This area includes everything on Eldorado Mountain, which is South of Eldorado Canyon. The most recognizable rock is the Mickey Mouse Ears on Mickey Mouse Wall. Rossiter's new Eldo book lists many more recently developed crags on this hill.
Getting There
Many approaches. To reach Mickey Mouse Wall, take the road to Eldo, but right before you get into the town, turn L. on a paved road up to a small parking lot. The access Rd. continues from here, but you must hike along this rd to an indistinctive trail that crosses a meadow, and follows the stream up to the RR tracks. Hike the talus field to the towers. A better description is in order here, but this is a place that is best found with someone who has already been there.
This route was originally put up in the style of the Eighties, by two very strong and bold hardmen (Rob Woolf & Jeff Frizell). These gentlemen had more balls than bolts! Thanks to the permission of Rob Woolf, the route now sports chains and a few more bolts. The new bolts should be obvious - climb the route and imagine sending with the original pro. The pucker factor would have pegged the meter! There was even a pin pounded into a dubious block f...[more]
The local wingnut with the gun (bill schuller) sold the place to Pinnaclecommunications Inc. I work up there often, and have been climbing on the convenientbouldering areas near the road ("cloud nine" area etc.) since the early 90's.I rarely see old Bill around anymore, but I've seen him once in awhile puttingaround the place, so be careful, he still acts like he owns the place... he has about 2 years left before he should be gone completley. He told me once that he "likes toshoot the bolts out of the rock with his gun".
It is important to be discrete when accessing the Wild West/West Bank or Mickey Mouse from the Plainview area. First, don't park at the Plainview railroad crossing. This is because it is a lot more obvious to sensitive residents that you are in the area and painfully obvious that you are walking on the tracks. It is much better to park a couple of hundred yards below the crossing on the last left hand switchback and walk due west through the Open Space to access the tracks beyond the maintenance yard and out of sight. It's also less obvious that you're climbing as a lot of people come to this area to walk their dogs along the roadway, etc.
Second, don't walk through the tunnel to get to the West Bank, Ridge One, etc. A well marked trail leads around the tunnel and it only takes about five minutes more than walking through the tunnel. This track has a lot more traffic than in years past with sometimes several trains per hour. There have been a lot of problems here before, so keep a low profile.
Eldorado Mountain
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