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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : The Crestones : Ellingwood Ledges (5.7)
By: John Korfmacher When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed this route in excellent conditions on 9/5/09 with S. Costello...a dusting of snow made the footing on some of the shaded bits kinda tricky. The direct start probably doesn't add much time to the route and you can choose between 5.5 roped climbing and a lengthy but enjoyable 4th-class scramble up the ledges and steps.
Do not trifle with the weather--if you haven't reached the base of the climb by sunrise you are going to experience a waking nightmare in the rain on the standard-route des... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : The Crestones
By: John Korfmacher When: Sep 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: An update on the S. Colony Lakes access road...the Forest Service is constructing a new trailhead about 0.5 km past the Rainbow Trail intersection, and installed a heavy-duty gate just past the parking area. I don't know what that implies for future 4WD access, but in any event, the lower part of the road has been recently maintained and it is now passable to skillfully-driven 2WD vehicles as far as the new parking lot. The new lot is still about 5 km from the old 4WD trailhead farther up the va... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Vestal Peak
By: John Korfmacher When: Aug 31, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The approach via Elk Park gets pretty difficult after turning south at the beaver ponds. The trail has a lot of down trees, and is not easy to follow, at least at night anyway (!). Look carefully where the trail becomes indistinct, or otherwise you may be bushwhacking up a steep, muddy slope above cliffs.
Persevere until you get to the upper meadow. There are good campsites there with great views of Arrow, Vestal, and West Trinity.
Save some energy for the descent. As with most San Juan peaks,... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Vestal Peak : Center Shift on Wham Ridge (5.7 R)
By: John Korfmacher When: Aug 31, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Not a difficult route--there might be a 5.7 move somewhere on that face, but we didn't find it. This is a viable solo if you are good at following the line of least resistance. We used a rope for only about 120m of this route. The rest is pretty much a really tall flatiron.
Great fun though--easy, enjoyable climbing on a very dramatic feature.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Mt. Alice
By: John Korfmacher When: Aug 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This peak is not heavily traveled, and there is a lot of potential for new routes. The good rock high up on the peak, left of the central gully, looks especially attractive and there are a good number of lines available which would likely be 5.10 and up. Good luck, they're too freakin' hard for me!
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Mt. Alice : Central Ramp (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Aug 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The 5.8 corner finish is a great pitch. It's particularly spicy with a lightning-and-thunder accompaniment.
As described above, just about all the pitches on the ramp are rope-stretchers. The full climb is only 8 pitches, but be prepared for a long day.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Shirt Tail Peak : Gambit (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jul 27, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Rossiter describes two variations to the top 60m of this route (last two pitches as described above). Climbed variation 'A' with C. Schnatwinkel on 7.25.09 and found it excellent. From the top of the short offwidth, work right to the next crack system and head straight up. This crack is visible just right of the indicated line on the topo photo. The protection is good, the exposure is exciting, and the moves are very steep and sustained, but never harder than 5.8+. This is a good finish for thos... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Long's Peak : Upper East Face : Kiener's Route (5.3 Easy Snow)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jul 20, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Finally climbed this classic 7/19 with S. Costello. Here are a few notes/suggestions for those considering the route:
- Like all of Long's summit routes, this route is 5000 vertical feet from the trailhead. Be in good shape for this one!
- Lamb's Slide, as of this post, is in good shape with soft but usable snow early in the morning. I didn't see any rockfall. Those competent with an axe won't require additional protection with current conditions.
- 5th-class climbing to the right of Notch Coulo...
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Location: WY : Devil's Tower : South and East Faces : TAD (5.7)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jul 9, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a very good route; I'm not too sure about it being the "easiest" route on the Tower.
P1-thought this was the better of the two pitches; the OW is short but is passed easily with some stemming. A #4 is helpful at the crux; if you're comfortable shuffling it a bit, you won't need more than one. Stand on top of the chockstone for the belay.
P2-very stout indeed for the given grade of 5.6; I think it would be a 5.8 at most other crags. There ar... more >>
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Location: CO : Lyons : South Saint Vrain Canyon : Observatory Rock : 99% Pure (5.9)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jun 29, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I second the notion that the route is a major sandbag at 5.7. It is considerably harder than Original Route (5.8-) to the right. If you've got big hands, 5.9 is a fair rating; felt more like 9+ to 10a for me. Gillett lists it at 5.9 I think.
By the time you finish the crack, the runout will seem trivial. An extra #2 and #3 are helpful if you want to sew it up.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : Blob Rock Area : Blob Rock : ... : Central Chimney (5.6)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jun 1, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: P2 makes the effort worthwhile--it's a nifty pitch tunneling up through the chimney with good jams, sidepulls and body friction. Pro is good throughout.
The leftmost corner/crack on P3 was nice, as is the traverse that follows. Not a super-exciting route, but it's a good tour of the Blob.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : Castle Rock : Bailey's Overhang (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jun 1, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed 5/31/09 with S. Costello...First pitch is excellent, probably the best moderate at Castle. The roof does need a big cam, but there are good placements below that would hold a fall. I did it left side in, with a left-foot backstep to a solid foothold, then pulled over on jugs. This is a fun and not terribly difficult move.
There IS quality climbing above the first pitch. We finished on a 40-50 foot left-facing 5.7 corner that looks kinda dirty and grassy but is actually fairly fun. The d... more >>
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Location: CO : Golden : North Table Mountain/Golden... : Twelve Pack Wall : Love, Sex, and the IRS (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: May 18, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Fun route. It has a little bit of everything stuffed into 60 feet or so. I used four cams on the trad section, #1 Camalot and smaller.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : The Dome : East of the Sun (5.7)
By: John Korfmacher When: Mar 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: P2 is described in the Rossiter guidebook as a short traverse east, a couple of moves up a left-slanting ramp, and then "tiny holds" on the face straight up to the exit roof.
Climbed the route on 3/21 with S. Costello. They are indeed small holds (mostly lichenous pockets and slopers) and there is no protection for a good 20-25 feet. It didn't look like anyone had gone that way in some time. The climbing on the East Slab crack a few feet away is better protected and, IMHO, a lot more fun.
Howe... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : The Dome : East Slab (5.6)
By: John Korfmacher When: Mar 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a fun lead whether you're a beginner or not.
And yes, the first move is 5.7.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : South : The Maiden : North Face (5.6 R)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jan 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is one of the strangest climbs I've ever done...after 2.5 pitches, you are lower than you are at the start. But it's a very fun climb and the place has an almost spooky feel to it. It's a long approach, there's nobody around, and because of the circuitous nature of the route, every climb has kind of a first-ascent gestalt.
Gerry Roach's description in the Flatirons guidebook is useful and quite humorous as well.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Fourth Flatiron : East Face/4th Flatiron (5.4 R)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jan 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Sheryl Costello and I climbed this route a couple of years with some friends from out of town, and planned it as an introduction to Flatiron climbing. As such I don't recommend it; it's a bit of a slog, and although the climbing is easy, the pro is sometimes poor and often non-existent.
That said...the route does have some virtues. For starters, you won't have to contend with the crowds like you would on other Flatirons. And a visit to the secret "hanging garden" is pretty cool. And h... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Batman Rock : Carpenter's Corner (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Nov 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The first 80 feet of this route provides good climbing with nice jams, stemming, and friction, and would be well worth it if the rest of the route was decent. Pro on P1 is great right up to the first roof, where it pretty much disappears. There are some horizontal cracks in the roof that might be protectable, but they're mostly flared.
The last piece before the traverse can be backed up (medium nut plus a 0.5 Camalot worked for me) and there's not really any danger of a ground fall...but pro fa... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : Cedar Park Slab : Dags in Beanland (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Oct 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed 9.27.08 with A. Wiedmann...approach is a bit scratchy but not too bad. Couldn't find any 5.7 on P1. It's mostly 5.easy, could be 4th-classed without much trouble. P2 is definitely the best one, plenty of friction and slightly-delicate face moves. There might be a 5.8 move on this pitch somewhere. The rest is much like the Flatirons, not too much pro but mostly easy climbing on nice rock.
Worth a trip, though definitely not in the same league as other area moderate classics like Pear But... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Quandary Peak : Inwood Arete (5.4 R)
By: John Korfmacher When: Aug 25, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Well now...there certainly are some opinions on this route. You can avoid most of the scree by staying on top of the arete, and the climbing there is fun if not especially challenging. The dirty, wet direct starts, and the poorly-protected 5.4 slab, can be avoided by staying left and scrambling up the arete also. The exit move from the 5.4 dihedral is not hard if you're reasonably comfortable doing easy 5th in boots.
Overall I thought the route reminded me of Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon, though no... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : The West Ridge : West Ridge - Long John to V... : Long John Wall (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Aug 11, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Roof crux on P2 was fun, but it took me a good 10 minutes to figure it out. Thought that was a good pitch. Pro is adequate but not really plentiful on this climb.
Didn't feel the love on the Break on Through start. The lieback part is good if you're into that kind of thing, but the crux requires a kinda wild move over the roof, or some tenuous 5.9 groveling on a cruddy, poorly protected seam.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Ypsilon Mountain : Blitzen Ridge (5.4)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jul 30, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: jhump, your story was hilarious...don't sweat it, everyone's a gumbie once in a while. If you can get from the TH to the summit in 3 hours, you're at least a well-conditioned gumbie...
To answer your questions,
1. The best climbing after the headwall is directly on the crest. When I climbed it, I occasionally detoured right onto 3rd-class ground to avoid funky stuff.
2. Donner Ridge is the major, southern ridge of Ypsilon. Should be pretty obvious unless it's foggy, just be able to walk south a... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Fall River Road (US 34 West... : Deer Ridge Buttress : Nun's Buttress (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jul 28, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed 7.27.08 with Al Wiedmann. Route is currently in good shape. Not sure why it is not more popular. A few comments:
You can add an additional pitch below P1 by climbing any of a number of corners below and west of the Praying Nun, your choice of 5.7 to 5.10. This would be preferable to the original 5.easy scramble to Stagway.
P1 as described above is a fine, fine pitch. Al led the alternative start which has reasonable pro and goes at solid 5.9. The rest of the pitch is very similar to th... more >>
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Location: CA : High Sierra : Thunderbolt Peak
By: John Korfmacher When: Jun 9, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: You can also approach T-bolt from the west. Hike up over Bishop Pass, then boulder-hop southeast behind the Palisades. It's possible to camp at a prominent saddle a couple miles from Bishop Pass. I strongly recommend bringing a six-pack of the beverage of your choice and stashing it in a handy snowfield near camp.
Ascent is via an obvious scree gully (usually pretty dusty in the summer). One 5.easy pitch (rope optional) will put you at the foot of the summit boulder problem.
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Location: CA : High Sierra : Charlotte Dome : South Face (5.8)
By: John Korfmacher When: Jun 9, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: If the sight of Charlotte Dome as you approach down Bubb's Creek doesn't get you fired up, you should sell your gear and take up knitting instead.
IIRC the anchors on the first two or three pitches were not very good and the pro was kinda minimal. But the moves were easy and the rest of the route is excellent with interesting movement, exposure, and spectacular views every time you look up. This is the kind of adventurous climbing that the Sierra has always been about.
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