This route has access issues. Please read the note available on the Fern Canyon page.
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 easily be done in one pitch with a 60 meter rope (70 is even better). It climbs out the enormous, pocketed roof on the west side of the East Ridge about 70 yards downhill and south from the Fiddlehead (Rip this Joint, etc.). The route can be recognized by the long belay chains on the red ledge below the crux.
Start in a friendly crack slightly left of the chains, placing a piece or two to reach the ledge (5.9 or so -- use long slings to avoid rope drag if you're doing this in one pitch). Clip the chains and fire out the wild overhanging wall, passing plentiful bolts and ever-shrinking holds to a pumpy lip encounter on crisp, Flatirons crimpers.
This is one of the funnest, most gymnastic overhangs in the Flatirons and is a "must-do" for the grade.
Protection
The business, a huge pocketed roof overhanging the vertical start, is entirely bolt protected. You will, however, need a few stoppers and some mid-range cams to get you up the initial 5.9 crack which leads to the belay ledge below the roof.
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.
- 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....
Fiddle Head
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