This is the start of the crux section. From here o...
Description
This has got to be one of the best cracks in the area! It's the obvious crack just up from the low point of the Maiden (on the S. face), look up. Great protection, setting and movement make this one a gem. 5.10 climbing leads to the final pumpy sequence where the crack leans right and the crux face climbing exit. (Or was that the pump factor?) Save a 3.5 or 4 friend for the last piece. Rated .11c, it felt more like .11a to both me and my partner. No fixed anchor means that you continue to the summit or devise another way down. Combine with E. Ridge, W. Overhang and Dream Street Rose (on the N. face) for the ultimate Maiden tour!
This is a really cool crack with good protection. I guess it isn't 11c, but it is sure hard for me. It is builds in difficulty all the way and the pump factor for me in the last twenty feet is too much, but the holds are generally good and there is no real technical crux or bouldery, stopper move. Save a couple of medium cams for the belay.
You must continue up at least one pitch to the two-bolts at the top of the South Face. From here you can do two raps with a single 60-meter rope, but it will NOT bring you to the ground. You have to downclimb about 40-feet of very positive 5.4 climbing. Or you can continue up another long, easy pitch to the summit.
Fabulous route, it and dream street rose on the north side deserve lots more traffic. Too bad the fixed anchor was chopped because for a while you could do south crack and east ridge back to back and rap after the cruxes without having to top out and join the bottleneck for the summit rappel. Solid 11.
I agree with Chris on the rating ( solid 5.11) of South Crack and lack of traffic on Dream Street Rose. I think South Crack is a tad harder than Dream Street Rose and Dream Street Rose is a worthy climb with cool moves up a slanting corner with good fixed gear (4pins when I did it 1982).
Sorry about the cryptic post above. What I meant to say was, "Not 11a... harder than W. Overhang." Different style climb, but this isn't an easy 11.
By Brian Milhaupt From: Golden, CO Apr 3, 2004 rating: 5.11c
Two #3 Camalots would be very useful for the start and middle of the traverse.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Jun 24, 2007 rating: 5.11-
I kept waiting for the crux. I usually have trouble on hard 11s in the Flatirons, but this one went down easy as a warm-up. Probably not 11c. Then again, I was feeling around near the hard section and found good (well, positive at least) holds. If you let the bottom sections pump you out before you hit the top, I guess you will end up slapping at 'whatever' and have trouble... Grade? 5.11- I guess. I thought W. Overhang was WAY harder. YMMV. Rack- one set of Camalots and small Aliens. I placed nuts, Aliens, and then the red and blue Camalot (up top) and that was it. A few longer slings are useful, and the anchor up top was a gold Camalot and left-over Alien.
The Maiden
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