Walking in to Cactus Cliff, after about five minutes you will see Alexi's Route, a short, bolted slab (five bolts) that looks very easy. This is a 5.5 that is the leftmost in a collection of moderate routes. Red Eclipse is the second route to the right of Alexi's Route.
The route is a steep slab that starts on a small shelf and follows a line of bolts up a not-quite-vertical face, left of a crack. If you use the crack at the crux, I don't think it's 10c/d, more like 10b. Move between decent pockets on marginal feet and the crux is near the top.
Of all the bolted boulder problems in this little alcove, this is the best. I found it quite enjoyable especially following the bolts absolutely straight up. Avoiding the crack definintly keeps the grade around 10d.
First ascent by Stewart Green, Ian Spencer-Green and Travis Nolan in February, 2000 after a "red" lunar eclipse. I had a compound dislocation fracture of my ankle and tibia and fibula on this route in February 2002. My left foot skated off a small edge as I was getting ready to clip the anchors and I fell awkwardly sideways and my right heel smacked on a 3-inch-wide shelf as I fell past and that was it...ouch!!! Thanks to all the guys who carried me out and got me to the Canon City hospital.
Fun climb, 5.10c! All the holds are there, but most of them happen to be two fingers or so. There is a good rest area in the middle of the climb that allows you to rest those fingers and grab more chalk for those hot and slippery days.
By Brandon Schirm From: colorado springs, co Sep 21, 2007
WATCH OUT!!!!! The last time I was on this route the chains at the top were wearing out due to contacting the bolt.
Cactus Cliff
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