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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : The Catacomb : The Hot Zone (5.9-)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 30, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: My favorite route at The Monastery (so far!). Absolutely stunning views all the way up. Feels pretty exposed, in that you're climbing an arete with nothing but Big Thompson Valley beneath you. The start was the toughest part for me, I began a bit to the right of the arete and then traversed over (decently chalked moves). You can pre-clip the first bolt to make it a less scary of a lead. Probably not necessary, but I used some fun foot-crossing moves to kind of dance around a bit. You can u... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : The Catacomb : The Mausoleum (5.9-)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 30, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Whether you start by stepping over from the boulder or from the ground drastically changes the difficulty of this route. I agree with Jeremy, that it's probably about 5.7 if you step over, but if you start from the bottom, I think it goes in the 5.9 range. Shares an anchor with Gravestone, to the right of this route. Some fun reaches to big holds throughout the middle of this route. Definitely worth doing.
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : The Catacomb : Headstones (5.8)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 30, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I recommend bringing up a couple of 10' slings for the anchor. It's set so far back from the face that it will shred your rope if you don't. I placed a t-shirt under the most prominent corner at the top, and it ripped several holes through the shirt. Very slabby, lots of sharp conglomerate rock (would expect nothing less at The Monastery) so there are tons of options throughout. The toughest section for me seemed to lie between bolts 2 and 3. All in all, not that memorable of a climb. Hit ... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : The Vestibule : Tabula Rasa (5.10c)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 30, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I second or third or whatever all the rave reviews for this route. Absolutely stunning rock formation, and a very apt name for the route itself. The holds get really thin at the crux. To exit the crux, reach back into the diagonal rail with a left hand for a bomber hold. I tried this route last year and felt like such a champ when I got it the other day. As with most routes at The Monastery, make sure you take a minute at the top to enjoy the view!
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : Wall of the '90s : Leftover Stuff (5.10c)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 24, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: The two roofs are fun. Each roof has a large X'ed-out block just below and to the left of it, but I tried tugging on each of them and neither would budge. I weigh more than most climbers as well, so I would say ignore the X's. This is an interesting route in that it starts juggy and transitions to slab climbing, then it starts over again and ends with another slab section. Good variety for a warm-up. If you belay off the ledge, then a 60m rope is just the right length. Crux is indeed at th... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Big Thompson Canyon : The Monastery : The Catacomb : Gravestone (5.7)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 17, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I'm 5'-10", and I agree with the first three. I felt like difficulty-wise, there was little to no difference between this route and Mausoleum. A good warm-up, especially with the tinier pinches near the top.
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Location: CO : Canon City : Shelf Road : The Gallery : Menses Prow : First Blood (5.8)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 17, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I agree with Mike - best 5.8 I've done at Shelf Road. Very similar feel to Cheese Grater for the first 2/3 of the route. It's easier if you don't wait until the last minute to move out to the right face under the anchors. Don't fret the runout to the first bolt, there are bomber hand- and footholds.
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Location: CO : Canon City : Shelf Road : Sand Gulch : Contest Wall
By: Nate Oakes When: May 17, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I was just at the Contest Wall last month, and I found the new guidebook by Fred Knapp/Rick Thompson/Rich Aschert to be quite helpful and accurate. It's called Shelf Road Rock, put out by Sharp End Publishing, should be easy to find.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : Primo Wall : Mirthmobile (5.10a)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Super, super fun route... but word to the wise: don't use a heel-hook at the top to pull for the anchors, unless you absolutely have it. I ended up peeling off first time and gouged my ankle out, had to stay out of the climbing shoes for a good month. Reach far right, just past the bolt, for the well-chalked jugs at the crux. Very juggy route, a good pump.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : The Red Slab : Lounge Lizard (5.10b/c)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I liked this route, though the rock was pretty dirty near the top. Lots of funky side-pull maneuvers. The anchor is a decent traverse to the left at the top, though I could have stayed to the right a bit too long while climbing. Not as difficult as most 10b routes I've climbed in the area, more of a mental challenge than a physical one, in my opinion.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : The Red Slab : Trundelero (5.10b)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: For the roof move, I got bunched up beneath it, then reached a right hand high into the crack and jammed directly above a crystal-like piece. After that, it's pretty juggy. A great climb, not a one-move wonder.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : The Red Slab : Rattle and Scream (5.10a)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Couldn't see the bolts when I tried this one, and ended up coming down on someone else's bail 'biner off bolt 5. Sounds like a common problem.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : Little Eiger : Footloose (5.10a)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: First time I led this, I waited a bit before stepping over the arete, and it definitely felt harder than a CC 10a. Next time, I stepped over early and the grade felt a lot more accurate. Fun little crimpy pulls past that arete, kinda balancy.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : The Crystal Tower : Mineral Museum (5.9+)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Colorful, beautiful rock all the way up. Getting past the dihedral right before the anchors is fun, reach high to your left to slap a stout hold and pull up to the anchors. I found there were a number of paths between the second and sixth draws, it was a bit difficult for me to tell what the intended route was.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : High Wire Crag : Poker Face (5.9)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: A fun little warmup, I agree with Kyle. A friend of mine led this as her first outdoor lead, and it worked out well. She's short, so it was a bit bouldery for the start.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : High Wire Crag : Pony Up (5.8)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Thanks to whoever put up those chains....
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : High Wire Crag : Cracker Jack (5.9)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: A decent, looooong route... it really seems more like a 5.6 or 5.7 after the bulge. That "secret" hold in the crack is a beaut.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : High Wire Crag : 5th of July (5.9+)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Very nice route. The jugs for the start are huge, and it's a lot easier than it looks. Use a stout heel-hook to help get over it. And I didn't see any unnatural holds along the route, though I think that's been well-covered by now.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : High Wire Crag : Bypass (5.10)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I agree that this route was tougher than most 10s in the area. Low, pumpy crux until the third bolt, I found that traversing the roof to the right was the way to go.
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Location: CO : Golden : Clear Creek Canyon : The Catslab : Gus (5.10d)
By: Nate Oakes When: May 15, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Definite scare factor - very exposed. Regardless of the grade, you feel like a champ finishing this route. I agree with Richard about the headwall crux, I did the juggy line to the right my first time out, and used the left sequence the next time, much harder. I would definitely recommend holding the rope when belaying down to avoid a tricky landing.
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