was originally aided by Kyle Copeland. Those will close on March 1.

this route would probably need hooks to go on aid and you REALLY shouldn't hook on this route. it is one of the better free pitches in the state and has a bunch of small (fragile) crimps that both buffalos in space and the direct 5.14 finish rely heavily on.

The routes at practice rock in boulder canyon will give you a good taste of yosemite pinscar weirdness.  Aid crack at cob rock is good.

Quarry wall at north table and Castle rock in boulder canyon on a weekday or snowy day. Don't spend forever learning to aid C1 on popular free climbs like country club crack on nice weather days

Also just aiding sport routes that are closely bolted will help you get use to moving efficiently in your ladders and more comfortable with your LRS system if you aren't already. Never hurts to aid something via TRS as well just to be able to focus on moving and placing gear efficiently 

Lost in the Choss wrote:

this route would probably need hooks to go on aid and you REALLY shouldn't hook on this route. it is one of the better free pitches in the state and has a bunch of small (fragile) crimps that both buffalos in space and the direct 5.14 finish rely heavily on.

The 5.14 finish is not direct. It moves left from the crack of the original aid line. If you’re doing the aid route, there’s no reason to hook any holds on the free variant. And there’s no reason to hook anything along the crack. 

George Bracksieck wrote:

The 5.14 finish is not direct. It moves left from the crack of the original aid line. If you’re doing the aid route, there’s no reason to hook any holds on the free variant. And there’s no reason to hook anything along the crack. 

No. The 5.13 free version put up by Cody Scarpella goes left from the end of the crack. The original aid line now goes free at 5.14c thanks to Vasya and is called “link in bio”. The crack ends and it goes straight up through the original hooking section where there were a couple 1/4” button heads. To aid either variation would require multiple hook moves on tiny crimps that both free routes really need 

Lost in the Choss wrote:

No. The 5.13 free version put up by Cody Scarpella goes left from the end of the crack. The original aid line now goes free at 5.14c thanks to Vasya and is called “link in bio”. The crack ends and it goes straight up through the original hooking section where there were a couple 1/4” button heads. To aid either variation would require multiple hook moves on tiny crimps that both free routes really need 

Wow! I wasn’t aware of this FFA of the aid line. When you mentioned the 5.14, I thought you meant the 5.13. I agree: no more hooking on this route. 

Steven Gonzalez wrote:

Any specific recs for voo aid lines Jeff? 

Rice Paper A2+ on October light was really fun with a good tree anchor. Bees nest at the base late last summer though

6.9 Overhang A3 on MRC right was insane and what aid dreams are made of

Then there’s 3 lines on Owsley wall. All can go clean if you’re willing, the middle one being the easiest. I think the guide book called it A3 but depending on your height I’d give it a solid C1

A good pin rack will be your friend on all of the recs except the last one I mentioned, the two lines either side of it will take some pins

bucksnort sphinx crack owners gone all winter so get on it

n table bone crusher and collector

maiden queen line or hasta la hueco 

Twin owls at lumpy  does have a lot of good aid lines, but our raptor nesting closures just went into affect Feb 18th.  So twin owls is off limits until july. I live in Estes and am also getting into aid and training for big walls...Let me know if you are coming up sometime, I climb rope solo a lot too and could use a partner.

You can TRS practice an A/C2 crack at scout rock.  Nailing practice is ok but it can go clean.  it's called dead racoon crack.  If you scramble up to the summit from the left side you will find bolted anchors at the top.  Fun route.