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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Woods Quarry : Diatribe (5.10 X)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: An additional note on this area: watch for rattlesnakes! I've seen a prairie rattler in the rocks near the base.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Woods Quarry : Diatribe (5.10 X)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: A climb worth the hike up to the quarry. Good technique builder. I did this one in old Kronhofer Kletterschues. Seemed pretty thin, BITD!
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Woods Quarry : The Middle Way (5.10 X)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I've never seen this led; normally toproped. This is a fun practice climb either after school or work. One of the few places along the Mesa Trail that I've seen a rattlesnake, too.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Third Flatiron : East Face (Standard) (5.4)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I've done this route a whole bunch...and I rate the final pitch as 5.5 based on the route finding. The easiest line is probably 5.4, but not everyone finds the easiest line.
That being said, I've taken lots of nOObs up this during the old CMC/RMRG Rock Schools of the 1960s.
It's a climb that most people will NEVER FORGET! Most "stars" in the universe.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : First Flatiron : Direct Route (5.6 R)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Leo-
BITD, i.e. the early 1960s this was considered a major climb! We were all using 7/16" x 150' ropes (Columbian or Goldline!), and it was a 12 pitch climb. We really had to "run it out" to make it to belay ledges and stances.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : First Flatiron : Butterfly (5.6 R)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Typical of Flatiron climbs: i.e. runout and not much protection available. On the other hand, there are good belay ledges and stances. Overall, an exciting excursion on a beautiful formation.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Gregory Canyon (including T... : ... : First Pinnacle SE Face (5.3)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: A very worthwhile climb for a n00b. Definitely gives a beginner a taste of exposure.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flatirons : North : Gregory Canyon (including T... : ... : East Bench Dihedral (5.2)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: A great first climb with a beginner; continue to the top of the First Pinnacle (5.3) and do the overhanging rappel down the south face for a fun excursion. This is what I did learning how to rappel in 1959!
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : Nook's Rock
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a great place to take a beginner for an intro to some bouldering and a great "date climb" spot, too.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : Nook's Rock : South Face (V0)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Rock is named after Layton "Nook" Kor. This is a great place to boulder in the summertime and in the morning of hot days.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : Pratt's Rock aka Pratt's Ov... : Pratt's Mantle (V2+)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Bob Culp finally accomplished this route in the Spring of 1961.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : Pratt's Rock aka Pratt's Ov... : Pratt's Overhang (V3)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I recall being shown this problem by Kenny Parker in 1959. I finally was able to do it in 1965 after a stint in the Army (1961-1964). Imagine: doing this in Kronhofers! This was truly a Bob Culp special, as he did the actual first ascent shortly after I was shown the problem.
I really don't know how Chuck Pratt's name became attached to this rock, 'cause the first time he came to Boulder was in the Fall of 1964 or the Spring of 1965. It may be from his first ascent of the mantle problem in Spri... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : One Arms rocks : Right Hand Mantle (V2)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: There are lots of small variations to doing this face. This was the first of the harder boulders (harder than V1) I was able to climb back in the 1960s. Still a fun problem!
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : Tree Slab : Classic Line (V0 PG13)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a great intro to bouldering for the neophyte. For rank beginners, a toprope is advised. I used it several times for teaching a rock school class the principles of balance climbing. I also demonstrated that it's entirely a footwork problem by climbing it one-handed. One day with rockschoolers, I did the route over 20 times, telling the students that the rock demanded to be climbed and if they were unable to do it, I had to climb it for them.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : The Capstan : South Crack (V2 X)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I first did this back in the 1960s and mostly done then as a toprope problem in Kronhofer klettershchues. I did it again in the 1980s with new sticky rubber La Sportivas, and it seemed a lot easier. I'd give it a V2/V3 rating. Not all that hard, as Flagstaff boulder problems go....
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Location: CO : Boulder : Flagstaff : Cookie Jar : Cookie Jar Crack (V-easy R)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: This was my first-ever introduction to roped climbing 1959! I thought it was positively the hardest thing imaginable, 'cause I had no idea what I was doing. Once the neophyte learns that the feet are important and how to stem a rest or 2, it becomes a reasonable climb. I even took my 10 year old son there, some 26 years later, and coached him up the thing on his first attempt.
Overall, a terrific place for teaching some crack techniques.
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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : Swan Slab : Swan Slab Chimney (5.5)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 30, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: This part of Swan Slab is very popular with beginning climbers and is usually overrun with the participants in climbing schools. This route provides the easiest access to the anchors for toproping Grant's Crack and Oak Tree Flake.
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Hallett Peak : Englishman's Route (5.8)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 17, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed this route in June 1961 with Bob LaGrange. It was my first alpine rock climb. We descended down the east face or chimney and had an "epic" with residual snow, running water, and slush. It was really too early in the season for the normal descent to be possible with lots of snow remaining in the chimneys. It is now graded 5.8, but BITD it was only considered a 5.6.
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Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Walt's Wall : Edward's Crack, Left Exit (5.4 PG13)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 17, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a pretty unprotected, albeit easy, alternative to the direct exit on Edward's Crack. I have always thought this to be a "spicy" variation, and it is "old school" 5.4. Most visitors think that is a "sandbag."
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : RMNP - Rock : Long's Peak : Lower East Face
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 17, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Re: lower East Face descents: the North Chimney provides a good escape hatch from Broadway back to the talus.
In 1966, Pat Ament and I repeated the Diagonal; after a bivouac on Braodway we used the North Chimney descent route. It takes 2 ropes and 2 rappels to complete.
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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : Glacier Point Apron : Patio Pinnacle, Regular Rou... (5.9 PG13)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 16, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Once at the base of the chimney, finding the best way to the top is tricky. A very small climber can burrow through under a chockstone, but bigger climbers are forced on the face to the left for a few moves. This is a somewhat runout route and is very "old school Apron climbing." Better bring a bolt kit in case the rappel anchors need replacement.
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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : Royal Arches : Arches Terrace (5.8 R)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 16, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is definitely very "old school," as it offers difficult and runout climbing almost continuously. I found the shallow, flared groove to be the most difficult pitch, but a combination of heel and to jams seemed to work well. My climb was on June 25, 1965. This was a "de riguer" climb for up-and-coming hard men BITD. I climbed in stiff-as-boards Kletter Spiders.
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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : Lower Cathedral Rock : Overhang Bypass (5.7)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 16, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Did this back in the ironmongery days, June 1965, with Peter Williamson (RIP). The climbing on this route is decent and there is some nice exposure on leads 3 & 4. The "Hog Trough," which Peter led, is definitely a memorable experience. I led the next pitch after the hog Trough, and it is definitely the crux climbing at solid 5.7+ (5.6, BITD!) I recommend the traverse left variation as there are decent holds and possibly a fixed piton at the crux.
This climb was very fashionable at one time, bu... more >>
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Location: CA : Joshua Tree National Park : Quail Springs Area : Trashcan Rock : Trashcan Rock - West Face : Eschar (5.4)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 12, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: I wanted to do this route again last week, but it seems to be very popular and was occupied most of the weekend. It is a very pleasant , easy lead.
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Location: CA : Joshua Tree National Park : Quail Springs Area : Trashcan Rock : Trashcan Rock - West Face : Karpkwitz (5.6)
By: Rodger Raubach When: Apr 12, 2011 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed this again just last week; after a 20+ year interval...it still feels like 5.6. Very enjoyable at the grade.
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