PRINT: Rock Climb Aerohead, Eldorado Canyon State Park

Aerohead

5.11a, Trad, Sport, 40 ft (12 m),

Avg: 2.8 from 25 votes
FA: Bill Gibson & Stephen DeWet, 1988
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > Rincon > Rincon - L of Center…

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

Aerohead is a 40 foot variation to the end of Aerospace. Basically, instead of continuing up the final arete to the anchors, step left onto the face and climb past two bolts.

While the climbing here is more consistant in difficulty with the rest of Aerospace (5.11), the arete (low 5.10) provides incredible position and may be more consistant in character. In my opinion, the arete is better, hands down.

Aerohead may easily be toproped from the anchor, and, if the leader chooses to stick with the Aerospace arete he can still leave the option open to his second by running out the easier climbing.

Protection

Two bolts.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Bob Rotert
Broomfield

5.10+

This route is a good addition as a way to finish Aerospace. I don't want to sound like I am bashing the route because the climbing is good & hard but in my opinion for a rating I think it is marginally 5.11 if 5.11 at all. For a rating comparison I don't think it comes close in comparison of difficulty to the lower crux moves on Aerospace which is rated within a letter grade of being the same. The climbing is a bit contrived as it basically forces a line in the more difficult area of the upper slab avoiding the natural line and easier climbing on up the arete. Which is the way Aerospace was originally put up. If you can ignore the easier climbing just to your right this is a great addition as a much harder finish to Aerospace. Finishing up this route makes for one great long sustained pitch for Aerospace. Feb 13, 2006

tooTALLtim
Vanlife

5.10+ PG13

I agree with you, Bob. May 26, 2011