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Waiting For Columbus
5.10b/c YDS 6b French 20 Ewbanks VII UIAA 20 ZA E2 5b British
Avg: 3.6 from 33
votes
Routes in Third Flatiron
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1911 Gully T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a |
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Blazing Biners T,S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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College Drop Out aka East Face North Side T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
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Direct West Face a/k/a Western Skyline T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Doctor Merkwurdigliebe T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Dog's Head Cutoff T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R |
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East Face (Standard) T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c |
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East Face Left T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a |
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Exit Through The Gift Shop V0 4 |
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Extra Point T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R |
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Fail Safe T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Falcon's Fracture T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Feathers and Stone S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Flailure (Is Not an Option) T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R |
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Friday's Folly T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Friday's Folly Direct T,TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R |
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Funny Games T,TR 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b R |
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Greenman's Crack T,TR 5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a R |
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Holier than Thou S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Inner Sanctum T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 |
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More Mellow T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Northwest Passage T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R |
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Panda Rigolo S 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Panda Scat TR 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c |
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Pandammic S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Pentaprance T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R |
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Ph.D. Roof T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Pile In the Sky S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b |
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Rite Of Spring T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 |
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Saturday's Folly T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Sayonara T,S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Shoyu State S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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South Chimney T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a |
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Southwest Chimney T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c |
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Super Woo T 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b |
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Thin Crack T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13 |
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Third Kingdom/Papillion T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b |
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Third World Zone T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R |
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Unnamed (formerly entered as Problem Child) T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 |
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Waiting For Columbus T,S 5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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West Door T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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West Face [3rd Flatrion] T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 |
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Winky Woo T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R |
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Wrongs of Fall T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 |
| Unsorted Routes: | |
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| Type: | Trad, Sport, 180 ft (55 m) |
| FA: | R. & J. Rossiter, C. Olsen, 1989 |
| Page Views: | 9,510 total · 36/month |
| Shared By: | Tony B on Sep 13, 2002 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures
Details
The usual crags are closed for climbing for raptor nesting:
See: bouldercolorado.gov/service….
Click here for the trail closures. Some are M-F, some are 24/7. These impact the Bear Canyon/Fern Canyon regions primarily:
flatironsclimbing.org/tempo…
Click here bouldercolorado.gov/service… for the latest in raptor closures.
See: bouldercolorado.gov/service….
Click here for the trail closures. Some are M-F, some are 24/7. These impact the Bear Canyon/Fern Canyon regions primarily:
flatironsclimbing.org/tempo…
Click here bouldercolorado.gov/service… for the latest in raptor closures.
Access Issue: Raptor nesting lifted July 26, 2023
Details
Per Ryan Kuehn, Stewardship Director, Boulder Climbing Community: the seasonal raptor closure on the Third Flatiron will be extended beyond July 31st, 2023. The reopening date is TBD. This has been lifted as of 7/26/23 from the OSMP website per Zachary Henry.
bouldercolorado.gov/service…: lifted 7/26/23: Third Flatiron, including Queen Anne’s Head, W.C Fields Pinnacle, 1911 Gully and the Ghetto, the East Bench & West Bench, the East & West Ironing Boards, The Fin, Green Thumb and Jaws.
Update from the Flatirons Climbing Council July 2021: due to late nesting of peregrine falcons this year (2021), this area is closed until ~Aug. 12, 2021.
Information on OSMP wildlife closures, which help to protect sensitive habitats, can be viewed at:
bouldercolorado.gov/service…
maps.bouldercolorado.gov/wi…
The following crags are closed 1 February to 31 July:
First Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Second Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Flatiron
Queen Anne's Head
WC Fields Pinnacle
The Ghetto
East Ironing Board
West Ironing Board
The Fin
Green Thumb
Jaws
Updated details may be found here.
osmpwildlifeclosures.org.
bouldercolorado.gov/service…: lifted 7/26/23: Third Flatiron, including Queen Anne’s Head, W.C Fields Pinnacle, 1911 Gully and the Ghetto, the East Bench & West Bench, the East & West Ironing Boards, The Fin, Green Thumb and Jaws.
Update from the Flatirons Climbing Council July 2021: due to late nesting of peregrine falcons this year (2021), this area is closed until ~Aug. 12, 2021.
Information on OSMP wildlife closures, which help to protect sensitive habitats, can be viewed at:
bouldercolorado.gov/service…
maps.bouldercolorado.gov/wi…
The following crags are closed 1 February to 31 July:
First Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Second Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Flatiron
Queen Anne's Head
WC Fields Pinnacle
The Ghetto
East Ironing Board
West Ironing Board
The Fin
Green Thumb
Jaws
Updated details may be found here.
osmpwildlifeclosures.org.
Description
From the west side of the Third Flatiron, start descending to the south. You will pass Friday's Folly, and then a major corner system (Pentaprance) with a few bolts. On the next face down from this, just past a featured arete is the climb at hand, Waiting For Columbus.
If you see some slings around the base of a tree, 30' up the cliff and 40' to your right, that is the base of Falcon's Fracture. Waiting For Columbus is just in front of you. Keep looking.
Approach "the business" part of the route by climbing up and right on a flake to reach the first overhang. If you don't put in a piece on the way, you will face a committing move 35 feet off of the deck to make the first clip. Although it was not a hard move, I felt a little tweaked; consider placing gear. From there, continue up and occasionally slightly left, passing the occasional bolt or gear placement as you go. I don't have the impression that Rossiter intended this as a bolts only sport climb, you'll probably want more than 4 or 5 clips in the 165' of real climbing... The chalk will runout as the face is more exposed to the elements toward the top. Stay left, and go left beneath a few big flat plates to discover a hidden bolt there, and up to clip another at the roof. Master the roof on HUGE holds and continue straight up with a few gear placements to the top. [The crux crack/flake pitch protects quite well with a few cams from 0.75" - 3". You cen get a 2-2.5" piece at your feet and hang on to get another 0.75-1.0" or 2" piece over your head for the crux, but that might be pumpy for some people.] On top run up the slab to a huge old eye-bolt. This will REQUIRE a 60m rope.
Belay from the eye-bolt and then duck through the cave behind you to read the second-from-the-top rap anchor for the standard southwest rap of the Third Flatiron.
The length and nature of this climb are unique and fun. I was really enjoying myself on it, enough so to give it the three-star rating.
If you see some slings around the base of a tree, 30' up the cliff and 40' to your right, that is the base of Falcon's Fracture. Waiting For Columbus is just in front of you. Keep looking.
Approach "the business" part of the route by climbing up and right on a flake to reach the first overhang. If you don't put in a piece on the way, you will face a committing move 35 feet off of the deck to make the first clip. Although it was not a hard move, I felt a little tweaked; consider placing gear. From there, continue up and occasionally slightly left, passing the occasional bolt or gear placement as you go. I don't have the impression that Rossiter intended this as a bolts only sport climb, you'll probably want more than 4 or 5 clips in the 165' of real climbing... The chalk will runout as the face is more exposed to the elements toward the top. Stay left, and go left beneath a few big flat plates to discover a hidden bolt there, and up to clip another at the roof. Master the roof on HUGE holds and continue straight up with a few gear placements to the top. [The crux crack/flake pitch protects quite well with a few cams from 0.75" - 3". You cen get a 2-2.5" piece at your feet and hang on to get another 0.75-1.0" or 2" piece over your head for the crux, but that might be pumpy for some people.] On top run up the slab to a huge old eye-bolt. This will REQUIRE a 60m rope.
Belay from the eye-bolt and then duck through the cave behind you to read the second-from-the-top rap anchor for the standard southwest rap of the Third Flatiron.
The length and nature of this climb are unique and fun. I was really enjoying myself on it, enough so to give it the three-star rating.
Protection
A bit runout on the easier parts (5.8?), but secure and reasonably safe. Take 1 set of nuts from #4-#11 BD or Eqiv. + small tricams (pink, red) and cams from green Alien to 3.5".
The first and third clips, if memory serves me right, are reachy and involve committing to the moves if you are not particularly tall. At 5'10" with VERY long arms I could not clip them from the rests. I fell a few inches short.
Take lots of slings if you will place much gear, including several long ones. A set of 6" stiff draws will put a hurt on you. The route does wander a bit and in particular the bolt before the roof may require a 2' long sling.
The first and third clips, if memory serves me right, are reachy and involve committing to the moves if you are not particularly tall. At 5'10" with VERY long arms I could not clip them from the rests. I fell a few inches short.
Take lots of slings if you will place much gear, including several long ones. A set of 6" stiff draws will put a hurt on you. The route does wander a bit and in particular the bolt before the roof may require a 2' long sling.
![#1 East Face, #2 is College Drop Out (aka East Face North Side (per [[Rob Bauer]]13658).](https://mountainproject.com/assets/photos/climb/1300133_smallMed_1557850290.jpg?cache=1703265380)
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