An appealing name? No. A nice little, triangular Flatiron between the 3rd and 4th Flatirons, sporting one of the longer straight cracks in the area with over 200 feet of splitter crack. Too bad it is only 45 degree in angle. This 3 pitch rock sports at least 2 routes on the E face. It makes for a nice outing to link Willy B, the Thing, and a few sport routes on the Ironing Boards for a day of less traveled adventure.
Getting There
From Chataqua, you can bushwhack from the Royal Arch Trail once you pass the 3rd Flatiron, Queen Anne's Head, and WC Fields Pinnacle or approach via the Ironing Boards (when open) and angle SSW angling uphill somewhat.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for The Thing:
I just climbed the The Thing today, after checking with a ranger at Chautaqua to make sure it is open, and IT IS OPEN. The only thing he said is that for the approach, go all the way to Sentinel Pass on the Royal Arch Trail, and then head west up the small ridge as if you were hiking to Green Mountain Pinnacle, and when you are even with the bottom of the rock, traverse over to it. Great route, by the way, and there are fixed slings on top for the rappel.
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