North Face 

The descent can be done with two single rope rappels provided you have a 60M rope (200ft). The second rappel finishes on top of a large flake (20ft tall and 2 feet wide. From there it's an easy downclimb. I did it with a 50M rope and had to use the last inch of the rope (had to untie the knots on the rope) and stem like mad to make it onto the flake... Not recommended...

The trick on the second rap (if you only have a 50m rope), is NOT to go down the north face. Head down the arete to the west, right next to the West Face route. The rope easily reaches the ground here. Make sure you are using the lower rap anchor (2 nice bolts), not the one at 60' shown in Rossiter.

As George mentioned, on rappel #1 (using a 60m rope length), continue past a single eyebolt (notice large raptor nest on left with interwoven purple webbing) to a pair of eyebolts another 20' farther down (southwest). From here a 60m rope will reach the flake & talus. This final rappel is approx. 90', and if done to the north, provides a splendid free rappell off the slightly overhanging wall. A great finish!

I did this climb yesterday -- very enjoyable! Fun moves, and great positions on the rock. Rappelling off (going north from the lower set of bolts on the second rappel), I noticed that there is an interesting-looking bolted route just to the right (when facing the rock) of the rappel line. The route is near the far west edge of the north face, and doesn't seem to be described in Rossiter's guidebook. The first bolt is near the top of a left facing flake, the second just above a small overhang (it looks like the clip could be made from beneath the overhang, though), and at least three more bolts beyond a little ramp that's above the second bolt. Does anyone know the rating of this route, and when it was put up?

Jake, I too have seen the bolts you refer to. These may be the route in Rossiter "Soul Survivor (5.11, Charlie Fowler ca. 1982)". Don't you step off a flake to start the route, as described in Rossiter? Rossiter does not mention any bolts, but it is a very brief route description with no topo.

George: I noticed that "Soul Survivor" looked to be in pretty much the same location as the bolted route, but I would have assumed that Rossiter would have mentioned the shiny new bolts. Without the bolts (i.e., if it had been retrobolted after Rossiter's guidebook were published), then I would have thought he would have given it an "s" rating originally -- it would be pretty spicy without the bolts. And I don't know what "step off a flake" means -- is that the same thing as following the flake up for 15-20 feet to the overhang? In any event, despite my confusion and uncertainty, I can say for sure that it looks like a pretty fun pitch.

Regarding the bolted route seen from the cool overhanging rappell; I put it up with Mark Hirt in the late '80's, bolted on rappell, it is not the Fowler route. It is 5.11 something and there is now a missing pin after the bulge between the 2nd and 3rd bolt. A small or medium sized cam would do. I think we called it "Father Knows Best" as my Dad, a general contractor, had helped me procure some some bolts and a drill for the project (this is when you could still drill with impunity in the Flatirons). Alison Sheets

Cool. Thanks for the info; it looks like a pretty sweet line.

Kudos to this site. I came here with a question that was incredibly answered by Alison. I don't find the route descriptions in Roach to be accurate. The Rossiter topos are necessary for the variations on P1, all of which are an excellent diversion before topping out to climb the rap routes.

This great route can be done in three pitches with a 60M rope. Do pitch one as desribed w/ belay at the tree. Pitch 2 should use a belay at about 160-170 feet using a large vertical crack with a good #3 camalot placement and nuts. Pitch 3 can take you all the way to the summit. Enjoy.

The 5.6 part is fun but way too short. Not sure why everyone belays at the tree, as this makes the interesting climbing on P2 pretty short - better to go all the way to the E Face on P1 I think. There is a loose block masquerading as a bomber hand-hold just below the "cave" that is below the crux flake on P1 - be careful! On the second rap, 1 60m rope will get you to the ground (rather than the top of the fin/flake) if you rap to the north. These 2 eye-bolts are better than average but are NOT modern rap bolts (a little scary to me). A good route with nice position but not stellar in my book.

Climbed it tonight in two pitches. A 60m rope was exactly long enough to reach a great belay crack (#2/#3 cams) high on the east ridge... but there wasn't any rope to spare! It's probably best done in three pitches.

Climbed this today; P1- up to the tree, 3 pins that could be clipped, the 4th is rotated down so much that it seemed inaccessible.
P2- up the crack/flake & onto the E. Face...almost to the big tree way up high. 3rd pitch- up the headwall and to the summit. (60M rope)
Rapped of the Fixe ring anchors through the slot in the overhang down to the 2 bolt anchor below. Then a quick descent to the bottom of the West face.

Fun route and outstanding double-rappel. Did it in three pitches with a 70m rope. First pitch is definitely the best, following a nice crack up a vertical wall. The other two pitches are standard Flatiron face climbs going about 5.2 with few places for protection. Would give the climb and raps four stars if not for the long approach.