Lumpy Ridge: The Book Area (Guidebook)

So I haven't done any multipitch at Lumpy yet, but am planning on doing some soon. My partner and I are looking at The Book and surrounding crags. I have a little familiarity with the area, but far from ideal. What I definitely don't know is the descents. I've looked at the info here on MP but I'd like more. Any guidebook suggestions?

Head right after you top out and you can find a walk off just past the JCrack slab area. There are some cairna but just follow the obvious weaknesses.

Thanks Bill. Do you know about Left Book, Bookmark and The Pages Wall descents? Those are the ones I'll be more likely to need this season.

If I recall correctly stuff like the White Whale you head left
It's been a few years though. One thing is for sure I have never had a problem find a walk off in Lumpy so I would not sweatvit
Just triple check that you took your headlamp and an extra set if batteries. The days are getting noticeably shorter.

For the Left Book, Head left on Paperback ledge, then down some small portions of 3rd class to reach your packs. 10 mins. On the 3rd pitch of anything on the LB, I pansy out left to easy ground instead of going up the slab.

For Bookmark Pinacle, most common to rap from bolts at the top of formation skiers left, then another very short rappel from tat to the base of the left book. 5 mins from there down to your packs. You can also rap skiers right from the top, but it takes longer and is annoying.

For the Pages Wall (Osiris), walk right untill you are the top of the regular top-out( cave/Hurley finish) and keep going down, following the line of least resistance. A few spots of class 3+, then angle right, coming pretty close to the right hand side of the wall. 15-20 mins to your packs.

For all except the left book (super easy to figure out), I would bring a small headlamp and extra food just in case it takes longer than you think. Have fun.

Thanks guys! A headlamp and extra batteries always go with me on a multipitch (except when the don't, and I regret it).

Any guidebook suggestions? I heard the Rossiter one was a good option. Be nice to have a topo for whatever routes we get on.

I've been flirting with the idea of Kor's Flake, but it might be a bit long for us given the shorter days and our overall combined inexperience at both long multipitch and Lumpy climbing. We'll likely stick to White Whale, Hiatus, Melvin's Wheel, or Osiris. Short approach and shorter routes.

Bernard Gillett's Guidebook, Rocky Mountain National Park, The Estes Valley is older but thorough. It gives straight forward route information without any of the fluff.
Rossiters new book is geared towards Alpine routes and is a barely accurate updated version of his originally book and topos from 20 years ago....

Just FYI, Estes Park Mountain Shop was willing rent me a guidebook for $5 a day. If you're only going to be there a couple days, may want to consider that option.

Thanks. I'll look for the Gillett guide. Hopefully Neptune's will have it.

Andrew, that's good info to have. But I plan to climb at Lumpy more in the coming years, so a guidebook seems a worthwhile investment, in this case.

I have some of these guides for sale!

mountainproject.com/v/rmnp-…

Newest gillet is sold, but older Gillet (including lumpy AND high peaks) and Rossiter are still available! Let me know if you're interested!

Edit: I would start with batman and robin as your first lumpy climb (or better yet the 5.4 pin route on the owls), then white whale, then melvins. Going for Osiris or Kor's Flake as your very first Lumpy climb would be...interesting.

Andy, I'll keep it in mind, though I'd prefer the latest edition if I can easily find it. Just makes more sense to me.

Thanks for the route input. I've climbed there once before but no mutli. Followed the first pitch of George's Tree (to the anchors, so I think I missed out on the crux), then TRd the slab, and followed Thindependence. I found the hand crack fine, but the other two were more than I could handle. So taking it easy would be a good idea.

Nice, free guide to Left Book climbs:

climbinglife.com/estes-park…

I thought George's Tree was hard and difficult to protect well down low. If you seconded that without weighting the rope than you could easily lead the Pear Buttress and most of Femp. I thought the hardest part of Femp was the 2 thin sections. The lower one you can cheat by clipping a pin and pulling through it. However the top one I was too short to get any gear in to french free off of and was forced to actually make the moves. But with you long reach you could probably just reach past the thin move or two.

Thanks for the encouragement, Bill.

Batman and Robin is so easy, it's almost not worth the time (and the descent is a pain). White Whale on the other hand, is really really nice, quite straightforward, with a simple walk-off. Melvin's is unbelievable, a really superb climb.

I love Lumpy

Yeah I think White Whale will be a good intro for us, and it's what she was looking at. This is particularly true if the descent is as easy as has been said. It is goes fast, we might have time for something more on the same day. I'll look into Melvin's Wheel some more. It sounds like a great climb, just a tricky descent, but also sounds like it can be rapped off from the first and the second belay.

Mathias wrote:Yeah I think White Whale will be a good intro for us, and it's what she was looking at. This is particularly true if the descent is as easy as has been said. It is goes fast, we might have time for something more on the same day. I'll look into Melvin's Wheel some more. It sounds like a great climb, just a tricky descent, but also sounds like it can be rapped off from the first and the second belay.

I just climvbed White Whale last summer and it's great. Descent is very straightforward (we walked off Paperback Ledge-descent might be a little harder if you summit).

See my link above for a really nice free guide to the Left Book.
There are several other nice moderate climbs there as well but White Whale is the classic.

Thanks for the info, Jim. And for the link too. Much appreciated.

Are weekends at Lumpy busy right now compared with Eldo and the Flatirons?

Mathias wrote:Thanks for the info, Jim. And for the link too. Much appreciated. Are weekends at Lumpy busy right now compared with Eldo and the Flatirons?

You're welcome

We got an early start & were first on the route but it got busy quickly.
The relatively long approach hike helps but still a popular place. Not as busy as Eldo or the 3rd Flatiron but I'd advise an early start to avoid crowds (and afternoon heat)

Another route I can recommend is the first pitch of "East Side". This long and dramatic 5.7 pitch is so incredibly fun, on delicious positive rock that is essentially a 180 foot flake, with one scary offwidth section but the rest can be protected. It's around the corner from Melvin's Wheel on that Bookmark pinnacle thing. Unbelievable.

Russ Keane wrote:Another route I can recommend is the first pitch of "East Side". This long and dramatic 5.7 pitch is so incredibly fun, on delicious positive rock that is essentially a 180 foot flake, with one scary offwidth section but the rest can be protected. It's around the corner from Melvin's Wheel on that Bookmark pinnacle thing. Unbelievable.

You had me at " 5.7" + "offwidth". I'll go find it.