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The Matron

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The Matron

Submitted By: Andrew Wellman on Jan 1, 2001
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst
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BETA PHOTO: 10/20/2002 from Towhee trail


Description 

The Matron is a tall spire that sits along the ridge above Shadow canyon. This crag is closed from February 1st through July 31st due to raptor nesting. (Ed Note: many crags are closed for raptor nesting during this time. See Bld. mtn parks web page for closure info under Links)


Getting There 

It's easy to reach by parking at the South Mesa Trailhead near Eldorado and hiking the South Mesa Trail to the Shadow Canyon trail. Follow the Shadow canyon trail around some switchbacks until the tall and proud Matron is obvious on the ridge above you. A climbers trail leaves the main trail and ascends to the Matrons South Side. To descend, there are bolted rap anchors on the summit.



Featured Route For The Matron
West face of the Matron

West Face 5.8 R  CO : Flatirons : The Matron
This is an excellent route but unfortunately bears the scars of one of Boulder's first bolt wars. It is also closed from Feb 1 to July 31 due to raptor nesting. The protection on the first pitch consists of three bolts with nuts only (no hangars) and a few stopper, RP, or tiny cam placements on the upper half of the pitch. I am not sure if the nuts on these bolts can be unscrewed, but if so, it would be great to put hangars on these bolts (or ...[more]


Add Photo Photos of The Matron
Bill Wright plays air guitar on the way down.

Bill Wright plays air guitar on the way down.

Fia checking out the [Matron].

Fia checking out the [Matron].

View from Shadow Canyon trail.<br /><br />Photo: Dave Fiorucci

View from Shadow Canyon trail.

Photo: Dave Fioruc...

Sunrise on the Maiden from the approach on an autumn morning. Photo by Tony Bubb, 10/07.

Sunrise on the Maiden from the approach on an autu...


Add Comment Comments on The Matron
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By Anonymous Coward
Nov 21, 2001

My buddy who lives in Golden and (correctly) assumes I am a gumby because I live in the flatlands of Texas, took me up the Matron in early November. This is definitely a "take the wife and kids" route and was easy, airy and beautiful. The highlight was a closeup fly-by of a Peregrine Falcon.

By George Bell
From: Boulder, CO
Jan 28, 2002

The fastest approach to the Matron is actually to park in Eldo and hike up the "Old Mesa Trail", which joins the Shadow Canyon Trail (Road) on the hill before the Matron. The Old Mesa Trail is not marked and is difficult to find going up, your best bet is to take somebody who knows where it is, or try navigating it down (north) the first time.

By shad O'Neel
Jan 21, 2004

the [Matron] is probably second only to the [Maiden] in terms of a spectacular flatiron summit. Should be a must do for [Boulder] climbers, although it seems to rarely be visited by most....

By Martin le Roux
From: Superior, CO
Jul 28, 2004

Now that the raptor closure season is over, the friendly folks at OSMP have attempted to obscure the start of the climbers' access trail by cutting down some branches and dragging them across the trail. Exactly what this is meant to achieve escapes me.

By Anonymous Coward
Aug 15, 2004

This formation should be called "the foot" or the fis. That's what it looks like. It doesn't look like any ding dang Matron. Whatever that is.