This is the rarest of rare -- a 5.13 sport route in Eldorado Canyon. While not as good as its compatriots Your Mother or The Web, it's still a good tick for those who like bouldery routes (the business is only 20 feet long).
This route is on the small (40-foot high) buttress below and south of the Roof Wall, right above the start of the trail up to the west side of Redgarden Wall. It's just down and right of a thin crack (Breakfast of Champions) and can be recognized by a large grey half-inch bolt partway out the overhang and by the bounty of chalk on the flakes underneath the lip.
Aid out to the 1/2 inch bolt via a rusty pin and an old star drive on the left. Clip it and lower down, as the actual climbing begins down and right. Burly slap moves take you up the funky, overhanging rib to a final lip encounter on poor slopers (don't bother with this route if it's hot out). Another bolt or two gets you over the slab and up to the rusty chain anchors.
13a/b? Sounds good to me. This route also has a fairly hairy slab at the top. I remember bringing a stopper or two to supplement the bolts. Also this is easy to work out on TR. In fact there's a great 5.11 corner just to the left to warm up with on TR. Almost like Rifle.
Although the guidebook credits Charlie with this route, I'm afraid I have to take primary responsibility. Kyle Copeland did it on aid and suggested that I should do it as a free route. To make a long story short, Charlie joined in the crusade after I had been at it a while and together we worked out the crux moves but couldn't continue to the top. The crux bolt has been replaced and two more added, I believe, by Dale Goddard, who I believe also deserves credit for the first ascent. Cheers, Joe
I am curious, does the line start directly below the gray bolt, or is it "allowed" to traverse in from the left following the aid bolt section? Both seemed tough, but obviously not the crux so I wondered if it matters to anyone?
It matters only if it matters to you. The crux is indeed higher than the section you are concerned about. It is common practise to work this on TR, and on the redpoint have the first 2 pieces (a pin and a bolt, I think) clipped to start. P.S. get on this before it gets much hotter.
To answer the question about where the route goes... I placed the "aid" bolt without actually knowing how the moves would work out. Eventually I started down to the right which is the standard way. I saw a couple of very strong lads a couple of years back who did it directly from the first bolt which looks real hard but saves a lot of distance.
By Zed From: Gotham City Jul 7, 2005 rating: 5.13a
It's interesting how tastes differ. I think this route is every bit as good as The Web, and better than Your Mother.
Redgarden - Below Lower Ramp
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