The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
Dan Russell cleaning pitch 2 of Triple Exposure.
Description
From the main parking lot, the North End Towers rise directly above. Triple Exposure splits the main tower's north face, mostly just left of center. Scramble up the first 30-40 feet to the beginning of a bolt ladder. Don't clip all of them if freeing it, it will cause way too much rope drag. This pitch goes at 5.11d. The thin crack of the second pitch goes at 5.12c/d. The third pitch traverses left, then up through the small, muddy chimney if aiding on bolts/drilled pins. If freeing the third pitch, follow the dihedral (5.10d) straight up, then traverse left (5.11b) when it ends. From here, you can either make an anchor or run it to the summit. Go up a few bolts, then traverse right (5.11c), then climb up through the prominent notch to the summit anchor. Two double-rope rappels land you on the ground.
Protection
Done as a purely aid route, it goes clean clipping many bolts/drilled pins, plus a #1 Tricam placement on the first pitch and several small nuts/RPs on the second. It can be done free with the drilled pins, no pro necessary. When aiding, run the first two pitches together, ending at the top of the obvious thin crack at a good 4-point anchor. When freeing, divide the route into 3, possibly 4 pitches. There are enough drilled pins to make an anchor at several places on the upper part of the route, or run it right to the top.
Aid Beta: Small to medium stoppers and RP/HB Offsets and #1 Tricam. Singles from blue Alien to #3 Camalot useful, but it's not mandatory. Rivet hanger (or use small stopper cable) useful on 1/4" bolt studs. A couple of 1/4" hex nuts just in case (we replaced one). Small hook useful for long reaches between bolts on traverses but not mandatory. Top anchor consists of two partially driven old ring angles tied off and equalized with webbing. Can back up until ready to rap with red Alien (or tricam maybe) about 15 feet away in a horizontal slot. The position of the angles gives maximum strength, and no flexing/movement was observed, but a new bolt for this anchor wouldn't be unreasonable given the apparent age of the existing pins. Two double rope raps to ground. Getting to the first pin on pitch one is more serious than a scramble. A few easy 5th class moves on sparse and dubious protection is required, and a fall here would be devastating.
Out of curiosity, has anyone freed the first two pitches together (the 11d and 12c/d) into a single 120ft pitch? It seems like the next logical step since there's not really a ledge, or even a stance, or even a good hold, for that matter.
Don't get your hopes up if you got your sights set on tripple exposure this summer. My partner and i walked over yesterday afternoon to check it out. About 15 feet up there is a HUGE bee hive about 2 ft across right in the middle of the route. We looked at it and there is like no way you can get around this thing. I had disturbing images of a leader draggint the rope right through the middle of it while their belayer stands at the bottom shaking in fear....
By David Danforth From: California/Colorado May 29, 2004
Hey. Just kidding! Drove by the other day and it looks like the nest is gone. If someone spoke up to the Garden people, thanks! Good luck!
The first (11d) pitch of this route has some of the worst rock I've ever encountered at the Garden. At multiple points, I would find myself in a position where every hand and foothold connecting me to the rock was sandy. I'm not sure how I didn't fall. However, the second, crux pitch is surprisingly good. I tried to find a free rest stance in between the first two pitches, but all I could get was an awkward, tiring stem. This thing needs to be properly free climbed! I'll get to work on it....
By Bosier Parsons From: Colorado Springs, CO Sep 15, 2006
Has this route actually been freed? I know Will Gadd worked it for a bit, and I always thought it was 12c/d A0 or something, with basically a short section of aid. If so, does anyone know who got the FFA?
Good news! A couple of weeks ago Brian Rhodes, a Colorado Springs local, freed it from the bottom through the 12 c/d section! Consensus came to 12d from bottom to that anchor, and now he is working on one HUGE link with an 80m rope form the bottom to the top of the formation! Great climb to get on, and if it saw some more traffic the bottom would clean up really well!
By Bosier Parsons From: Colorado Springs, CO Sep 24, 2008
North Gateway Rock
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