Trip Report

As the summer time rolls out and the winter time rolls in I begin to reflect on the all the great climbs I did over this last climbing season. I climbed quite a few routes this spring, summer, and fall and there are a few that really stick out in my mind.

The first route that sticks out in my mind is the East Ridge of the Maiden. My friend and I did this route this spring. Many formations in this area are closed due to falcon nesting. It may be because of this, but we were the only ones on the formation that weekend. The guide book says it is 5 pitches. We strung together pitches 1 and 2 as well as 3 and 4. We were climbing with a 70m rope, which made it nice. Pitch one is a beautiful crack and pitch three involves some wild face moves. After topping out two single rope rappels bring you back to the ground. The first rappel involves a free hanging rap down to the “crow’s nest”. The second rap is down the south face. A quick scramble back to the base brings you back to your packs and the trail to head out.

The second route that sticks out in my mind is Fat City (5.10c) at Lumpy Ridge. This route is on the Book formation. Although the hike up to the Book can be a bit of a hump, this route is well worth it. Plus when you add in the route Cheap Date, this is a route that shouldn’t be missed, and that is what we did. When I first moved to Colorado, this is the route that I took my first trad lead fall on. That fall happened on the first pitch and I couldn’t even get through the second pitch. This time, 5 years later, I made it through the first pitch without any problems. The second pitch is the crux. Thin fingers lead to a bit of a chimney, followed by and overhang. Really work the feet for the finger sections and you’ll do fine. For the chimney section make sure you rack your gear on the right side of your body. For the overhang I threw my right hand up with a thumbs down jam and tossed my hip over the lip and kind of scummed it on the wall. The third pitch has a bunch of great lie-backing. It is a fairly long pitch and will bring you to the cave. From there you can finish up on Cheap Date or do other various exit routes. Once you top out, hug the wall to your right and you’ll end up back at the base of the formation. This route has a little bit of everything, and because of that I recommend you put this route on your to-do list.

The third route that sticks out in my mind is Rewritten (5.7) in Eldorado Canyon. This route is situated high up on the Redgarden Wall. My climbing partner and I started the route with the first pitch of the Great Zot (5.8). By doing this, you get to climb a great crack through a little bulge. Really fun. After two more pitches of fairly easy climbing, you come to another amazing pitch. A traverse out left brings you to an airy and exposed hand crack. After this pitch you get another amazing pitch up a knife blade arête. From the top of the arête one more final pitch brings you to the top. Overall, these six pitches are amazing. A walk off brings you back to your packs.

There are many more routes that where a blast. For whatever reason these routes just stick out in my mind. I recommend everyone doing them. If you don’t feel comfortable leading them, the guides at the Colorado Mountain School can guide you up anyone of these routes.

Call us today if you have any questions.

Thanks,

E.J. Nogaski
Colorado Mountain School
800-836-4008 x3

At the end of September I, and some of my fellow CMS guides, finished our second season of running climbing camps for a non-profit organization called First Descents (FD). They provide adventure programming for young adult cancer survivors, roughly ages 20-40. I know the name does not seem to fit with climbing, but the organization started out providing kayaking camps – and where climbers look for that coveted first ascent of a route, paddlers look for the first descent of a river.

FD camps are 6 days long, and like many climbing adventures, the first and last days are travel days. The real meat of each camp happens during the middle 4 days with 2 days of top roping and multipitch prep work to build everyone’s skill sets so they are ready for the graduation climb – a full-blown multipitch climb on the final day! There is one well-earned non-climbing day thrown in as well when campers get to sample some of the local sights in the program area like Estes Park, CO or Moab, UT.

FD campers (and sometimes the volunteer staff) arrive with a wide range of cancer experiences – from folks who have been out of treatment for many years, to campers who are recently diagnosed and still in the midst of treatment. Climbing experience runs the gamut as well, from total novices who have never been on a rope (indoors or outdoors), to the occasional camper who has done some trad or sport leading.

And while a typical guided climbing experience tends to focus on climbing or educational objectives, these take a backseat to FD’s main objective – creating a community for a group of cancer survivors who frequently have had to go through the challenges of cancer with a relatively small to non-existent support network. I am continually amazed how many times I hear campers say, “Until this week, I have never met another young adult cancer survivor.” After camp, however, they know 10-15 folks who they don’t have to explain cancer to, who understand first-hand the intricacies of cancer treatment…people who ‘get it’! Never mind the connection they make to the larger FD family which is growing all the time.

The community they build is a powerful tool – not only at camp where campers support and encourage each other on and off the rock, helping each other achieve more than they dreamed they could…but also, after camp. I love hearing the post-camp stories about campers who feel like their camp experience was the impetus they needed to realize that they have too long allowed cancer to run their lives, that they feel like they have gone home, taken their lives back and have started to realize some of their pre- and post-cancer dreams. Dreams like writing music, starting a non-profit, publishing a book, mending broken relationships, quitting a hated job and starting a dream job for much less pay, moving to Colorado, completing a triathlon or marathon, climbing on their own even though they are terrified of heights…the list goes on and is incredibly inspiring!

For a CMS climbing guide who (like my peers) is passionate about seeing people stretch their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual limits through climbing and the mountain environment… what is there not to love about being a part of the First Descents experience?! FD season can’t come soon enough – I can’t wait!

By the way, if you are (or someone you know is) a young adult cancer survivor and you want information about attending FD camps, or if you are psyched to find out how to volunteer (no cancer required!) for camps, check First Descents out at… http://firstdescents.org/

For more photos check out Photo Adventures with Ed.

Take care,

Bob Chase
Colorado Mountain School
800-836-4008 x3

For most of us (in the Front Range anyway), when we hear the name “Eldorado,” we immediately think of our beloved Eldorado Canyon with soaring brown, red, and neon-green walls.  We think of how good the movement is on the warm Fountain sandstone and we think of the innumerable, quality routes inaudibly beckoning us like sirens seducing ill-fated sailors…or, as the case may be, desk-jockeys.  We think of the incredible amount of climbing and, best yet, how short the approaches are.

But in the great Northwest, there lies another Eldorado.  Unlike it’s Colorado cousin, Eldorado Peak pretty much shares none of those aforementioned attributes.  The rock quality is poor and treacherously loose, relegating the few routes to low 5th-class ridge climbs; and the approach options to Eldorado’s W. Ridge are all very long by Colorado standards.  Though, I will say, the views are simply spectacular.

CMS guide Eric Whewell and I, training for an upcoming alpine exam, walked the long approach to the base of Eldorado’s E. ridge.  Here we set up our camp as the sun disappeared and the moon simultaneously arose.  We left our camp early in the morning and essentially circumnavigated the Eldorado massif, dropping through a col between the Tepah Towers and Dorado Needle.  This was done by headlamp, connecting various glaciers that required extensive roped travel to manage the considerable crevasse hazard.  After yet a few more hours of approaching, we finally reached the 3000′ W. Ridge.

The climbing started out easy enough and we simul-soloed a third of the ridge before deeming the rock quality and difficulty just enough to warrant the rope.  We led in blocks, either outright pitches or simul-climbing, swapping leads whenever our small rack ran out.  I think most people take rock shoes up this route though the moderate grade of 5.7 felt comfortable in our La Sportiva Trango S Evo boots.  (We found a very munched Muira shoe near the top of the second third of the ridge.)  The difficulties were mostly found in simply managing the loose rock.  The hardest climbing came on a poorly protected traverse with a piton at the start but, at least, this section was short.

Higher on the route, the ridge blended into a headwall comprised of infinite ledge systems.  The information we had said we only had another 500′ or so to go but it seemed endless.  Each “summit” turned out to be only another bump leading to more ledges.  Finally, seven hours after leaving camp, we reached the summit.

A short but elegant snow-arete forms the upper part of Eldorado’s E. Ridge but the going was much easier than anything we’d been on yet.  We cruised down the E. Ridge, sometimes on rock, mostly on glacier and, 15 minutes later, were back at our camp.  Of course, this still left us with a 4.5 hour “approach” to get back to our car making us appreciate even more the ease of alpine climbing in RMNP let alone rock climbing in Eldo.

Andrew Councell
CMS guide

Located approximately 12 miles up Boulder Canyon, Castle Rock is a wonderful place to climb granite.  There are a wide range of routes available.  Anything from single-pitch to multi-pitch, 5.4 to 5.14.  Since I was heading to Yosemite soon, training at Castle Rock was the perfect choice.

My climbing partner and I climbed a few single pitch routes that morning before I decided to hop on “By Gully”.  This route is rated 5.9+ and is the wide crack just left of the large roof.  It is an offwidth so be prepared.

Route Beta:
Boulder up to a bolt and clip it.  I used a standard quickdraw and didn’t feel any rope drag because of it.  Make a funky move to a hand crack and place a #1 Camalot.  You could probably place a #2 Camalot, but my I didn’t want to take that place because I used it as a hand jam to get into the wide section.  From there I went right side in.  Last year I tried this route left side in and it didn’t work.  Right side in worked great.

With my right side in, my right arm was a chicken wing and left hand palming down on the rock. I cammed my right foot in the crack and wiggled my way up a few feet.  I was then able to place a #2 Camalot and then quickly after that a #4 Camalot.

From there I placed a #5 Camalot and walked it for a little ways.  After that I placed a #6 and walked it for most of the top section.  The section where I placed a #5 and #6 is mosly heel/toe and much more mellow than the first offwidth section.

Once you get near the top you can do one of two things.  You can traverse over (climbers left) to the sling anchor on “Coffin Crack” or build a seperate anchor above.

If you “enjoy” offwidth climbing, I highly recommend “By Gully”.  This route will make you work for it, but when you get to the top, it is well worth the struggle.

Note: Wear long sleeves and knee pads.  It takes the pain down a bit.

Colorado Mountain School Guides can guide this route if you are interested.  If you have any questions, give us a call.

Thanks,

E.J. Nogaski
Colorado Mountain School
800-836-4008

Rocktober is just around the corner!  Where are you going to get your send on?  Red Rocks!  Vegas, baby!  Could you think of a better fall destination for a brief climbing trip?!  As things start to get frosty on long routes at elevation in Colorado, the desert is just starting to get into prime time!

I have returned to Red Rocks again and again… to work… to play… to train… to CLIMB!  Situated right outside of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a world class destination.  It is one of my favorite spots due to the immense volume and variety of climbing- excellent sport or trad climbing, world class lengthy multi-pitches, sun or shade, crack or face.  There are plenty of hard routes in Red Rocks, but it is particularly noted for having exceptional long moderate outings, with enjoyably sustained climbing of just the difficulty to meet any climber at the level they are at.