Matt Bauman

[Hide Comment] Led the first pitch today....short but FUN!!!!!! The second pitch is just as fun in a wide crack sorta way....I give it 3 stars, way cool route. Jan 1, 2001

Chris Fisher

[Hide Comment] I also led the first pitch yesterday. I thought it was a lot of fun. Just wish it was longer. The second pitch was also well worth finishing. Jul 2, 2001

Shane Zentner Colorado

[Hide Comment] And yet another cool route in an area that does not see too much traffic. I climbed this in the fall and saw two other people there on a warm and sunny saturday afternoon. One should check out the boulder that is adjacent to the parking area...Shane Mar 14, 2002

Brice W Front Range, CO

[Hide Comment] Fun climb. Nice to have the crag to ourselves on a busy Saturday afternoon in Eldo. This climb can be done in one pitch with a 60M rope, but I don't recommend doing that unless you are a fan of rope drag. To me, the awkward, slanting crack on p2 (5.7 in Rossiter's guide) felt harder than the nice finger crack on pitch 1. The scramble off is obvious and easy. Aug 22, 2002

Casey Bernal Wheat Ridge, CO

[Hide Comment] The first pitch felt easy for an Eldo 5.8. There is really only one hard move - and the gear is great for the whole pitch (it might be easier for fat-fingered crack heads). The second pitch felt harder because it is more sustained. At least 2 #3 Camalots for the second pitch as it is sustained at that size. I don't think you need 2 #1 Friends for the first pitch - there are some bomber nut placements and you only need 1 or 2 small cams for the lower section and a couple in the roof, we had green-red Aliens and were fine. Fun climb. casey bernal Sep 9, 2002

Ernie Port Boulder, Colorado

[Hide Comment] Did this today and agree with Brice W. that P2 (7) crack up high felt harder,more sustained, than the P1 crack at (8). Used arm bars in the wide crack up there, as there are no obvious holds to reach for and shakey stances for (7) climbing on P2. Nonetheless, a good route. I didn't like the looks of the start to the left of the boulder, so I opted for the same start as V3, to the right of the boulder. Once on top of this large rock, you can gain the Gonzo crack by traversing the top of the boulder and stepping across a void. I felt this protected better and was a fun start. Jul 17, 2003

Gary Schmidt Boulder, CO

[Hide Comment] A great route with two very distinct pitches. The finger crack under the traversing roof of pitch one looks a lot thinner from the ground than it really is and allows for some solid jams. The second pitch is sustained and by the end (at least for me) the crack was even to wide for a solid arm jam. Fun route though. If the approach was roadside it would be climbed everyday. Jul 18, 2003

shad O'Neel

[Hide Comment] watch for a really loose block in the crack on p. 2. there is chalk all over the top as testimony that people have pulled here before, but when you jam between the block and wall of the crack you move the block. After realizing how loose it was, i went out left around it, and that seemed harder than if you pulled on the block for sure, but id hate to rip it out on myself, get hurt, and ruin some poor bastard's day below.Contrary to this web site, i thought gonzo was nicer than V3. Oct 20, 2003

Guy H. Fort Collins CO

[Hide Comment] You can get away with a single set of cam's for both pitches, if you bring hex's. The crack sucks them right off your rack. Jan 12, 2004

William McGehee Choctaw, OK

[Hide Comment] Don't even need the hexs. Just bring finger and big hand-sized cams. Don't even really worry about bringing the mid-size cams. Also, make your anchor immediately after the traverse so you aren't inclined to use the little tree as a belayer's personal anchor. No telling how long that thing will support people.A fun alternative to the walk-off and/or rapping: Walk north approximately 30' to a large downed pine tree. Downclimb the limbs of the dead tree, carefully placing feet on the limbs as close to the trunk as possible. Gets you RIGHT down to the bottom and a rather fun option as well!~Wm Sep 24, 2004

Jason Shatek

[Hide Comment] I followed P1 and thought it was fun. I led P2 and thought it was horrid. The leaning crack made the entire pitch really uncomfortable and harder than most of the 5.8s that I've done. There are no rests and not much for feet. In one section the crack becomes too large for jamming adding to the spice. It looks to me like you have to do P2, I didn't see a way to retreat as some of the comments might suggest. I would love to lead P1 but I felt P2 was really awful. I probably won't climb this one again anytime soon. -jason Nov 3, 2004

Danny   5.8

[Hide Comment] The first pitch of this one is great, the crux feels spicy but protects very well with a red alien. I agree with the 5.8 rating, however compared to V3 (which is also a great route) this route is more difficult technically IMO. In short, take the hike (which is nothing compared to many approaches) and loose the crowds. enjoy! Apr 4, 2005

Kevin Currigan Lakewood   5.8

[Hide Comment] The BIG loose block/flake is still there-lookout! You may want a good directional on P1 at the top of the block and right at the bottom of the crack. Your belayer is about 30' from you horizontally at this point. Aug 12, 2006

Richard Radcliffe Erie, CO

[Hide Comment] P1: The hard part is short (15-20') culminating in a classic tricky Eldo move to get out of the corner onto the first big ledge. P2: Felt very insecure for a non-crack climber -- I felt more secure leading P1 than following P2. My partner basically used 2 pieces on P2. Hand-sized cam about 10-15' above the belay and then an old blue Camalot (#3 or 4?) that he kept sliding all the way up the crack until almost at the top. Jul 21, 2007

John Korfmacher Fort Collins, CO

[Hide Comment] Climbed 10.6.2007 with S. Costello. Tried this earlier this spring as one pitch and ran out of large pro on the wide 5.7. I would recommend doing the route as two short pitches 1) to avoid a lot of rope drag and 2) have a full rack of big pieces for the second pitch. Second pitch is especially cool--plenty of arm-jams but scanty feet in places. There is a great deal of choss at the top of the route--be VERY careful. On my earlier attempt, I managed to knock off a piece and gash the hand of a woman on the ground--if you're reading this, my sincere apology! Oct 8, 2007

tooTALLtim Vanlife

[Hide Comment] Don't place a lot of gear at the bottom, sling them well, and you'll be loving this as a one pitch route without the awkward belay. Two #2s and #3s were welcome, and I could've put in a #4. Sep 7, 2008

Jason Kaplan Glenwood ,Co

[Hide Comment] Climbed this Saturday, I thought it was better then V3 personally. ?One pitch, long runners, clip the tree to run the rope around the lip of the roof smoothly. A double rack especially in the 1-3.5 range is nice. I really enjoyed the second pitch which I had not done before as I had gone on Deviant in the past. Lots of good jambing in the hands/off hands/fists range. I thought the feet were great as we did this right after Deviant which in comparison is way thinner for the feet. Sep 8, 2008

tony y Denver, CO

[Hide Comment] Pretty fun route with finger to hands to offwidth size. throwing that right leg into the leaning offwidth up top was awkwardly fun. A couple #3-3.5 Camalots for the top section make things G-rated. BUT all the loose rock above the route sucked. I ended up belaying from a tree maybe 15 feet above all the loose rock on top and kept worrying if my partner was gonna get taken out by the rope dislodging some death block. Yuck. Is there a better belay at top? Nov 3, 2008

James Beissel Boulder, CO

[Hide Comment] I thought this route was fantastic. The second pitch tops out on an awful pile of stacked choss. The pitch diagonals quite a bit so the belayer is out of harm's way, but being on Deviant or anywhere in that vicinity while someone is up there would be a bad idea. For the average leader, I would suggest a single set of cams from thin fingers to hand size and doubles of #3 and #3.5 Camalots. Throw in a set of Stoppers and you should have no problems. Please leave that poor tree alone! Jan 19, 2009

kevinnlong Boulder, CO   5.8

[Hide Comment] Gonzo is an excellent, sustained crack climbing route. Next to other 5.8 classics in Eldorado, such as the Long John Wall, Regguae, and Gambit, it easily holds its own and is actually 5.8 for more than just 5-10 feet. To squeeze even more crack climbing out of the route, one should crawl through the hole at the base of the climb (under the block between V3 and Gonzo, and start from inside. This will add ~10 feet more of beautiful laybacks. Mar 23, 2009

Count Chockula Littleton, CO

[Hide Comment] Climbed this yesterday and thought the P2 off-hands/fist crack was harder than anything on P1, V3, or Ghetto Cruiser. 5.7? Hmmm...maybe for taller folks or those with big hands. I was burying my arms into that crack and never felt super secure with the jams. I thought the move to the reasonable stance just over halfway up the crack was pretty burly for 5.7. If you like to sew things up like I do, three #3s wouldn't hurt. P1 was excellent. Great finger crack with solid yet committing laybacks for a couple moves at the crux. Jun 28, 2010

Adam McFarren Boulder, Colorado

[Hide Comment] Thought pitch 2 was harder than pitch 1 or V3. May have been b/c I left one of the #3 cams at the anchor and had to run it out in the upper section more than I'd like. Pitch 1 sews up, and with all the face holds, the "roof" isn't as hard as it looks. Oct 2, 2010

Ross Hokett Great Falls, MT

[Hide Comment] This route is great the upper pitch is pretty cruiser if you have large hands and the width reminds me of Supercrack. The route definitely seemed easier than V3. Jul 17, 2012

Canon   5.8

[Hide Comment] 2nd pitch is quite wide. Didn't have anything bigger than a single #2 Camalot. the jams were secure enough, but it was run out. Bring at least 2 #3s. Apr 21, 2014

Keith W Westminster   5.8

[Hide Comment] Both pitches are great. Great stances and moves on the first and excellent jamming and crack work on the second. Leading the second pitch I had 4 #3s, 2 #2s, and a #4 and was able to sew it right up. I thought the whole crack was very secure, because you can always get a right foot. Oct 11, 2016

Joshua Burns Denver, CO

[Hide Comment] The flake/chockstone in the crack about 1/3 the way up the 2nd pitch felt much looser than last year. It shifts drastically from below and above, proceed with caution. That thing could stay for another few years or rip out tomorrow. Jan 29, 2022

Mitch Dorsk Durango, CO

[Hide Comment] Super fun. Funky Eldo corner climbing to one of the better hand/ fist cracks at the grade in the park for P2. Aug 18, 2022

plantmandan Rice Lake, WI   5.8

[Hide Comment] A terrific route. Small cams sew up the crux of P1. A cautious leader would like to have two #3s and #4s for P2. This route can definitely be done in one pitch if you extend the pro, albeit with some rope drag. Probably recommended only if both climbers are seasoned crack climbers. Don't be fooled by the 5.7 grade on P2, it's definitely a challenge and requires crack technique. Apr 9, 2023

Kaz Hatfield Firestone, CO

[Hide Comment] Super classic move to establish yourself on the face to get up to the belay. I liked V3, but this move alone caused me to fall in love with Gonzo. I'd do that hike again for this. Jul 22, 2024

mcoopwood

[Hide Comment] A couple words of caution: 1) there is a hollow flake just below the crux of P1. An unwary leader could easily turn this flake into a falling guillotine. 2) just place a cam in the crack, whip on that cam, and presto! This flake is still strong enough to support laybacking, but it will eventually fall on its own if climbers don't dislodge it first. 3) aAlso, there is friable rock inside the cracks at the belay stance. They look like ideal cam placements, but they are hollow and questionable. The little tree is gone. Oct 13, 2024