Slab destinations in Colorado

the term slab has certainly been perverted, I believe an old time definition (Robins Basic rock craft) was when the angle of the rock was about 70 degrees or less.

doak wrote:Jon, the 12a crux is not slab. It's thin face climbing, with a bit of lie-backing corner and crack, and can be aided through. If you (or your partner) can cruise through runout 8/9 slab, and climb 10/11 moves, then I recommend getting on this route.

Yep. The Childhood's End crux is steep. The runouts are 8/9 and there are some moves in the 10 range above gear enough to demand attention, but not that would likely hurt you beyond a little scrape-up. It is more cobbles and crystals than edging.
Also - the crux could easily be aided.

to echo the others as above mr. mantle, el supremo, i enjoyed the pow wow canal (except for the spinner star drives)as well, topographical oceans, standard route on sunshine has a super fun slab pitch on it with some fun crack climbing if around the cathedrals, a route that I have always wanted to do and heard is excellent is A Question of Balance on Questa Dome, near Taos, NM

Acid Rock/Helen's Dome, Wigwam Dome, Big Rock Candy Mtn, the list goes on but those areas immediately come to mind. It's painful to remember the great routes on Sphinx Rock...

Thanks for all of the suggestions, amigos. Had the pleasure of climbing Tales of Power in Dream Canyon over the weekend and it was a blast! Highly recommended. Next week I'm off to Wigwam to get some. Again thanks a bunch and keep 'em comin'.

Hartman Rocks in Gunnison, Colorado. A little off the beaten path but you could climb in the South Platte for a couple of days and then head here. Rock is granitic intrusion, similar to SP or J-Tree. Shorter routes but a genuine slab paradise with excellent bouldering too.

I'm game for tomorrow. Message me

I'm curious if anyone has recent info for el supremo on wigwam. Everything on mountain project and what little I've heard from here and there say there is really old, iffy 1/4" bolts protecting the crux. Anyone know if they've been updated? Thanks

On another note, better lock next time, teepee tower crack and hills route beta on MP all call for a rediculous amount of #1s, 2s, 3s and 4s. Is it really worth bringing more than doubles up there?
Again , thanks a bunch.

Yep, I climbed El Supremo a few weeks ago, including leading the 4th pitch. The 4th pitch is still old 1/4" bolts, but they're close to the hard bits and the pitch is really fun.

Been slowly ticking off a lot of the suggested climbs and it's been a blast. Climbed Warpath on Wigwam a few weeks ago and Topographical Oceans over Halloween weekend. Both were awesome climbs in their own right but, when compared to the second pitch of Tales of Power, I was left a little dissatisfied. Also, as far as the pucker factor is concerned, nothing has compared to the runouts on Ramblin' Rose's slab pitch. I was genuinely worried on that one which added to my satisfaction of the flash. Slowly working my way up to Earth Voyage and Childhood's End. Thanks for all the input.

Don Ferris wrote:Slowly working my way up to Earth Voyage and Childhood's End. Thanks for all the input.

I don't think you'll find Childhood's End to be particularly worrisome now that the bolts have been replaced. It has gear wherever it needs it!

I felt that the slab climbing in Penitente Canyon and the surrounding areas such as the Rock Garden to be superb! Amazing friction and pretty delicate climbing. And the routes are so short that you can get like 20 pitches day in!

While not in Colorado, just across our border to the north, there's some great hard slab climbing in Vedauwoo.

Space Oddity, Pipeline.... these climbs are no joke.

Surprised nobody mentioned Red Rock Canyon in Colorado Springs.

It's all slab climbing up to 5.12, although there is a high percentage of moderate routes.

If you are looking for harder stuff, check out Wailing Wall.

If it is sunny, you can climb here all year round. Right off of highway 24, so about an hour or so from Golden. And only 10-15 minutes to the climbs farthest from the parking lot. A free permit is required to climb here and is available from Garden of the Gods Visitor center, about 5-10 min. from Red Rocks.

I was about to recommend earth voyage, too.

Other good slab routes are:
- Last pitch (bolt ladder) of the Cynical Pinnacle. It´s hard, but it might be a good project.
- Superslab in Eldorado Canyon
- Thunder ridge has several quality slab climbs, check out the Quarry Wall.
- The scientist in lower dream canyon - 11a. Well protected!
- Sundog 12a at animal world (bolcan) is very good and slabby
- Podophobia at Upper Dream Canyon (sandbagged 13a).

Few people I know enjoy slab climbing. I'm glad you enjoy it as I do. Scary at times, but fun.

Cheers