Reggae 

After an 8 year hiatus from climbing, two years ago I picked up my old rack and went at it again. Reggae was one of my first leads, heck, it's just a 5.8 right? Wrong!

Having done many a 5.8s since, I have to say I do not necessarily agree with the comments above.

It is probably a 5.8 but a burly one at that. I think it is significantly harder than say Wind Ridge (5.8 variation), the 5.8s in Yellow Spur and Bastille Crack.

Maybe it's just me, but I would encourage budding 5.8 leaders to approach this one with respect.

I agree with Warren. The crux is short but the moves feel stiff for 5.8. There is great gear just below the crux. The climber on Reggae in the above route photo of the Wind Tower is at the base of the crux.

Once you commit to the lieback crack, the gear placements are still good, but they're blind -- so you may end up burning precious forearm juice while you fumble with the rack (like I did). Climbers with good footwork who can stem WIDE will have an easier time here.

There is a huge incut hold and a great nut placement waiting for you at the top of the crux section. Slot the bomber nut and then grovel into the squeeze slot. Make every effort NOT to look like a beached whale when doing this, like I did.

Wow, what a great pitch! As far as moderate single-pitch climbs go I like Reggae as much or more than Friday's Folly on the 3rd Flatiron.

You can get to the base of this route most easily by climbing the first pitch of Boulder Direct. Cheers.

As I remember the crux, is there was some bomber finger locks that I was able to hang off of while placing gear the whole way up. You could probably put 10 pieces in that section. I just think the stances and the pro are solid, and a 5.8 leader shouldn't be discouraged by this great route.

Gear is good at the crux, but the 5.8 leader needs to be ready to punch through a few moves without stopping. There are a few feet of layback moves on which one COULD stop to place more pro, but doing so might bump the pump up to 5.8++. I think Reggae is a good indicator of the confidence your 5.8 leader has in her gear; as one of my very first trad leads I recall feeling quite concerned stepping up on the layback until I grabbed that fine jug above.

This was my third lead (accidentally). We were shooting for Recon or something and ended up here. I had a backpack on with enough provisions to last 3 days (I didn't know any better). After I pulled on top of the block (after hangdoggin' off a nut) and built my anchor, I pulled the book out of my pack and realized exactly where I was....It really freaked me out.

I've since climbed it twice, and it's still pretty solid for 5.8, but the pro is great and the crux is short. One of my fav's.

Fun 5.8 - good pro with decent rests and stances (for the most part). The crux is a bit pumpy, but just a move or two, really.

One can reach the summit with a 60 meter rope from the top of this pitch, although the pitch (maybe 5.4?) is not very special. If you do, beware rope drag and the plethora of loose blocks.

I agree with Ben on this one...it is only slightly harder than the Bastille Crack; there is a short steep section right at the end of the pitch. If you wanted to sew it up, you could probably fire in a blue or black Alien (not sure though because I didn't have one) above your head right at the crux.

This is a fine pitch for intro 8 leaders. It was my second 8. Once at the layback stance in the crux you can throw in a 0 TCU and punch for the jugga at the top. Perhaps, taller people have a bit of an advantage here, but then again, my 5'7'' follower had no problems.

It is definitely a good confidence builder, as Matt stated, but the crux is so short, and the rest of the climb is easy (although very quality!).

Just did this last night. After reading comments above, I think a budding 5.8 leader would want info about the whole pitch, not just the crux. The crux is easy to protect w/ good jams but not so good feet. You could hang your way up the crux if you have to. Getting to the crux flake is what I'd be worried about if I was breaking into 5.8. The section from the belay to about 15-20 feet before the crux is NOT well protected. Also be careful of a well chalked loose jug at a small roof about 40 ft above the belay.

Taking point here with Steve M's comment from today (8/15): "Getting to the crux flake is what I'd be worried about if I was breaking into 5.8. The section from the belay to about 15-20 feet before the crux is NOT well protected".

I've only done the climb once, but if memory serves me correctly I got great pro from the belay to the crux. I thought it was a 'place pro from a great stance, make move, repeat' type of pitch.

I also have to disagree with Steve's comment about it being not 'well protected'. The whole pitch is well protected and the crux is even better protected. Now, while it would be very difficult to have gear above you for every move (if that is your idea of well protected climbing), there is plenty of gear for 'safe' falls and it is relatively easy ~5.6. If memory serves me right, i remember there being good gear placements at least every 6 or 8 feet. It is much more strait forward (easier) and better protected than Calypso, with the only more difficult part being the 10 foot crux. Hopefully, this would be no problem for a green 5.8 leader, especially if he/she has lead plenty of easier routes. Maybe Steve didn't have the rack needed for the climb?

casey bernal

Climbed this one in June, and some of the brain cells still work. I found the pro to be awesome, and only difficult to place as I was laying back in the crux fishing through my rack looking for the right piece. Stenuous, but not terrible. You know, like climbing 5.8. Up to that point, there were a number of high steps to reach bomber gear (opting to forgo the mearly good gear placements to be had) and nothing memorable about run outs. Overall impression: fantastic lead for a 5.8 leader looking to expand into Eldo 5.8.

There is a difference in Eldo climbing that is unique and requires some getting used to: the trad climbs were put up my Ma Nature in a frenetic mood when it came to pro and often times climbing in Eldo requires leading above gear. Reggae helped me get over that fear, thankfully in small increments I could control. Maybe it can for others, and I would recommend it.

If you're looking for more challenge (which unfortunately misses the fun 5.8 crux), head up and right about 20 feet before the end of the climb, aiming for the wide crack running through the roof. 5.9+, protects well, and moderately interesting, even if it is just 3 moves.

The variation mentioned in the previous comment is called Rasta Man Roof and is listed on the Site. FFA apparently R. Rossiter.

This is my favorite route. I thought it was equal to the [Bastille Crack]. I didn't use the belay bolts on Calypso, I built a belay about 20ft to the right. I remember getting quite pumped in the crux but it is short. Place good pro then blast up the thing. I had a pack on, and it must have taken me 5 minutes to get through the beached whale section above the crux. I belayed from the top of the flake just above the crux, but a better place seemed to be on a ramp 15ft above the flake. There were several pockets that would have eaten up medium tricams. We went to the summit in 2 pitches, it could be done in one long pitch I suppose.....When you climb a route, usually something sticks in your mind....for me it was laughing my ass off being stuck in the beached whale section and trying to figure out what kind of look my belayer had on his face....fun route. Larry Shaw

Climbed this Sunday and found a small cam stuck half way up the crux layback. If you do clip it, and place your next piece a foot higher, be careful not to back clip. In the second photo below, if the the climber were to peel, he is exposed to a nasty pendulum. This can be avoided by flipping the rope around the inside of the crack/boulder at the finish. Great route that sews up very nicely.

I led this at night, roughly ten years ago, had to test out my new headlamp with my good friend Casey. Outstanding pitch day or night.

The crux felt a bit pumpy, but I'm out of shape these days. However, I wouldn't say the crux was harder than the standard 5.8. Fire some pro in the lower section of the crux, and blast through to the awkward squeeze exit. Good hands all the way with some marginal feet smearing. No problem for a moderate trad lead.

Wicked fun crux. If you feel kinda sketched on it, throw in a few pieces at the bottom of the crux, awesome pro. A purple splitter cam can be put in @ mid crux if you really want to sew it up, but the easiest way to climb it is to just motor through.

A tricky 5.8 even for Eldo, I think, because of the pump/fingers used at the crux and the burn that can happen if you don't get your pro right off. Would be harder than Bastille if that was still in the condition it was in 20 years ago.

In some of the guidebooks it suggests an upper pitch for this. On my first ascent my partner and I decided to top out Wind Tower for an overview. It is best to think of this route as ending on the ledge for a rap or walkdown.

A most excellent climb! The pro and the holds are all there. In fact, some of the pro is literally already there for you. There's a red Camalot at the base of the crux and a stopper atop the crux. These fixed pieces have been there for at least two or three months that I know of, and both are starting to look a little dilapidated.

When I first did this route I felt that 5.8 was a fair rating because: the crux is well protected, relatively short and climbers of average height will be able to stem most of the route. Also it is my opinion that in 1980 the ratings in Eldo were just a smidgin stiffer (or out of sync with the rest of the country) than they might be today. This really is a protectable adventure pitch for the trad climber with 5.8-5.9 skills. The rock quality is superb. Kevin Donald

I'd call this a 5.6 pitch w/ a 5.8 crux for about three moves, So i'd rate it @ .8-. It was my first 5.8 lead and probably about my 5th or 6th trad pitch and I had no trouble with gear or moves minus the pump. The 5.6 portion of the pitch seemed easier all around than Calypso and the 5.8 seemed much easier than my 2nd 5.8 called Mr. Natural. I seem to remember a bomber stopper at the base of Reggae's crux and a bomber yellow alien in mid crux. It'd be 5.9 if you sit at the crux or there wasn't the gigantic jug at the end of the crux.The last move onto the ledge is hilarious for the 2nd. My buddy was laughing his ass off at my wiggling feet sticking over the edge as I shimmied behind the block. I like the beached whale comment above, that's what I felt like.

A good alternative to waiting in line for access to Reggae from Calypso, is the giant boulder start , where you can avoid the crowd and send this as one long 200' stretcha...barely reaches w/ 60m rope.

A nice route with good pro. Makes you feel like a champ after that nice layback, then like an total fool idiot as you flail into the slot. Thank goodness my belayer left his camera in the car.

Led this one for about the 10th time last night and it just keeps getting better and better. The fixed cam at the start of the crux is still there but the fixed nut at the top is gone. Also, I think there are bats back behind the flake at the crux. I heard a whole lot of activity as I was climbing by and I was a bit nervious to grab the flake putting part of my hand back there. Still worth doing!

Thoroughly enjoyed this climb. Other than the short crux, the Reggae pitch felt easier than some parts of the first pitch of Calypso which is probably the most popular way to access the climb. Recommend moving the belay over to the right from the Calypso bolts so one has a clean view of the route and avoiding rope issues. Still two stuck pieces in the crux, a cam at the base and a nut about half way up. Agree with some commments above that probably best option at the crux is to get something in and then just go for it. Somehow managed to avoid looking like a beach whale exiting the top by using a right arm bar and getting my left hand on something. Great climb.

I was more scared by the approach to the crux than the crux itself. Probably because the crack looks so heinous from the ground. The crack had bomber hand holds in all the right places and wasn't too bad. The pro in the crux itself was still the two fixed pieces mentioned previously and I didn't really see a need for any more placements. The gear below the crux I managed to get pieces in every 6 feet, lots of stopper placements.

For an alternative to the whale slide at the top, try doing the exposed hand traverse around the outside of the slot. Much easier and looks much less comical to your second.

At the top of the crux, a lieback move to the right allows you to avoid the whale maneuver.

I did Reggae with my brother on Friday and it was awesome. We'd been eyeing the line for a year and decided that it was time... A fixed nut and cam at the crux really made it more of a clip-up than anything and the crux is only one 5.8ish move. I found it to just be a touch harder than the 5.7 crux on Rewritten. Combined with Calypso makes it the best and most asthetic line on SW Wind Tower IMO.

This is a superb climb. I could stop here, but…

Great gear the whole way. The fixed Cam at the start of the crux is still there, as well as the nut near the top of the crux. I could’ve climbed the entire crux without placing a single piece, but since they’ve been there since “3 or 4 months before Nov 15, 2004” (Larry’s comment), I opted to place an extra piece or two. There’s a good #0.5 Cam just above the fixed nut. Keep in mind too that there are great features out right of the crack for opposing fingers and feet.

Instead of doing the beached-whale maneuver exiting the flake into the slot, try laying back the boulder. Right hand thumb down side pulling on the boulder, elbow high...it feels a bit awkward at first, but after you work your feet up it’s over…one move.

Great climb, however, this route suffers from high traffic. From the top of this route, you can traverse over and climb the West Overhang. This is a great side climb, and it's very fun. Once you reach the top of Reggae, you might as well rappel down or do the West Overhang, since the rest of the climb to the top is just a scramble. Party on!

Mistakenly climbed this, thinking it was the second pitch of Calypso! Great climb anyway!

You can't "traverse over" and climb West Overhang from the top of this route. West Overhang (the actual overhang anyway) starts from the same big ledge as Reggae but about 50-100 ft' to the right.

Also of interest, someone has cleaned all the old fixed gear on the crux of this route (thanks!) and the key hold at the start of the crux is no longer coated with bird crap as it was ealier in the summer (thanks even more for that if someone cleaned it).

I thought the crux was harder than Bastille Crack. Still a fantastic climb, though.

Best route on the SW face. Protects well and has a well-rated crux that will leave you breathing hard if you are a beginning leader. I also love the fact that this entire part of the Wind Tower gets all-day sunlight in the winter. Great for year-round climbing!