PRINT: Rock Climb Ziggie's Brother Hank, Lumpy Ridge

Ziggie's Brother Hank

5.10b, Trad, Sport,

Avg: 2.6 from 8 votes
FA: Anderson, Smedley, Larson, c. 1990
Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Lumpy Ridge > Checkerboard Rock

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

A good face climb (protected primarily by bolts) in a somewhat questionable position, as it crosses the classic crack line of Ziggie's Day Out. Start just above the large block on the left side of Checkerboard Rock. Climb up to a bolt, using a short crack for pro, clip it and make 5.10 moves to attain the zig-zag crack of Ziggie's Day Out. Place a tcu, and continue up a steep wall past more bolts to a hidden 2-bolt anchor. Many will be comfortable without any gear other than QDs.

Protection

Bring a few small stoppers and TCUs, otherwise about 7 or 8 QDs.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Gear, finally. You'll want some small cams here. You could, obviously, skip the runout first crux and start on these diagonal cracks. The route continues up and left from here into the shadows past…

Getting a bit runout on the red rope but a bit closer ("runin") to the gear on the blue rope. It doesn't look too bad in this photo, but from below it looks like you might hit the ground and some n…

Approaching the first bolt. From the ground it looks like you could hit the ground if you fell just before reaching the diagonal cracks, so Luke is sneaking a side belay on the left using double ro…

Reaching the crack of Ziggie's Day Out, on my first ascent of Three of a Perfect Pair.
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Photo by Kai Tormalehto.

Reaching the crack of Ziggie's Day Out, on my first ascent of Three of a Perfect Pair. Photo by Kai Tormalehto.

Climbing above the 1st bolt on Ziggie's Brother Hank.
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Photo by Kai Tormalehto.

Climbing above the 1st bolt on Ziggie's Brother Hank. Photo by Kai Tormalehto.

High stepping at the first bolt. There are several positive holds at the start of this crux section.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Charles Vernon
Colorado megalopolis

5.10

I've probably overestimated the amount of QDs needed for this climb...there are only 3 or 4 bolts. Jan 1, 2001

S. Kimball

Charles, you underestimated the amount of quickdraws...3 bolts, the 1st is rusted and cratered out gives litte confidence for the runout 5.10 above. Definitely R rated. Gear on Ziggie's and before and after the bolts eems mandatory? Definitely "old school" . Jun 1, 2003

david goldstein

5.10b

I agree with SK that most people are not going to be particularly happy with the rusty bolts on this climb, especially the critical first which protects a 15' runout and whose guts are exposed, nor are they going to feel overprotected even with supplemental gear. Sep 23, 2005

SCherry
Boulder, CO

Climbed this pitch as a warm-up to Ziggie's, it's quite good, but definitely "old school" The first bolt is rusty and spinning (you're hoping it's a 3.5 incher). Then, you launch into a 20 foot runout at 5.10, place a TCU and a nut in the Ziggie's cracks, step up to a good stance and the first of 2 bolts. Climb thru the bolts at 5.10 again (spicy), and reach a good undercling (the first good hold in a while). Fire in a 1.5" cam, and cruise on good holds to the anchors. It's a good precursor to Ziggie's, but you better be in slab shape. May 20, 2006

John Tormalehto

5.10b R

*New bolts** The three original bolts on this route have been replaced with new 2 3/8" stainless steel hardware. The original 2 bolts at the anchor have not been replaced but are decent. FYI: the holes for the new bolts were drilled 3+" deep (by hand), so that when they eventually need to be replaced, they can be tapped to the bottom of their holes and epoxied over.

Oct 1, 2023

John Tormalehto

5.10b R

Classic Lumpy! It is a must-do for anyone who enjoys a good slab climbing adventure. Hopefully, more folks will do this route now that the bolts have been replaced. It's definitely zesty, but it can be safely climbed with the correct approach and a solid belayer.

Route info:

*The start* I recommend starting this route on the start of Checkerboard Crack. This adds some quality 5.8+ corner climbing, but more importantly, it provides a more strategic location for your belayer to take in slack if you blow the moves above the first bolt (use a locking carabiner).

The first crux* The thinnest moves in this section are at the first bolt. The holds improve as you close in on the crack of Ziggie's Day Out. Super good slab climbing!

Oct 1, 2023