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Birds of Fire (RMNP) training routes

Original Post
Brian Stevens · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 2,137

I've had my eye on Birds of Fire up in the park for a while now and after a few weeks in J-Tree this winter I'm feeling a bit more confident of my slab skills. I'm looking for some suggestions regarding good slab routes in the front range (Eldo, Boulder Canyon, S.Platte, etc.) that give me a taste of similar difficulty and/or spiciness. Since some may come up, below is a couple of slab type routes I've done off the top of my head:

1. Climb of the Ancient Mariner - Lumpy
2. Romulan Territory (I know it's a corner, but it felt damn slabby!) - Lumpy
3. The Scientist - Boulder Canyon
4. All of the 5.11's up at Cadillac Crag in Eldo that were put up by Rossiter (Land of Ra, Heartbreaker, etc.)
5. Couple random single pitches down at Thunder Ridge in the Platte - I really wanted to get on Topographical Oceans but missed out before the closures!

Thanks for the help!

Skullybones · · Desert SW · Joined May 2013 · Points: 46

Check out this area in the S. Platte: mountainproject.com/v/land-…

The climbing faces north, so there is probably a bit of snow lingering. Give me a shout if you ever want to hook up in the area.

Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

Two Jews blues. South platte. If you don't bail right at the last few bolts and instead climb straight up the bolts it is as hard as the crux on birds of fire. Check out Helen's dome too.

Hit me up if you need a partner.

Alan Doak · · boulder, co · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 120

I did a lot of slab climbing in Jtree in grad school, then moved back to Boulder and hopped onto Birds of Fire and it felt divine. If you're comfortable with 5.10 slab in Jtree, then you should be fine on BoF.

Superslab in Eldo is recommended. Frankly, there's not the quantity of great slab near boulder that you get in Jtree, Squamish and Yosemite.

Childhood's End in Splatte is really good. The runout slab parts are easier, but will keep your head honed, and the crux bit can be french freed.

Also, every anchor of BoF is a rap station, so it's not a committing route from that standpoint.

If BoF feels cruiser, then you should hop on All 2 Obvious and Spear Me The Details on Spearhead. They're a bit harder, better protected, and amazing!

Alan Doak · · boulder, co · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 120

Also, check out Upper Dream canyon. The top pitches of Earth Voyage are fun slab.

slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103

the 11's on wigwam dome would be good training, as would the routes on the west face of helen's dome - which aren't rated particularly difficult, but are sustained and heady.

Tony B · · Around Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 24,665

+1 for picking thin slabs in the Splatte for prep, but as was said earlier, if you are OK on 10's in Jtree, you'll be OK on BOF.
Perhaps the actual crux is being in shape for the approach so you arrive feeling good instead of tired and in the head for the (reasonable) gear spacing.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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