Here's the TIME Magazine Cover "Life On The Edge" ...
Description
This is the only route I know of that has made the cover of Time Magazine. Check out a back issue from about two or three summers ago to see Beth Wald's vintage shot of Colin Lantz busting a sick dead hang off the stonker huecos on the crux pitch whilst clad in radical 80's lycra!
Chains, while it does have an intermediate belay, can be done in one pitch with 70-meter rope. It climbs out the enormous, pocketed roof on the west side of Fiddlehead, about 70 yards downhill and south from Rip This Joint, Irish Spring, etc.
Pitch one climbs past a bolt below twin cracks in a right-facing corner zone. Above the bolt, you can move past two pins (5.9 or so -- use long slings to avoid rope drag if you're doing this in one pitch) and some smaller/hand-size cams in the right crack to reach another bolt, then a rightward traverse across the belay ledge. (Alternately, climb the left and wider of the two cracks -- bring up to #4 Camalot). You'll see a two-bolt and chain anchor out right, if you're pitching this out.
Pitch two climbs the stunning overhang above via 7 bolts, to double-bolt (and chain) anchors up and right over the lip. If you're doing this as a single pitch from the ground, I don't think you'd come over and clip this belay, as the drag would be awful.
This is one of the funnest, most gymnastic overhangs in the Flatirons and is a "must-do" for the grade.
If you do this route with a 60m and your second wants to follow it, you can lead it all in one pitch from the ground, tramming in while lowering to reach the belay atop pitch one (have him tie a knot in the rope end, regardless!). Belay your second up from here while he cleans the draws. Have him thread and lower back to you (staying trammed in), and then rap once to the ground. Bizzlin...
Protection
Lots of quickdraws, a few longer slings, and medium TCUs to hand-sized cams if doing the right crack on pitch one; hand to #4 Camalot size if doing the left crack.
70-meter rope if you plan to lower all the way to the ground off the top anchors, atop pitch two.
I agree with Matt. This route is super fun. I easily did it in one pitch. The route looks imposing, from the ground, but it is all there. It has been a long time since I did this classic, but I remember the crux being a killer cross-over move from an undercling into good holds, then a sprint up the headwall. Just when you start to get pumped, the wall eases up to vertical, and finishes on small, positive edges.
By Ted Lanzano From: Boulder, CO Aug 8, 2005 rating: 5.12b
A couple of thoughts on Chains of Love:
- We did this climb as one long pitch and a 60 meter rope did NOT get me to the ground. Even though our rope had been chopped about 5 feet, I was still about 10 - 15 feet from the bottom when we ran out of rope. The belayer worked his way up to the first bolt to get me down.Lower slowly and be sure to tie a knot at the end of your rope!
- There are two cracks to choose from on the first trad section.We chose the right hand one(which looked like the most direct line) and this felt like 5.10 to me. Not all that easy, but good gear.
-This route is fantastic and true [Flatirons] classic. Very nice steep climbing on cool crimps, jugs and pockets. Great setting. The trad pitch is fun too, and a good warmup for what waits above.
Sounds like Lanzano may have chopped MORE than 5 feet off his rope thus necessating having his belayer climb up to the first bolt. Lesson learned: use a 70 M rope on this route or retire your old, worn out ropes....
Matt Samet and I replaced all eight bolts plus the top and middle anchors today with beefy 1/2" stainless bolts from the Anchor Replacement Initiative (ARI). Please support them if you don't already. Most of the old bolts were mismatched sizes and quality ranging from decently rusty and thick to sketchy skinny and loose. Three old bolts were a unique size that we did not have a wrench that worked for and so they are still in the rock next to the new bolts. We hope to return next weekend to remove them, sorry. The route is super safe and classic as ever though, so get on it. In my opinion, a top 10 sport route in Boulder.
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