This is a fun route that can be easily be toproped after doing the second rappel off the Maiden. The crux is right off the ground and continues to be challenging for maybe thirty feet. Above the climbing eases for 30-40 more feet, but gear is still hard to come by. The final forty feet can be done by climbing up the crack on the left (gear here) or continuing up the beautiful huecoed face directly to the anchors. This latter option seems more like 5.11 near the top and there is no gear up this face.
This would make a great start to the West Overhang route if it wasn't for the lack of gear. I believe you could start this route further down and east where it looks like you can get on the ramp system. The runout would still be huge - maybe 100 feet, but probably on 5.6/7 terrain until the crack. From there it is more like 5.9 to the notch.
Protection
There isn't much gear on this route for the first 60 or 70 feet and this includes the crux. I'd take some stoppers and a selection of cams up to #3 Camalot in hopes that some could fit in the huecos. Toproping is the best option
Rossiter indicates that one traverses RIGHT to reach the upper crack. This is either an error, or possibly there is an alternate (and possibly safer) start to this route a ways left (uphill) from where the normal rap ends.
This is a worthwhile route, the crack section is quite nice.
Andy Moore has indicated that the real "Gates of Galas" does start ~50' farther uphill from the base of the second rap, climbing the right side of a flake. It then traverses right into the final crack, shared by the above route description.
If you climb the route as described above you are not on completley different route from the one put up by Bob Horan in 1982 (except for the crack at the very end, if you go that way).
By Guy Humphrey From: Fort Collins CO Oct 12, 2003 rating: 5.11a
This a fun top rope to do on your way out. I would agree with the 5.11 statement, if you climb the face right below the anchors. There are some large reaches as you near the top.
After TR'ing it, I led this yesterday via the easiest variation: Starting from where the rap from the Crow's nest drops you, step off the big block onto huecos. Good pro here with #1 and #2 Camalots. Move left about 8 feet and get a good #3 Camalot. Pull over onto the slab and run it out on easy rock (5.6?) with ground fall potential to a small overlap. Decent red Alien here. Pull over a moderate bulge and get a good #1 Camalot straight down at the back of a small ledge. Then step left and up the flake/crack. I felt this was about 9+ with 5.6 vs. Gear is good on the hard parts.
The Maiden
RSS Feed
