BETA PHOTO: Goose Rock, Seal Rock and Overhang Rock (left to r...
Description
The Overhang Rock does not look like much from the East, but when looking back from the West it appears to loom over Bear Canyon like a guardian demanding its due. This gorgeous, huge fin holds only a fraction of the routes it could. In the mid 80s, when Boulder was deciding whether to advance into the future of climbing or succumb to the righteous protectionism of the Boulder City Council, a handfull of climber/atheletes started developing the West faces of many of the Flatiron crags. Close on the heels of Dale Goddard's Five Year Plan, the Overhang Rock saw two new additions to its then sparse development. Nothing has been added to my knowledge since 1988 leaving numerous difficult possibilities untapped. Climbing on the Overhang Rock generally fires vectorially up its yellow West face, with none of the routes running through the obvious roof system above. Numbering here begins on the left arete (North edge) with #1 being the Layton Kor classic, Rogues Arete. Climbing difficulty spans the gamut with at least one very moderate trad route (the notch) and a few more difficult lines from 5.10 to 5.12b.
Getting There
Take the trail From NCAR down to the service road. Head South, and after the road winds up-hill a ways the trail to Bear Canyon will branch off into the canyon. This is near the power lines that are protected by a wire fence. After several a hundred yards or so and across the canyon from Stonehenge, follow an indistinct "trail" up to the talus field below Overhang Rock.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Overhang Rock:
Snake Watching is the farthest left route on Overhang Rock. The "Eighth Day" of the Flatirons. Scramble up easy 5th class to get to the first bolt. A three move boulder problem takes you up and over the initial overhang. From here it's crimp crimp and more crimp for about a mile to anchors just below the summit. I don't know if something broke but I found there to be a pretty hard boulder problem at about the 11th bolt. The rock is a little friab...[more]Browse More Classics in CO
Summit baggers note: it is just possible to rap from the top all the way to the ground with a 60m rope. The rap goes eastward from a long sling just south of the summit. If you don't have a 60m rope you will need to do a second rap from a pine tree that you will rap through.
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado May 24, 2004
Weird thing, we rapped this with a 60m cord. It didn't touch down. Got close but had to down climb. Maybe I got gipped on my 60m cord. Also, the rap now sports 2 slings. Also, the bolt on Chorus Line, 5.9, is a manky 1/4 inch Star-Dryven. yee uck!
I replaced the anchor on top of this rock with two 3/8" x 3.5" Stainless Steel Rawl 5-piece bolts and added quick links and chains for rappel. Note, that you can hit the ground with a 70m rope but a 60m or less will require some downclimbing. There is a second rappel anchor, slings around a tree, on the east side of the ridge crest. If you are going to use this second anchor, make sure you angle a bit to the south when rappelling from the top.
The old anchor consisted of two, old, 15-foot ling slings around a block tied into two, old fixed pins (see photo below) buried under a layer of dirt on the south side of the slung block.
The hardware for this work was provided by the American Safe Climbing Association (www.safeclimbing.org). They appreciate your support. Also, thanks to Tony Bubb for leading Rogue's Arete to get us on top.
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