BETA PHOTO: Redgarden Wall, showing the major features and the...
Description
The Redgarden Wall is the premier crag in Eldorado Canyon State Park. It hosts the greatest number of routes, the finest lines, the tallest routes, and it is the largest cliff in the park. Without Redgarden Wall, Eldorado Canyon might just be another climbing area.
Unless you are truly only seeking the true high-end of climbing difficulty, there is probably ample quantities for you here at this cliff alone. In fact, some people have moved here simply because Eldorado Canyon and Redgarden Wall are here. Probably, every American climber who is anyone special has touched this stone. There is truly something special about this place. The native Americans knew this. This was recognized by the earliest modern visitors; however, it was probably not until the 1950s that climbers became bold enough to venture onto its steeper faces.
The climbing here is characterized by excellent sandstone with interspersed short areas of lower quality rock. The dominant style of climbing is traditional, face climbing, sprinkled occasional cracks, dihedrals, and roofs with various era fixed protection. Strong protection skills, route-finding skills, and verve are essential on this crag. A solid, mental control is often required for success and good health here. Repeated, uncontrolled falls commonly used at modern sport climbing areas are not advisable in many places.
For the purposes of this organization, the division of the crag is arbitrary but involves looking at the cliff in terms of obvious distinct features without splitting it into too many sections (goal of 40ish routes or less per section). This approach can best be appreciated by stepping back and looking at the crag with fresh eyes and looking for obvious divisions. Please understand that no one system will be perfect nor necessarily one better than others. However, the lines used here to split the crag are the 1) the great dihedral right of the Naked Edge (Redguard & right - S Buttress); 2) the roof like area at the bottom of Redgarden Wall and the routes that go through it (Roof Routes); 3) the Lower Ramp and routes below it (Below Lower Ramp); 4) the obvious saddle between Tower One & Tower Two and the well-known route that splits it (Ruper); 5) the obvious large dihedral that splits Lumpe Tower and Tower One (Dirty Deed and the best continuation below it - West Chimney). Obviously, there are going to be challenging lines at the edges of these arbitrary boundaries and those that cross through multiple sections such as Rosy Toit, Roving for Love, Ruper to Grand Giraffeetc.
The likes of Bird, D. Johnson, Shepard, Kor, Dalke, Ament, Culp, Erickson, Wunsch, Ferguson, Bragg, Coyne, Breashears, Webster, Briggs, Hill, Griffith, Hersey, and so many more have wandered here.... The complete list is a virtual who's who in Colorado climbing have left their marks here with first ascents, first free ascents, first solo ascents, repeats, etc..
Some lines here can be rappeled. Others may funnel rappelers down lines like the rappel below The Naked Edge first pitch. Many of the lines that go to the top can be descended with at least 2 methods. 1) You can downscramble the East Slabs Descent (plan - to be fleshed out with its own separate description) low 4th class- note this is exposed, lengthy, and particularly slippery when wet. Also, the last bit can be challenging in the spring with a wet slab finish or funky downclimb down a chimney. 2) You can rappel the Swanson Arete or Dirty Deed rappels. 3) You can go to rappel the Chockstone Chimney rappels which take you to the top of the Upper Ramp or Meadows. Here, you can rappel the Vertigo rappels (60m or 2 ropes) or carefully descend the Upper Meadows to the rappels below The Naked Edge. 4) You can ascend to the top and far left end of Redgarden Wall and down scramble the gully at the top. Note, you may wind up a long way from your gear and comfortable shoes.
So, come here, respect the rock & your fellow climber, soak in the history, climb to your heart's content, fill your spirit, and enjoy the gift of freedom. Redgarden Wall is part of what makes Colorado wonderful.
Getting There
To access these routes, you park at the E end of the park. You walk up to the bridge. You cross the bridge. Your exact approach depends on the exact section of wall you wish to climb. So, read more details on the exact approach for the section you wish to climb.
Raptor Nesting Closure Info
To protect nesting and roosting sites of falcons, Redgarden Wall from the Naked Edge (pitch 3 – top) through Sidetrack is closed from February 1st – July 31st or until further notice. Occasionally, these closures are lifted earlier.
This includes the following routes: • The Naked Edge (last 3 pitches only) • The Diving Board • Centaur • Redguard (last three pitches) • Semi-Wild • Anthill Direct (last three pitches) • The Sidetrack
Directly up the center up the face, left of Yellow Spur, are two exciting and thought provoking pitches up immaculate and progressively changing banded rock. Sometime in the late 80's the now first bolt was added, eliminating a scary stretch to the next bolt. This addition, however did not eliminate the RP placement at the start protecting a tricky 5.10 move up the stacked flakes. The crux is getting past the third bolt, and traversing right un...[more]
I was descending the East Slabs today to find that someone had chalked in huge arrows -- about 1 ft. long and 40 ft apart with huge dots between -- showing the way the entire way down from the Naked Edge top out to the trail. I have noticed arrows (much smaller) showing the way for the walkoff on the Bastille as well. Whomever is doing this, please stop. Not only is it obnoxious grafitti, but people have been descending these cliffs for 40+ years without your help. The description for the descent is in the guidebook and there are several rappels, all discussed to submission under Great Zot and Swansans Arete. Please don't turn Eldo into a lame climbing area.
The rappel tree on the top of the upper ramp (that puts you more or less at the base of Vertigo) is NOT stable. I was up there last week in high winds and the entire tree was lifting up out of the ground with each gust. I was sitting on the rocks near the tree and was lifted off the ground each time the tree would move. I left a rap anchor that consisted of three equalized stoppers, but I'm afraid the new anchor will be treated like booty gear. The tree may be fine, but under the circumstances I was not willing to trust my life to, "it's probably okay".
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO Mar 29, 2007
ROC wrote:
WARNING!!!The rappel tree on the top of the upper ramp (that puts you more or less at the base of Vertigo) is NOT stable.
A bolted rappel anchor was installed near this tree on 8/21/06, after approval by the Eldorado Fixed Hardware Review Committee. See Photo, Photo, Photo for details.
The tree formerly used for the Vertigo raps now leans out from the wall at about a 15 degree angle. There's a large branch broken off as well so downclimbing it to get to the anchor is no longer an easy option. My guess is that it got that way from the latest windstorm.
ALTERNATE DESCENT BETA FOR ROUTES FINISHING ON THE TOP OF THE SOUTH BUTTRESS
There are at least two classic routes--Anthill Direct and Redguard--that finish at the top of the south buttress of Redgarden Wall. The current guidebooks, and the beta on this site, all suggest that the east slabs are the ONLY viable descent from these, and other, routes that top out on the south buttress. This fact alone caused me to resolve some time ago never to climb Anthill Direct again, even though I consider it among the best routes I've ever climbed. Anyone who has descended the east slabs knows what I mean--they are at best extremely annoying and at worst extremely dangerous.
Here's a far superior alternative: Find the cairn marking the beginning of the east slabs descent at the flat spot just north of the top of Anthill Direct (or, if you've topped out on Redgaurd, in the cleft between tower 2 and the top of the south buttress, look south for this flat spot with a cairn). Go there. Climb UP the 3rd class slab perhaps 75 vertical feet to their top, traverse around the west (left) side of a small pinnacle, and you'll find yourself due east, and about 50 vertical feet above, the saddle between tower 1 and tower 2 (this is where Ruper tops out). From here proceed (some 4th class) to the chockstone chimney/vertigo rappel route, the best description for which appears in the first comment (by Charles Vernon) in the Yellow Spur beta on this site.
One caveat re: the chockstone chimnet/vertigo rappels: if you are not familiar with them, it can be challenging to find the bolted rappel anchors. Either have done it before or make sure you study the beta carefully, otherwise you may have difficulty finding the anchors.
Redgarden Wall
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