Type: | Sport, TR, 45 ft (14 m) |
FA: | Harvey Carter and Art Howell, 1960s? |
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Shared By: | Barrett Cooper on Mar 8, 2002 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closures - all lifted as of 10/20/23
Details
Per Bret Tennis, GOG Park Operations administrator: all seasonal rock climbing closures in Garden of the Gods have been lifted for the season.
In 2023, they were the same as for 2022 and 2021.
Kindergarten/Gray Rock
North Gateway
Old info:
Previously: per Bret Tennis, as of 10/19/22: The Garden of the Gods has lifted all the seasonal rock climbing closures. Prior in 2020: seasonal raptor closures for 2020 were now lifted.
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
Closures as of June 5, 2019:
The Northern end of North Gateway Rock is closed for raptor nesting.
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
Continued climbing closures from 2018:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.
In 2023, they were the same as for 2022 and 2021.
Kindergarten/Gray Rock
North Gateway
Old info:
Previously: per Bret Tennis, as of 10/19/22: The Garden of the Gods has lifted all the seasonal rock climbing closures. Prior in 2020: seasonal raptor closures for 2020 were now lifted.
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
Closures as of June 5, 2019:
The Northern end of North Gateway Rock is closed for raptor nesting.
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
Continued climbing closures from 2018:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.
Description
This route is located on the west side of White Spire in the center of the Garden. It follows the line of the protection and is listed at a 5.8 in my guidebook, although it would definitely feel harder on lead due to the zig-zag nature of the route. There are three manky looking pins on the west face if you are wanting to lead this climb. The first pin is on the left of the face about 15 feet up and the second pin is to its right and another 15 feet up. Both of these pins are obvious from the ground. The third pin is hidden on the right side of the face in a small pocket about 10-15 feet above the second. The easiest and safest way to do this route is to lead climb the 5.6 South Ridge of White Spire and set up a toprope. While not very complicated, this route does require a bit of balance and is a nice toprope to do, since you will already be set up if you have led the north or south side climbs on White Spire.
Per Stewart M. Green: The "West Face" of White was a Garden testpiece back in the late 1960s. There was a parking area on the Gateway Road just east of Red and White, so it was convenient and always lots of folks congregating there to climb, to BS, or to watch. There was of course, no paved trail or stone wall at the base, just dirt. There are actually 3 starts to the route. The left start with the old piton is the "Dudley Start," named for first ascender Mike Dudley. The middle start was first climbed on top-rope by who knows who...I did it in 1968. The right start is "Kor Start" climbed in 1964 by Layton Kor and belayed by John Auld on one of Kor's forays to The Garden. From the ledge with the piton on its right side, several other variations happen. You can climb up left on shallow, rounded scoops on the "Muff Traverse," named for first ascensionist Steve Cheyney in 1971. We all worked on that baby trying to get the first ascent. I did the direct (toprope) up to the pothole below bolt 3 in 1974 and declined to rate it since it seemed off the chart for the ratings at the time. It's very bouldery.
Per Stewart M. Green: The "West Face" of White was a Garden testpiece back in the late 1960s. There was a parking area on the Gateway Road just east of Red and White, so it was convenient and always lots of folks congregating there to climb, to BS, or to watch. There was of course, no paved trail or stone wall at the base, just dirt. There are actually 3 starts to the route. The left start with the old piton is the "Dudley Start," named for first ascender Mike Dudley. The middle start was first climbed on top-rope by who knows who...I did it in 1968. The right start is "Kor Start" climbed in 1964 by Layton Kor and belayed by John Auld on one of Kor's forays to The Garden. From the ledge with the piton on its right side, several other variations happen. You can climb up left on shallow, rounded scoops on the "Muff Traverse," named for first ascensionist Steve Cheyney in 1971. We all worked on that baby trying to get the first ascent. I did the direct (toprope) up to the pothole below bolt 3 in 1974 and declined to rate it since it seemed off the chart for the ratings at the time. It's very bouldery.
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