Just S of Ouray is a beautiful amphitheatre at the Engineer Pass turnoff with some gorgeous ice climbs like Mixed Emotions, Kennedy's Gully, Blue Condition, Abraxas, Gravity's Rainbow, & Over the Rainbow. J. Roberts' Colorado ice describes this as one of the top 5 ice climbs in the Ouray area. Perhaps with wonderful books like Vertigo Games by G. Randall or simply a drive over the Million Dollar highway towards Red Mt Pass, the curiosity of many of climber is peaked and someday you find yourself with the right conditions and the right energy and there you are. Gravity's Rainbow.
According to Vertigo Games, the name for the climb comes from a rainbow visible independent of the angle in the 1st pitch on the first ascent & T. Pynchon's war novel.
A 15-30 minute wander/wallow up the road and then up a snowfield brings you to the base of this climb. Start early as the climb comes into the sun about 2.5-3h after sunrise. It faces SSW. Ice conditions on the route can vary tremendously. Supposedly on the 1st ascent, the bottom half of the climbed melted by the next day. A cold or cloudy is preferable. It is not always in shape.
P1. Multiple options possible although the L side of the ice seems to be most inviting. Find weird, mixed terrain up a sloping ramp with difficult pro to a short vertical step. Follow lower-angled waves of ice to a small, sloping, rock ledge on the L. Protect yourself by hiding behind the small rock wall on the L. There is a low fixed angle here. Ice can be thin. Water can be running on this pitch. Don't expect to sink 22cm screws. 190ft.
P2. Water runs just to the R of the start of this pitch. Start up a short, steeper bit of ice and then continue up lower-angled waves to a protected rock anchor (angle plus slings around a rock horn) on the R. Most likely you will break out into the sun on this pitch. The anchor at the top of this pitch is the 2nd to last rappel anchor. 150ft.
P3. Move L up easier ice, now likely hollow, to a groove/runnel. Find some mixed rock moves whose difficulty will depend on the consistency of the ice/slush in the groove. Gain a small ledge below the headwall. Gun for some rests about 40 ft up. Follow waves of ice up & R, up, and then L to the top. Find a creative, fixed, rock on the L. This is the 3rd to last rap anchor. 190 ft.
P4. Continue up deep snow up & R to find an L-angling chimney to the top. This pitch can be significantly melted out. Many folks rappel after 3 pitches (like us). Rap.
To descend: Rappel P3's anchor down to P2's anchor, 190 ft. Rappel a shorter bit (?100ft) to a less-than-awe-inspiring anchor with very old slings and a newer loop of rope around a large rock horn. Rappel 190 ft to the base. You rappel to the nadir of the ice.
It is fortunately easy to assess if you will be 1st (much preferable) on this climb from the parking spot.
Beware with parties above & below you on this climb. Lots of ice goes flying on P2 & P3.
A classic.
Protection
Medium screws, some stubbies, a few thin pitches, small rock gear. 60m ropes strongly recommended.
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Feb 20, 2004
Gravity's Rainbow - 2/10/4 was thinner with rock showing significantly on P1. 2/11/4 it snowed all day lightly. 2/13/4 it was significantly fatter on P1. 2/15/4 looked already like it was thinning down with lots of sun 2/13-2/15/4. Changes likely daily here. Thanks Kevin & Jeff!
When Jeff and I lead the first ascent of these pitches around 1975 the ice was very thin and tenuous by the standards of the day. During the first ascent the temperatures warmed steadily throughout the day and when we looked up to check out the route after rappelling down Abraxus, our new route was completely gone. It had fallen off in a matter of 1 hour during our descent. Kevin
Beta on anchors/descent of Gravity's Rainbow: there is a decent anchor in the rock on the climber's left, at the top of the ice (after the 3d pitch of climbing). Currently the anchor is a slung block and 2 pitons with relatively new cord tying it all together.
From this anchor rappel 55 m directly down the climb to another rock anchor just to the (climber's) right of the ice. This anchor is currently 1 block and 2 pitons with relatively new cord.
From here, you can do a rope-stretching 60 m rappel to the base of the ice. Whether or not you can reach the ground depends on how heavy you are - I downclimbed about 5 ft from the ends of the ropes to the ground; my partner reached the ground.
Gravity's Rainbow is still in and fat, although a bit funky just over half way up. There are multiple lines to be had and we actually climbed parallel another party this morning. It took good screws the whole way.
US Highway 550
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