To quote Rossiter, "This is probably the best beginner climb in the solar system." This route is best led for the first time following another party unless you don't care about finding the fixed eye-bolts. Since nearly every stance is a rest, it's tough to discern the belays.
From the East Bench, move up and to the left across a channel to the first belay. Stay on this side of the channel for the next 5-6 pitches with easy 5.0-5.2 climbing. Pitch 5 will traverse the "C" of CU. After pitch 6/7, you must cross the channel at the notch near the top. The last, crux pitch (5.4) starts on the other side of the channel to the top. It's 6 rope-stretching pitches or 8 as described with a 50m rope.
DESCENT: There are three rappels from fixed eye-bolts. A single 50m rope is sufficient; on the last rappel, you may either use a double-rope for the 140ft. mostly free-rappel or traverse right on a ledge and rap 72ft. on a single rope to the West Bench.
Protection
Can be led with only hexes and nuts. Large eye bolts at the belays.
Agreed! I couldn't believe it one night when I went to climb it, the route was almost as mobbed as during the day. You don't really need a full moon at all with all the light coming off Boulder, so avoid the exact date of the full moon.
About the 3rd rap: if facing the rock, you actually traverse left (west) to reach the Friday's Folly rap anchor. From here, it's 72' to the West Bench. Boulder Mountain Parks has mostly idiot-proofed this by adding an instructive sign at the other (east) bolt.
Take a chill. The 5th belay is off a bolt at the begining of the gash. I recommend setting up a 15' clove hitch line off the bolt along with a quick draw for your partner. That way you can climb down to the huge ledge and chill back while you belay your partner. I've seen ppl struggling to belay with their life-lines holding them tightly against the lame slab or off the side of the gash. Not fun!
With two sixty meter ropes you can do a spectacular 195' (that rivals the maiden, the last 100 feet free hanging)rappel directly of the west face. However pulling the ropes is difficult. If you are soloing and rapping off on a 60m rope on a busy day,you can rap off by this method and have someone on top toss your rope down to avoid the 3 raps and crowds. Happy New Year!
Last evening we tried the single rope rap off the top, just for fun. From the top, we rapped west (not southwest as the normal rap goes) and ended up just 30' feet north of where the normal 3rd rap ends. A 60m rope was plenty for this, I'm pretty sure even a 50m rope would make it. There is no way a double rope rap rigged this way could pull, but this works great as a descent if there was someone else on top who would untie and throw your rope down. The great thing is it doesn't interfere with any of the existing 3 raps, so could be used to bypass traffic jams on the descent.
By the way someone recently doubled up all the bolts on the normal rap descent. Thanks to whoever did this!
George makes an important point about the single rap, which I'd like to re-iterate. Unless there is someone to help feed your rope, you will not be able to pull it down. There is just too much rope stretch and friction over the edge.
Lengthwise, it is possible to rap off then summit anchors and make the ground in 60m. HOWEVER, this really isn't much use as you will not be able to pull your ropes due to the rope drag near the top anchors. The only time you could benefit from this is if someone else on top can untie your rope and drop it after you rap.
I think there are two ways to do the 60m rap: (1) follow the line of the normal first and second rap, and keep going. The normal 3rd rap done this way is well over 25m, but I think this rap from the summit is what Andrew Klein did, and he claims it is 195 feet. I have not tried this line, so BE CAREFUL. (2) go 90 degrees from the regular rap line, to the west or even northwest. This actually requires that the rope from thesummit anchors goes UPHILL for a few feet and then over a lip. Then swing around to the north of a buttress and drop straight down a headwall, ending about 30' north of where the normal 3rd rap ends. This is well under 60m. By the way, I think this rap line is close to the recently added "West Face" route.
Yesterday did this for the first time. Fantastic climb. We actually started at the base and just angled up and to the right, aiming for the 2nd eyebolt. (There were a few normal bolts along that path, as well.) Made for eight great pitches (with a 60 meter rope, we were able to skip the 3rd eyebolt belay and the belay on the ramp after the last eyebolt) of fantastic face climbing.
However, I was wondering about the descent. After rapping from the top, do you head north or south? We went south down some gullies. Did one rap off a tree, and thrashed around in a ton of underbrush once we got to the creekbed. Is the descent to the north better? (Please say yes.)
Yes! If you go north, there is a trail (there is actually a sign on a tree about 50' west of the final rap, after you downclimb a 15' step). No a totally obvious trail, but a climber's trail. Takes you right back down to the approach trail. Way easier than going to the south.
The direct nature of this line makes it an ideal candidate for simul-climbing. My partner and I completed it in under an hour in that manner....a good place to learn simul-climbing technique. My only advice with that is, in the words of Dennis Jackson......."Just don't f&%*ing fall!".
Fantastic Feel Good Climb ! Excellent Early Lead, Bomber holds everywhere and Ample pro (except the final pitch). The last pitch is a little scary with little pro, but the climbing is slabby and moderate.
Well I feel like a goonyah... Last night I soloed this for the first time and I think I ROYALLY screwed someone up. There was a rappel set up from the summit to what I thought was the second rap pins. I was worried that no one responded to my calls, so I rapped down, only to find the line "snagged" below the second rap. Again, worried that the line was snagged and no one replied, I thought perhaps someone had gone off the ends, so I pulled the rope from the summit to rescue and went down again. The rope was a fixed rap for someone and there wasn't any accident. I am ashamed that I screwed someone up and had no prusik material to go back and do the last pitch again. My sincere apologies to whomever had that rope there. I hope you had a good time in the moonlight anyway...
Climbed this one two weeks ago (8-9-03) and had a blast. Easy, gorgeous climbing much easier than the grade at least in most places. The last pitch up the runout is really the only 5.4 part on the climb. Eye bolts make for great anchors though finding them is a challenge in and of itself. Sank 2-3 pieces of gear on each pitch and didn't feel like this was too much. Buzzed by peregrins and larger hawks as well as an overly-amorous sail plane. This one would make an interesting moonlight climb. My introduction to Flatiron climbing and a good advertisement for more of the same.
Did this route on 8/24. Fantastic, fun climbing. We felt the pro was pretty good if you have and can use a diverse rack. Used lots of small to mid tri-cams and big (2.5 - 4) Friends. Only part that was even a bit "s" was the last 30-40' of the "Direct" finish. With a 60m rope you can string together pitches 2 & 3, but don't wander. Combining 4 & 5 requires about 15' of simul-climbing or a 70m rope. Note on the rappel: To find the 2nd rappel anchor, DON'T follow the instructions printed on the summit bolt plate. You will pretty much *land* on the proper 2nd rappel anchor at the bottom of your first rappel. All rappels are double bolted (except the optional 140' rappel from the Friday's Folley ledge).
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Aug 29, 2003
Please review the descent before going down even if it is your 20th time. A story from 8/27/3 reiterates this. A 3rd flatiron veteran sent an inexperienced partner down the rappels to the S with double 50m ropes from the top to reach the ground in 1 rappel. Fortunately she was able to stop just before the ends of the ropes. The last party up that day fortunately were able to help out and provide additional ropes to keep this from being a tragedy. Please, recheck out the descents even if you already know them.
I should clarify... my comment above applies to the "standard," 3-rap descent. I *think* you can also rap to the ground with 2 x 60m ropes using the single eyebolt anchor that you find by crawling SE under the big rock (as it says on the summit bolt).
Did the route yesterday, my first long trad lead. This route is a must for beginnig leaders! Can't say enough good things about the route, the raps, the whole thing... I found large cams to be the friendliest pro...
Quick comment. George is right, it is virtually impossible to pull the ropes if you do the super rap of the 3rd. So someone will have to be up there to throw the rope to you, or the last person up must rap one of the other ways (or you could jumar back up for fun and rap the standard way)-Peace
I tried to post this morning, but it never showed up. Maybe I screwed up. I'll attempt to recreate the post.
Prepare ye masses... It's open y'all! Tear it up! George Bell sent me an e-mail last night and the link to the OSMP page with closures. We met up this morning at 0600 and headed on up from the Chautauqua Visitor Center. Saw [no one] ahead nor behind us, but on the descent I noticed a few poison ivy leaves broken from their vines on the trail in the talus. From the withering, it looks like they came off yesterday. If someone beat us to the first climb of the season (legally or not), well done. If it was a raptor observer confirming the capacity to lift the closure, even better! Get after it.
By Jo Holloway From: Boulder, CO Sep 30, 2006 rating: 5.4
I was led up this route once before but swung leads today as a member of a trio. What great fun! This route only becomes more magnificent as you explore the nooks and cranies for little pockets to suck up some gear. The views were tremendous! I was amused to learn that other climbers have developed a fondness for the chickenhead (looks more like an anvil: credit to Dave Holliday for that visual) that you can sling on the last pitch.
Truly a classic!
By Ken McVicker From: Centennial, CO Oct 26, 2007 rating: 5.4 PG13
Climbed this last night in the Moonlight - Full moon. For the end of October, it was a great warm night - breaze blowing up from the city. We were at the top at 1:00 am. A headlamp is useful for placing gear in those dark cracks, but turn it off for climbing as it kills night vision and depth perception. Thanks to the guys who let us join for the rap off, it definitely saved time. What a blast!
Third Flatiron
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