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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Indian Peaks : Apache Peak : Queen's Way (Steep Snow)
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 23, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Slope measurements on the way up:
Entrance 30
Midway 38
Top 42
These were taken on my mountaineering axe laid on surfaces that appeared to best represent the overall slope. Likely there are localized areas of steeper snow and snow conditions would certainly change this. My visual slope readings from the moraines down below were around 45 degrees.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Hammerhead : Yodeling Moves (5.0)
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 20, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: The first 2 pitches were like an approach climb for the summit. After the start head out to the very edge for climbing about as exciting as 5.0 gets.
When I saw the final pitch it looked so improbable at easy 5th class, it has to be harder. Once you get on it, the holds just appear, you can literally "walk" across the traverse to the final moves. I would put this pitch at 4th class and one of the finest summits in the flatirons, a true classic! I protected the traverse with 3 bomber large fi... more >>
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Location: CO : Rock Climbling Accidents: C...
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 16, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: What I got from it is that I am never going to climb under a party in their 20s from Australia....... when I'm in Boulder. It's probably ok in Australia.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Der Freischutz : South Ridge (5.0)
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 13, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Gerry Roach has this as F3 and Haas has it as 4th. I strongly disagree. I was intending a free solo but caught it after a rain so had to rope up the first half. I was also in approach shoes. Even accounting for those 2 things I think this requires much more thoughtful moves than Front Porch, Lost Porch, Freeway or S Ridge 1st Flatironette. On those you can grab and go, not so much on certain sections of this. I would say 5.2 but would have to come back with climbing shoes when its dry to v... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : South : Flying Flatiron : East Face Complete (5.7)
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 6, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Julius had the same experience as I did. There is a small pocket halfway up the opening face that takes a red or pink tricam and is bomber, if you don't find that you only get one more piece near the top. In the Haas book, we are referring to the "East Face" route which matches the original route in Roach's book. This way appears much more exciting than the one listed above.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Southern Dinosaur Egg : Hatch (5.6)
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 12, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: While not epic, climbing this will always be memorable for me. It was my first climb in 6 months. Classic Flatiron's approach, for a short climb there was a lot of adventure. Crack, real chimney moves if you choose to get down in there and nice face climbing. The first move off of the chockstone on the final pitch requires you to step out left onto a foot-sized foot hold with big exposure. Not having climbed for 6 months, this lead got my blood pumping! Great pro where needed but not much n... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Southern Dinosaur Egg
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 12, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Based on the beta above, when I got to Bear Canyon, I followed a trail just south of the stream up a heavily eroded and dangerous steep slope expecting to find a semi-hidden climber trail, big mistake. The goal here is to gain the old road/trail by the power line ( actual Bear Canyon Trail). Had I known that, I would have headed further south where the Bear Canyon trail intersects the Mesa trail. Hike the Bear Canyon trail, and then descend from the Bear Canyon trail to the valley floor at th... more >>
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Location: CO : Morrison/Evergreen : Lover's Leap
By: Rick Blair When: Aug 25, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Please see my above series of 3 photos to get started on the proper approach. Whomever did this knew what they were doing. These trail improvements are amazing. Much safer, I wonder how many ambulance calls there have been due to people ascending/descending the steep bank. No more beat up ropes for hand lines, no more erosion on the stream bank. If you need help for more trail work please PM me, I would love to help.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Maroon Bells : Bell Cord Couloir
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 29, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: In this huge snow year, this was a loooong climb. We brought 2 axes, and I was glad to have them. We were able to mix it up plunging both shafts, then some daggering even traversing was nice, because you didn't have to switch hands. The large runnel in the middle is created by falling ice and boulders, stay out. We started at 3am.
Slope:
35 degrees down low,
39 degrees typical,
43 degrees steepest.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Maroon Bells : Maroon Ridge (5.4)
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 29, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I think 5.4 is fair. We hit 3 cruxes, the first 5.2, second 5.4 and we did a 5.7 roof by choice simply because it was a shorter and more direct line. I believe those who say this can all be done 4th class, but often that will mean leaving the ridge proper.
Despite all the loose rock around, the climbing is actually quite solid, really great actually. I brought some bugaboos and knife blades, anywhere I could have placed them I would have simply been a stone mason. This rock fractures so para... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Lost Porch : Southeast Ridge (5.0)
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 18, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Julius, my partner and I saw that gully and were tempted, but it looked dirty though doable. If you stick with the ridge, it is indeed 4th class, a little higher angle than the gully but clean.
This was an outstanding free solo. The position on the middle of the first face and the middle of the final face is dead vertical with huge huecos, runnels, and pockets with positive edges you can wrap your fingers around for every hold. How does this happen in nature? Amazing. To me, the crux is nav... more >>
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Location: Phil Lauffen : pix : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 10, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Your face says it all! When I get my son up there I let you know how it feels from the other side, gonna be a few years though.
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Location: CO : Golden : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Jun 1, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Coors Brewery is at the end of the rainbow? Do Leprechauns make the beer?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Green Mountain Pinnacle : 2 Minutes? That's IT? (5.6)
By: Rick Blair When: May 18, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I love the route description and the comment above as well, good stuff! You sucked me in with the opening sentence. Congratulations for putting your name on an FA in one of the most famous climbing areas in the country! Did you fight over who would get to lead it?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Der Freischutz : ... : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: May 14, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Interesting... where is the rope going? Top rope??? Anyway, this is the obvious face right off the trail and the way I would recommend. Fire up towards that tree.
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Location: International : Europe : United Kingdom : England : The Lake District : ... : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Apr 10, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Yeah Phil, and the one in the middle is cute and has nice teeth, this picture may not actually be from England.
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Location: TX : Enchanted Rock State Natura... : Buzzard's Roost : East Face of Buzzard's Roos... : Shrike (5.12b/c R) : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Apr 5, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: That is an amazing stance he is holding. 1988... Bad Ass.
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Location: UT : Moab Area : Indian Creek : Scarface : Scarface (5.11) : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Mar 22, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Incredible photo! Almost makes me think of an oil painting when viewed in smaller size.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : Central : Achean Pronouncement : East Face/Achean Pronouncem... (5.7)
By: Rick Blair When: Nov 8, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: Pitons are not present at the top of P3. They are not needed anyway, plenty of pro. I linked the 1st and part of 2nd pitch in approach shoes, if it's 5.7, then just barely. I would recommend linking first 3 pitches into 2 pitches. The start of P1 is the crux so use your own judgment. P4 is 5.2 climbing BUT... very rotten, every hold is questionable, and there is no pro that will actually hold a fall until you get to a bomber threadable hole ~80 ft out on the ridge.
This was a fun climb, I ... more >>
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Location: CO : Morrison/Evergreen : Morrison Routes : The Price For Fire (5.13a) : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Oct 6, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbing shirtless with fresh snow in the background sums up a lot about Colorado for me.
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Location: CO : Morrison/Evergreen : Lover's Leap : Original Route (5.5)
By: Rick Blair When: Oct 6, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: I contacted one of the local SAR guys by email. He thinks the route I did was the actual original route making rangerdrew's beta photo the picture of the original start. He thinks Wes's route was a rescue route and the anchors he encountered were left over from a rescue on Ye Old Hysterical. I went to the AMC library to find some old beta to clear this up, I think I had the correct route, but either way there appears to be 2 distinct routes here.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : The Golden Shower Wall
By: Rick Blair When: Aug 23, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: Wow, I can't wait to see comments on future routes for this area based on how the first one was received. You claim that bolting this area was discussed with the climbing community but I noticed everyone on this web site left very negative critiques including a major guide in the area. I wonder how that happened?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : South : Devil's Thumb : Left Side (5.7)
By: Rick Blair When: Aug 10, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: Ok, that was me performing the ridiculous moves John is talking about above. I jammed my way up and got a #1 Camalot high in the crack instead of clipping the ring piton, bomber placement. The crack is very flared, so good jams were not easy to come by. Is it possible I plugged a cam into a necessary handhold that would have kept this easier? Maybe a better alternative would have been a layback? A fall from here, with good pro, would be very clean as you are overhanging, none the less ... more >>
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Location: WA : Darrington : Dreamer (5.9) : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 14, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: I see... obviously a Greatful Dead poster.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : Castle Rock : Knight With a Shining Stick (A3) : Photo
By: Rick Blair When: Jul 13, 2010 | view comment >> |
Comments: That is one ballsy line! Good on you! You look very calm in the photo.... I bet that was not the case.... LOL!
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