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Location: CO : Alien Inventor Passes Away
By: Gary Schmidt When: Oct 19, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Sincere sympathies to all his family and friends. Was just thinking I climbed the Bastille Crack yesterday and the first piece on 3 of pitches was a yellow Alien. Peace from above.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : Beige Tube Area / The Narro... : White Dike Area : The Green Giant (5.9)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Sep 11, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Looks like an interesting route. Was that you guys up there today? (Sept 11, '09). I stopped briefly and yelled up to you guys asking about the climb. Will have to have a go at it! Looked like a great line.
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Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Hassler's Hatbox : Hassler's Hatbox Route (5.7)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Super fun route. I wouldn't call this a beginner trad route by any means (sustained and bit awkward in sections) but it does take gear every where and can be done safely. To get off find a two bolt anchor about 30 ft directly east of the route. One of Vedauwoo's best moderates. Perfect way to add some more adventure to an ascent of a Walt's Wall route.
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Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Walt's Wall : Satterfield's Crack (5.8)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Great climb. Can't believe I have been to Vedauwoo so many times and never been on this one. Classic Vedauwoo, awkward, sustained with some weird stuff. Crux might be the first 15 feet or so and getting into the chimney. Whole climb can be a bit slick on the feet as a lot of water funnels down this route. Found a four and half Camalot to come in quite handy (equal to a new number 5). I thought fairly graded at 8.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : CO Hwy 7 & Tributaries : Jurassic Park - Lily Lake : Big Ass Slab? : Coloradoddity (5.6)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Aug 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Mostly 5.4-5.5 Fun though just because the great views and makes an ideal beginner lead. Lots of bolts. 60 meter gets you down with plenty to spare.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : CO Hwy 7 & Tributaries : Jurassic Park - Lily Lake : Big Ass Slab? : Stout Blue Vein (5.8)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Aug 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Traversing from bolt 2-3 is thin, fun and thoughtful. (5.9ish). After that the route pretty much turns into a walk, but still worth doing just for the bottom section.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : CO Hwy 7 & Tributaries : Jurassic Park - Lily Lake
By: Gary Schmidt When: Aug 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The access to this area has become very simple and easy as the original approach trail is open. I suppose it made a lot more sense than everyone creating rabbit trails all over the place. Just follow the path around the north side of Lilly Lake. Near a bench is a very obvious trail heading north. Follow it up to the crag! Takes about 15-20 minutes.
There seems to have been some route development, so be prepared to adjust your route finding accordingly. Very pretty area with lots of variety.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Redgarden Wall : Redgarden - Tower One : Ruper (5.8+)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jul 28, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: So far, my all time favorite climb! Nothing but pure fun the whole way (yes don't skip the upper section). My favorite pitches were 4 and 5. Didn't find the belay under the roof on pitch 5 to be that bad, but there is definitely loose rock around. Found some bomber cam placements to back up the pin. I guess I must have missed the spot people are referring to here below the roof.
One more alternative descent just in case you get confused like we did. We scrambled up n.w through the obvious rock... more >>
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Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Old Easy : MRC Direct (5.9)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jul 11, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: good route for hot sunny mornings as still in the shade. IMHO the roof crux is pretty hard for 9. Moderate 9 leaders beware. But we already know this is Vedauwoo 9 right?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Redgarden Wall : Redgarden - S Buttress : The Bulge (5.7 R)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 29, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Super fun summer evening climb as you are in the shade. Should probably feel comfortable soloing around 5.5 to lead this one. Also don't get sucked into missing the left trending traverse on pitch two by a second piton up and right. I climbed up to it and it is manky at best and then realized I was off and had to downclimb back to get on route. Easy to protect the crux on pitch 3 with a number 4 cam. After the tricky business just look for the obvious placement. Competent seconds only.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : Castle Rock : West Face (5.5)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 17, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Not a bad beginner route because it offers some nice variety. Usually I do it in two pitches with no problem. With a 60 meter it is easy to reach the notch belay without too much rope drag. From there it is a relatively short pitch to the top.
Note that the descent is not as trivial as the initial description would indicate. (Especially in the dark!) Do some route finding (trend north) and a few tricky downclimbing moves (no harder than 4th class or you are off route) and locate the rappel tree... more >>
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Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Entrance Area : May-B-Nueve (5.8)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Probably closer to 5.9 slab but one can always bail to the right into a crack if the harder section at the top gets too scary. More like a 5.7 finish this way.
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Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Entrance Area : Captain America (5.10a)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Good route but getting past that first bolt is tricky and pumpy. Felt harder than 5.10a. After that good climbing up to the anchor.
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Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Inner Canyon : How The West Was Won (5.9)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Maybe a little soft for 5.9 (actually rated 5.8+ in the Colorado guidebook). But that first bolt is a very long ways up there and it is not a gimmee to get there. Very fun climb.
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Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Inner Canyon : Unknown (5.6 ramp) (5.6)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Pretty much a bomb of a route. A few moves to the first bolt then walk up the grassy crack. Also of course be aware that it would be virtually impossible to rap clean this route due to the extreme diagonal. Shares an anchor with the unknown route to the right. (which is actually quite a good route and probably around 5.10).
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Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Inner Canyon : Children Of A Lesser Grade (5.10c)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Good climb. Thin moves will keep you on your toes (hopefully) the whole way. Getting started (seems to be a pattern here?) is probably the hardest part.
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Location: CO : San Luis Valley : Penitente Canyon : Penitente - Inner Canyon : Ordinary People (5.9 R)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Fun route that is harder than it looks. Crux is getting off the ground and then around the 3 bolt. If you get off the ground, the run out is quite easy to the first bolt. Good climb!
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Location: CO : South Platte : Elevenmile Canyon : Turret Dome : Sunshine Slab (5.0)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 13, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: A fun outing and great beginner's route or just for fun to move on rock. We did 4 pitches starting to the right of a large fallen tree on the face. Placed about 2 or 3 pieces every long pitch. Took 4 pitches to end up at a nice belay below the headwall roof towards the east side. Did one more pitch to skirt east up and around the roof headwall. So far, no climbing harder than 5.4 or so. Found an obvious weakness in the headwall to get to the true summit. Probably closer to 5.8 but just two short... more >>
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Location: CO : Lyons : South Saint Vrain Canyon : Upper Infirmary Slabs : Panic in the Gray Room (5.10a)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Jun 1, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Fantastic route that will keep you thinking almost the whole way. Bolt placement is a bit scary, definitely don't miss your second clip as the ground will definitely get you. And hey Tomoko. If that is truly your first 5.10a lead, big congrats! Not a climb that most people would pick or could do for that matter first time out at that grade. Probably closer to 5.10b anyways.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Mountain : Mickey Mouse Wall : Perversion (5.9)
By: Gary Schmidt When: May 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Hmm.. there is no way that there is only one 5.9 move and the rest 5.7. For example the end of the first pitch is quite tricky and certainly way harder than anything you find on the Bastille Crack. My partner that day can lead 5.10 and struggled there and even took a bit of a fall. It is also quite a sustained climb. Of course these are just my assessments. Just don't want some poor newer 5.7 climber coming along expecting a jaunt. Classic adventure climb though.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Second Flatiron : Freeway (5.0)
By: Gary Schmidt When: May 24, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: A real fun after work work-out is to solo this route and then move over to Atalanta on the First, downclimb off the back of the first and than down to your car. Such a fun tour. How lucky to have this kind of stuff so available.
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Juniper Canyon : Rose Tower : Olive Oil (5.7) : Photo
By: Gary Schmidt When: Dec 4, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: photo kind of shows you going thru the cave at the bottom. Better off to stick to the face climb on the left unless you enjoy thrashing around in that kind of stuff.
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Oak Creek Canyon : Solar Slab - Lower Tier : Johnny Vegas (5.6)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Dec 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: A note for the start. Best to "suit up" at the base of the descent gully. You can then easily scramble up to your left (4th class) to the base of the actual climb. Nice to find your packs waiting for you right where you descend!
Great climb, but very easy except for the 2nd pitch, which is way classic. And just when you think the challenges are over the holds begin to thin out and it becomes run out! Nothing to fear as you will find what you need but keep a cool head.
Rappelling the gully take... more >>
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Juniper Canyon : Rose Tower : Olive Oil (5.7)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Dec 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Super fun route and a must do. Finding the start was a bit confusing as the scramble up the gully takes no obvious trail. Basically just stay as close as you can to the wall on your right. You will eventually come to a kind of rocky opening with a nice belay alcove. It seemed like pretty much a dead end after that. On the wall beside you is some faded chalk writing about bolts and rappelling or something. There is a "ugly" looking kind of cave to your right and to the left of that is a ramp pitc... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : Tonnere Tower : Treasure Wall : Twilight Time (5.10a)
By: Gary Schmidt When: Sep 8, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Nice line and you can also then top rope the route to the right if you wish.
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