Type: | Trad, 180 ft (55 m) |
FA: | unknown |
Page Views: | 842 total · 4/month |
Shared By: | Leo Paik on Sep 9, 2006 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: Temporary trail closure & Thumb and Needle Closures - resolved with The Thumb Open Space creation
Details
Temporary trail closure at The Thumb Trailhead:
Beginning Jan. 19, 2024, and lasting no later than Feb. 9, 2024, the Town of Estes Park will be temporarily closing the trailhead access at the Thumb Open Space due to required construction activity. This area will be blocked off and not accessible during the closure period. There will no parking or public access from the trailhead.
Brian Berg
Park Supervisor
Town of Estes Park
The Thumb and Needle are prominent crags (previously on private property) that are now on The Thumb Open Space, established in 2022 by the Town of Ester Park. Access to the crags is gained from a signed trailhead and small parking lot on Peak View Drive just west of Curry Drive. Do not park on Curry Drive or access the crags from anywhere along Curry Drive. From the Peak View Drive trailhead, the trail is well marked and approximately 0.75 miles long with an elevation gain of about 400 feet. Expect about 20 to 30 minutes for the approach to reach the Thumb and the Needle.
The Town of Estes Park worked on purchasing the property with the Access Fund, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, GOCO, and The Estes Valley Land Trust. The goal is to keep this area public with climbing access, so please respect private property rights of adjacent landowners.
For any questions about The Thumb Open Space, please contact Brian Berg, Park Supervisor, Town of Estes Park, bberg@estes.org, (970) 577-3783.
During 2022, major efforts were expended by members of the Boulder Climbing Community and Estes Park volunteers to replace over 100 old protection bolts and anchors on many of the sport climbs on the Thumb and the Needle. Many of the routes now have clip and lower anchors, and there are also new rappel stations on top of both crags and also the Thimble.
Formerly: The Thumb and Needle were on private property and the gravel road part of Curry Dr. is a private road. There was no public access to the Thumb or Needle until the Thumb Open Space was created. The Town of Estes Park purchased the property with our partners the Access Fund, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, GOCO, and The Estes Valley Land Trust. The goal was to make this area public with climbing access...success.
Any questions? Please contact me directly.
Brian Berg
Town of Estes Park
Park Supervisor
bberg@estes.org
(970) 577-3783
Beginning Jan. 19, 2024, and lasting no later than Feb. 9, 2024, the Town of Estes Park will be temporarily closing the trailhead access at the Thumb Open Space due to required construction activity. This area will be blocked off and not accessible during the closure period. There will no parking or public access from the trailhead.
Brian Berg
Park Supervisor
Town of Estes Park
The Thumb and Needle are prominent crags (previously on private property) that are now on The Thumb Open Space, established in 2022 by the Town of Ester Park. Access to the crags is gained from a signed trailhead and small parking lot on Peak View Drive just west of Curry Drive. Do not park on Curry Drive or access the crags from anywhere along Curry Drive. From the Peak View Drive trailhead, the trail is well marked and approximately 0.75 miles long with an elevation gain of about 400 feet. Expect about 20 to 30 minutes for the approach to reach the Thumb and the Needle.
The Town of Estes Park worked on purchasing the property with the Access Fund, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, GOCO, and The Estes Valley Land Trust. The goal is to keep this area public with climbing access, so please respect private property rights of adjacent landowners.
For any questions about The Thumb Open Space, please contact Brian Berg, Park Supervisor, Town of Estes Park, bberg@estes.org, (970) 577-3783.
During 2022, major efforts were expended by members of the Boulder Climbing Community and Estes Park volunteers to replace over 100 old protection bolts and anchors on many of the sport climbs on the Thumb and the Needle. Many of the routes now have clip and lower anchors, and there are also new rappel stations on top of both crags and also the Thimble.
Formerly: The Thumb and Needle were on private property and the gravel road part of Curry Dr. is a private road. There was no public access to the Thumb or Needle until the Thumb Open Space was created. The Town of Estes Park purchased the property with our partners the Access Fund, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, GOCO, and The Estes Valley Land Trust. The goal was to make this area public with climbing access...success.
Any questions? Please contact me directly.
Brian Berg
Town of Estes Park
Park Supervisor
bberg@estes.org
(970) 577-3783
Description
This is an obvious line on the East side of The Thumb. It does receive a star in Gillett's but not Rossiter's guidebook. Not too bad when you're trying to squeeze in something between downpours. You can do this in 1 or 2 pitches; however, the 2-bolt anchor depicted in Rossiter's guide seems to be gone.
From the trail's junction with The Thumb, head right about 50 feet. Look up & see a right-angling, right-facing, obtuse dihedral with blackish lichen (a touch slippery when wet). This is the line. Start up face moves to a short, left-facing dihedral with a fixed orange TCU. The start probably warrants a PG-13. The crux of the route is likely the movement out of this dihedral onto face holds up & right. Continue up past a pin (no bolts to be seen), follow the right-facing corner up, pass another pin. At about 100 feet up, you can move left about 12 feet to a 2 bolt anchor or you can continue to the top.
From the top, you can move above the slabby West face, drop down (with a belay), and find a set of slings threaded through a constriction. Rap 95'. Or you can downclimb to Brace Y'self aka Pin Route's anchor & rappel.
From the trail's junction with The Thumb, head right about 50 feet. Look up & see a right-angling, right-facing, obtuse dihedral with blackish lichen (a touch slippery when wet). This is the line. Start up face moves to a short, left-facing dihedral with a fixed orange TCU. The start probably warrants a PG-13. The crux of the route is likely the movement out of this dihedral onto face holds up & right. Continue up past a pin (no bolts to be seen), follow the right-facing corner up, pass another pin. At about 100 feet up, you can move left about 12 feet to a 2 bolt anchor or you can continue to the top.
From the top, you can move above the slabby West face, drop down (with a belay), and find a set of slings threaded through a constriction. Rap 95'. Or you can downclimb to Brace Y'self aka Pin Route's anchor & rappel.
Location
This is located on the E side of the Thumb, about 50 feet up & right from where the trail meets the rock.
Protection
Wires, Aliens to #2 Camalot. A 60m rope is useful. Per Buster Jesik: this now has a bolted anchor.
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