PRINT: Rock Climb Superspar, Eldorado Canyon State Park

Superspar

5.11-, Trad, 4 pitches,

Avg: 3.6 from 37 votes
FA: L. Kor, Rick Horn 1961. FFA: Pat Ament, Richard Smith, Tom R
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > Redgarden Wall > Redgarden - Tower One

Access Issue: Rockfall Access Effect & Subject to Seasonal Raptor Closures Details

Per Dustin Bergman, Eldorado Canyon State Park Officer: the upper third of the West Redgarden trail and Rewritten descent trail suffered significant damage during that storm that came through a few weeks ago. Please consider choosing alternates routes lower on the trail.

Beginning Feb. 1st each year, a seasonal wildlife closure will be in effect on Redgarden Wall in Eldorado Canyon State Park to protect nesting and roosting sites of the canyons falcons. The closure is in effect through July 31st unless lifted early due to early fledging or inactivity.

The closure includes the following climbing routes: The Naked Edge (last 3 pitches only), The Diving Board, Centaur, Redguard (last 3 pitches only), Red Ant, Semi-Wild, Anthill Direct (last 3 pitches only), and The Sidetrack.

For more info, visit dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/pre…

Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closures - lifted Details

Update: as of 6/7/23 per Mike McHugh, ECSP: all closures have been lifted within Eldorado Canyon State Park, including Continental Crag.

Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.

Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.

These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.

Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.

See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.

Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:

Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…

For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…

Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!

Description

This is a combination of the first two pitches of Super Slab, and the second two of Art's Spar. The first pitch is a .10c undercling flake with decent holds, yet still pumpy climbing. Above the pitch traverses left along a line of pins over nebulous terrain. The second and third pitches can be combined with a two hundred foot rope to a belay at the base of a famous offwidth called Grand Giraffe. The last pitch is the crux, it is rated .10c in most guidebooks, but it is possibly a full grade harder now. A local climber informed me a hold has broken in the crack that now makes the move much harder than .10c. The line is obvious, jam out a completely horizontal 6' roof. This is a very intimidating and exposed crux. The hardest part is making a long move to the lip will completely horizontal. This section really surprised me (it spit me off), make no mistake it is solid 5.11, I thought it was a full grade harder than Tagger (.10c) which is a similar climb. There is an easier option to the left called Electric Aunt Jemima that goes at .10c, although the pro looks a little friable (#0 TCUs?). The roof on Super Spar is well protected at least.

Protection

Bring a standard rack. A bunch of pins protect the first pitch.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Alex Davidson headed up P2 of Superslab.

David following the first pitch of Superspar. Excellent, engaging climbing that is very well-protected.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Anonymous Coward

Young Doug - I agree 100%. The roof is more difficult than Vertigo's which is maybe 10d. Even scarier is the o.w. Grand Giraffe! Jan 1, 2001

Anonymous Coward

Wow. .11b? Just your basic handcrack- out-a-roof/bomber-jug-over-the-lip type of thing. Pumpy, but still think its a .10c... but again, I am tall. All the 'short' people seem to have a right to rate things harder to compensate... Jul 9, 2001

Ivan Rezucha
Fort Collins, CO

5.10c

For me, the Art's Spar roof is about 10c. Solid, straightforward jams, obvious moves, gear overhead. The crux for me was pulling over the lip - too many options, and I initially made the wrong choice. Over the last 2 years I have consistently failed to onsight anything over 10b in Eldo - I've tainted all of the good 10cs - yet I onsighted this. It's way easier for me than Grand Giraffe (supposedly 10a). The following day I followed the Le Toit roof (10b/c) and had much more trouble following that than leading the Art's Spar roof. Mar 21, 2004

Ivan Rezucha
Fort Collins, CO

5.10c

Resting from the lip with a right heel hook reminded me of the story back in the Gunks when Henry Barber did the first free ascent with John Stannard in 1973 of Crack of Bizarre Delights (11b) at Skytop (now closed to climbing). The crux is a short overhanging dihedral above a ceiling leading to a roof. The crux move is reaching the lip. You pull over the lip and roll onto the top of the cliff at a large flat lookout area. Henry got the lip, hooked his heel in a notch formed by a crack, and let go with both hands. He let out his famous laugh and said, "I think I'll hook me foot and rest me arms." Henry had recently returned from England and had adopted a heavy British accent. Since then, whenever I have a heel hook on a roof Henry's words run through my head.

I know some of you ex-Gunks climbers now living in the Boulder area are misty-eyed now, thinking back to those great days in the Gunks. Mar 21, 2004

Ivan Rezucha
Fort Collins, CO

5.10c

Many people say a block fell out, so that must be true. Maybe harder now, but what does that tell you? Easier before, harder now. For me and some others 10c now, for others apparently 11a/b. Somewhat easier before. Maybe the block was more helpful for shorter climbers? Mar 22, 2004

Chris Beh

5.10+

Super Spar Direct, a one pitch approach to the roof. Instead making the traverse left to the 1st belay on Super Slab climb straight up a shallow corner, a little 9+, and then lichenous but solid, easy moves up to the big alcove on Grand Giraffe. Follow that pitch all the way to the belay below the offwidth. 60M rope leaves about 10 feet of spare rope. Save a blue Camalot for the belay. Sep 18, 2007

Nate Weitzel

Completed Super Spar 6/20. Wow - what a great route. You get the benefit of the first part of Super Slab with a fun exciting roof finish. I had never done the Arts Spar roof before, and found it to be great. For what it's worth, I agree with most of the comments below except that for me this was definitely easier than the Vertigo roof but still a challenge. Probably in the 10d-11a range. Solid gear placements and serious thank God jugs over the lip make this go at a reasonable grade. Great exposure. Jun 21, 2017