When you get tired of the 100 foots pitches, the gaggle of classes, and all the telephoto lenses in the Uncompaghre Gorge, keep heading up the road to the beautiful lines that surround the Camp Bird Road. There's stuff for everybody here with easy and sunny lines like Chockstone Chimney and Slip Slidin' Away to mega classics like Birdbrain Boulevard. If it's cold you can climb in the sun, if the weather is moderate and your feelin' frisky, head into the shade and try Birdbrain.
Getting There
Head South from town (Ouray) and turn off onto the Camp Bird Road within 1/2 mile. This road can be death so watch out. Most of the time the county plows it but when the avalanches are booming there's nothing to do but hang out at the Groundskeeper for a third round of 'spro or head to the Gorge. Follow the CB road to where it's usually closed at Senator Gulch. 1/2 mile of hiking up the moderate road will get you to the Skylight area. If you're heading to the Ribbon/Birdbrain area, drop down into the main drainage then contour up to the start of the routes. You did check the avalanche danger, didn't you? They just boom down from the collection basin directly above the Ribbon so if you didn't get recent conditions while in town, it's not a bad idea to hike up the road for a visual. At worst, you'll wast five minutes--at best, you'll save your life.
This is a wild route! Start as for Choopo's but head for the hanging pillar on the right. leave the gully and head up and right after about 30 feet and start the mixed climbing. Follow the crack/corner system till you can reach the ice M5+ with cams in the crack. Climb thin ice up to the bolt and then move out onto the pillar and make strenous moves on steep ice to the top, screws for...[more]
Report from Jim Donini: Skylight is in; first pitch is all ice. Second pitch is thin but do-able. Choppo's is fat. Nothing going on by the Ribbon/Bridalveil.
Bill Ducat wrote us to say: "Please remove all references to the conditions of Senator Gulch. My family owns the land, and the climb is closed for liability reasons. Thanks, we are starting to get very annoyed about all the people walking by our "posted" signs, and good condition reports do not help the situation :) Do you have any recommendations on how we could get the word out that we are serious about the falls being closed?"
What is the name of the frozen waterfall on the right side of the road, back in the little side drainage,at the base of the switchbacks? Is it listed here? what's it rated? Seemed like about 90ft tall.
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Jan 8, 2008
Scott, I believe you are referring to Senator Gulch. If so, it's on private land. Access has been an issue. Previously, there was a description & the owners requested we delete the information (see above)...even though it is already described in other ice guidebooks.
Thanks Leo, maybe I should leave this question up here because I wasn't certain what "Senator Gulch" was in the previous comments. We used to call that Hidden Falls, along with the plethora of "Hidden Falls" on the planet.
Camp Bird Road
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