Mountain Project: Climbing Shelf Road

Submitted By: Jeff Lockyer on Apr 12, 2002
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Elevation: 6,900 feet
Latitude: 38.6307 Longitude: -105.2178
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Description

A great cliff between the 'new' Gym and Cactus Cliff. Offering some very good routes, mostly sport routes with some gear routes mixed in between. Mostly always in the sun during the day, which makes for enjoyable pocket pulling. Classics on the cliff include, The Hurricane, Cornerstone and (IMHO) Tractatus.

Getting There

From the new parking area by The Bank Camground, follow the road NW towards The Bank for ~100yds. Pickup the trail on the right side of the road that descends into the canyon. Follow this trail for ~5 minutes, crossing the canyon bottom, and passing below the 2150 Wall, to a terminus at the road that heads up above Cactus Cliff (this road was the former approach to Cactus). Turn left and follow the road uphill towards Cactus. Continue along the road as it banks hard right, passing the new toilet. Where the trail banks left, continue west, passing signage, along a well maintained trail that traverses Cactus Cliff. Follow the trail around the SE buttress of Cactus. Once you cross a prominent drainage you will arrive at Spiney Ridge.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Spiney Ridge:

Damn Right I've Got the Moves 5.8+ Sport, 55 feet

Sugar and Spice 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet

Toxxxic Entertainment 5.10a Sport, 1 pitch, 65 feet

Travis is Soul King 5.10a Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet

20th Century Man 5.10a/b Sport, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Access All Areas 5.10d Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet

Tractatus 5.11a Sport, 50 feet

Cornerstone 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet

Return of the Headhunters 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet

The New Philanthropists 5.11b/c Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Purple Toe Nails 5.11c Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet

The Rising 5.12a/b Sport, 70 feet

The Hurricane 5.12a/b Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet

Featured Route For Spiney Ridge

Purple Toe Nails 5.11c CO : Shelf Road : Spiney Ridge

Start between Travis Is Soul King and Toxxxic Entertainment. As a whole the climb is pretty juggy (for taller people). The first few moves are easy 8ish. Clips are pumpy the last half because of the overhang. Move right after the 4th? bolt and then left. Nice mix of face and layback....[more] Browse More Classics in CO

Comments on Spiney Ridge

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By Surlyman
Jun 22, 2005

Was climbing at Shelf Road on the weekend. A climber led Pully Mammoth and set it up on top rope for his girlfriend. She couldn't pull the roof so he top-roped it to clean it. He grabbed the jug to pull himself over the roof and a rock the size of a loaf of bread broke off in his hand and landed on the ground a few feet from his girlfriend.

Given the now missing jug I suspect this climb is now a tad harder than it used to be.

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