Post Your Best Top Rope Solo Circuit

This weekend I moved to Boulder, just fifteen minutes from the Canyon. This is by far the closest to climbing I've lived, and that access has whetted an appetite to climb all the damn time, usually finding partners isn't too hard, but on Sunday all of my regular partners were either out of town or occupied. So I said hell, I'll just top-rope solo some stuff.

Here's my circuit at Castle Rock:

1. Free solo the West Face tagging a rope. Rap off of some tat down to the anchor for Curving Crack.
2. TR Solo Curving Crack
3. Swing over to anchors above Skunk Crack, fix a line down Skunk Crack, put the other half of the rope down Comeback Crack.
4. TR solo Skunk Crack and Comeback Crack.
5. Free Solo Bailey's Overhang, drop rope onto Final Exam
6. TR solo Final Exam
7. Free solo the first pitch of Jackson's Wall, angle around to ledge on S Face of Castle Rock to Bolts.
8. Top Rope Solo Tongo

In the course of three or four hours I was able to climb 8 awesome pitches of rock. Had I had any gas left in the tank, I could have easily hiked to the top of Castle Rock and fixed a rope on Athlete's Feet and Country Club Crack. Which would be a good alternative to the Bailey's Overhang/Final Exam pairing if you aren't comfortable free soloing 5.8.

So that's my best circuit. What others have ya'll done around the Boulder area?

Awesome work Dank!
How did you pull all of this off on a Saturday?
My luck, I'd be the guy racking up below while you're fixing a line.

My solo circuits have been in Eldo and South St. Vrain where there are plenty of quite quality climbs.

J. Broussard wrote:Awesome work Dank! How did you pull all of this off on a Saturday? My luck, I'd be the guy racking up below when while your fixing a line.

That was a typo. It was Sunday, I changed it in the original post.

There were only four other people climbing at Castle Rock, it kept pissing rain every hour. I was halfway through the circuit before any of them even showed up. You make a good point though. Lack of a crowd is another variable that can add to the quality of an area for top-rope soloing.

What's your Eldo circuit?

I'm a very average climber, so I'm not taking home any awards, but..

Eldo:
Black Walk, all four pitches, climbing each multiple times to wire out for future lead.
Drop in from the top and run your 70 though all of the anchors. From tera firma you can also work the neighboring lines (it takes some time to make it up to pitch 2 with all of the possibilities)
The short and sweet, Morning Thunder.

South St. Vrain
Everything on the December Wall (so good!)

Boulder Canyon:
Everything on the Wall of Winter Warmth as well as everything on the short little wall below the Wall of Winter Warmth. The movement on that little block is surprisingly awesome!

EDIT to add: For any beginning top rope soloers, check out Dr. Michael Solar and it's neighbors in Eldo

Dank - great beta. but as convenient as solo roping is, I'd much rather have a partner. I'm also a new transplant to the front range and looking for capable partners.

Jon

jonathangeorger [@] gmail.com

Wait for it Jon...

Climb....

Density.....

And I just did a lap while you and your new partner figure out belay commands.
Who doesn't love climbing with a partner? Sometimes time and/or goals just don't align however.

TR soloing is a good workout for people who fundamentally dislike climbing indoors, but appreciate the benefits of regular training sessions. That's me to a tee. And why I enjoy it. Partners are best when you're multipitch climbing or trying to send your project. But if you just want to get laps in and work the moves on routes, then it's hard to beat.

Gear for the soloing:

Do you guys use a mini traxion, ascenders, or something else?

I've been using an ascender then switching to the ATC to rappel down. Have you guys figured out a more streamlined system?

Gri Gri with backup knots, it simulates the lead a bit more than a smooth feeding ascender system. I have to find good rests to pull up slack and tie the knot

RandyFarris wrote:Top rope soling is a bit like playing with ones self and best not talked about in public forums think I.

That's clever, spend some time on that response did you?

RandyFarris wrote:Top rope soling is a bit like playing with ones self and best not talked about in public forums think I.

OK boss

Elephant Buttress Circuit:

From the top of the 2nd Elephant Buttress, you can drop a rope onto "Tough Situation" and "Classic Finger Crack" as a warmup. Then walk over to the third Buttress to work "What's Up" and "FM". Then as a cool down the Fourth Buttress has the excellent "Northwest Face" from which you can rap down to the trail and walk out. I did this yesterday, and it's a really great way to get a quick workout in after work.

cool beans wrote:I've been using an ascender then switching to the ATC to rappel down.

Yup

Nip tuck is also a good spot to get laps in après work: 5.9 finger crack and 5.11, 5.12 sport lines can all be set up with 1 rope. Bit further drive up the canyon though...

Does anyone have suggestions for tr solo in Clear creek canyon? I just moved closer to golden so any input would be appreciated!

Shralpine wrote:Nip tuck is also a good spot to get laps in après work: 5.9 finger crack and 5.11, 5.12 sport lines can all be set up with 1 rope. Bit further drive up the canyon though... Does anyone have suggestions for tr solo in Clear creek canyon? I just moved closer to golden so any input would be appreciated!

I honestly don't have any good suggestions for CCC. North Table Mountain on the other hand has super easy access. If you like crack climbing, then the Quarry Wall is awesome!!! I used to drop a rope on Bone Collector and Frank's Wild Years. Two 4 star crack climbs!

The Blueprint Part Dank wrote: I honestly don't have any good suggestions for CCC. North Table Mountain on the other hand has super easy access. If you like crack climbing, then the Quarry Wall is awesome!!! I used to drop a rope on Bone Collector and Frank's Wild Years. Two 4 star crack climbs!

Ya I after flipping through the ccc book I only found one spot that had potential... Table will be great but sounds way too hot for summer.

The Blueprint Part Dank wrote:Elephant Buttress Circuit: From the top of the 2nd Elephant Buttress, you can drop a rope onto "Tough Situation" and "Classic Finger Crack" as a warmup. Then walk over to the third Buttress to work "What's Up" and "FM". Then as a cool down the Fourth Buttress has the excellent "Northwest Face" from which you can rap down to the trail and walk out. I did this yesterday, and it's a really great way to get a quick workout in after work.

You can also hit up the first with either Flash Dihedral. Though, Knapps is the only one that you could touch the ground with the rope. But you could always scramble onto Rossiter's.

I also thought the 3rd was closed because of a loose block on top, or did they trundle that?

Eliot Augusto wrote: You can also hit up the first with either Flash Dihedral. Though, Knapps is the only one that you could touch the ground with the rope. But you could always scramble onto Rossiter's. I also thought the 3rd was closed because of a loose block on top, or did they trundle that?

I don't know what boulder you're specifically referring to. But I don't notice anything loose at the top and the trail map showed no current closures.

I hope they trundled it AWAY from the water pipe...

Shralpine wrote:Does anyone have suggestions for tr solo in Clear creek canyon?

I used to lap the 2 cracks on Wall 90s often.