BETA PHOTO: The Corrinthian Column is on the left.
Description
Total Abandon is a stellar route in an awesome setting. It is the gully/chimney system that is located on the right side of the Corinthian Column on Pikes Peaks north face. With deluxe access from the Hero Rock Traverse, what more could you ask for? OK. How about 300 to 1000 feet of mixed climbing?
From 13,000 feet on the troll road (yuck, I hate paying trolls), park at the last major curve before the road heads up to the summit. Cross the road and head east until you can drop off into the void. Traverse south along the Hero Rock Traverse. This will involve mainly dropping elevation at first and then traversing. Allow at least an hour if you are unfamiliar with the traverse.
Locate the chimney system on the right hand side of the Corinthian Column. This is a giant buttress of rock on the Hero Rock Traverse. Work up into the chimney system. The crux is going to be the second or third pitch and involves a steep, thin wall of ice, with a mixed move at the top. Continue up the gully to the summit or bail off to the right and descend to your car.
This route is probably in condition most of the year. Watch out for death avalanche potential in the spring and thin conditions in the fall. The gate at the bottom of the mountain is the most problematic issue. Based on current gate opening times, it seems as if early May or late September would be best for an attempt. Remember, you can always walk up from Manitou Springs. Use Rock and Ice #85 for a reference.
This is a stellar route in an awesome setting. Enjoy.
[Eds. This submission had been listed under RMNP/Alpine then non-RMNP/Alpine and now here by request & for better organization.]
Protection
You might need a little bit of everything for this one. A few knife blades and Lost Arrows would be nice. Bring some bigger passive pro as well. Camming units suck in icy cracks. A couple of shorter ice screws (mids and stubbies) will round out the rack nicely.
Route is in reasonably good shape with thin sections on first and second pitch, but overall I've seen much worse early season (or nothing) for these routes. That said-it is still a fully mixed route.
I took care to be delicate and hooked things when I could to preserve ice for everyone. Cracks were open for pro, used several nuts and BD #0.5, 0.75, 1, 2 and used my 3 once to beef up anchor top of pitch 2. Took minor iron for thin cracks, didn't need them. Stubby screws are strongly encouraged, it was all I placed for ice gear.
My biggest concern for this route is the slope (angle/orientation) leading up to its base and its potential to pull out and run over rough terrain. Today strong (40-50 knot) winds transported many inches of new snow. My partner and I took a beacon and shovel-and trimmed weight in other areas to accommodate.
Total Abandon is in good shape and likely to get better over the next few days with warmer temps. Great route. Only two really good pitches, but those two are excellent. See http://themountainworld.blogspot.com for photos from October 15.
By Pete J. Lardy From: Colorado Springs Nov 15, 2009
CONDITION REPORT
Route is still in as of Nov. 10. Next time I would end the first pitch at the three pins 30'-40' below the 2nd pitch crux. This makes for a better anchor and belay location. Good ice pro (screws) at the crux, limited elsewhere.
Conditions as of Nov. 27th for Total abandon is pretty slim for the first pitch. Its like hardened snow with very little ice that is poorly bonded to the rock. I placed one screw on the first pitch, the rest rock gear. The second pitch had abundant ice as well as solid bonded ice in the chimney. The crux is thin as usual and had a nice deflated basketball size blob of ice on the wall for feet and is pretty manageable. The fixed nut is still there. We did it in 2 pitches with a 70m, placed 1 screw the 1st pitch, 3 the 2nd. Brought set of nuts & cams to a #3 bd. Great route though it does not seem to be accumulating more ice at the moment.
Total Abandon 11-27-09. Submitted By: Jon Griffin on Nov 28, 2009
By Bosier Parsons From: Colorado Springs, CO Sep 18, 2004
This route does not often come into shape, and definitely does not hang around all year. The first section below the steep crux is low-angle rock that often gets covered with a few inches of ice, rendering stubbies pretty much useless, and not offering too much for rock pro. The climbing here is not bad, but a little awkward. I have never finished the route. My best attempt ended abruptly when the snow just below the steep section unexpectedly detached from the rock and sent my partner sailing. Pretty scary.
The main reason I'm writing right now -- I was on the Peak today, and Total Abadnon is in! Ice looks great, but still thin, but definitely climbable. Hero Traverse is dry. Blind Assumption also looks likes it's in, though much skinnier than when I've climbed it before.
Also watch for these routes in May, especially if we get a big, late season dump. Have fun!
Phil Wortman and I climbed this route yesterday. We completed it but without much ICE. I'd say the first pitch had about half of an inch of sketchy ice on it. The second pitch had NO Ice on it. Just about a foot or so of snow that had to be cleared to get to the rock below it. This was a sketchy lead. It was crumbly up to about the third pitch when finally we found some ice (just above the overhanging crux.. and Thank GOD it was there becasue it was a struggle to clear that bulge and just when we needed it... ICE!) The ice on the third pitch was several inches thick in spots...thick enough for stubbies. The third pitch ended above another (much easier) overhanging boulder and a snow field to the top. I'd say that because there was little or no ice on most of the route, that it was about M6. With ice, it would have been very enjoyable WI4+. I can't wait til next year when hopefully it will be in completely. Great route!
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