BETA PHOTO: Jeff Russell on the backside of Graduation Boulder
Description
The bouldering near/on Graduation Boulder is the best in North Cheyenne Canyon. The approach is 3 seconds, so it is convenient. It is usually climbable all-year around (unless it just snowed, of course). The rock is solid, with dozens of problems of varying difficulty. On Graduation Boulder, the south, creek-facing side has several good highballs, the north, road-facing side has great warm-ups, and the west overhang sports the best problem on the boulder, Graduation (V1), a fun, jugfest. The boulder has been traversed at a hard grade (I've heard V10?). Post-Graduation Boulder isn't nearly as good, but also has some good problems, namely River Rumble (V4), a highball.
Climbers have been bouldering here for decades. Several years ago I thought I knew every problem on this boulder, until old-timer Harvey Carter showed me about twenty new problems and variations I'd never seen before. In many cases, these problems were done long ago, statically, and without climbing shoes or chalk. The photos only show the most obvious lines, so keep in mind that there are literally dozens of other problems on this boulder.
GRADUATION BOULDER PROBLEMS:
1. GRADUATION TRAVERSE - travese the main face and finish up the main problem 2. CORNER PROBLEM - start on the slopers and go straight up on crimps 3. GRADUATION - the classic line, ascend the overhang using jugs and jams 4. ARETE PROBLEM - start as low as possible and climb the arching arete 5. FACE PROBLEM - start on the arete but go up the face, avoiding the arete 6. FACE PROBLEM - follow hard crimps up the face 7. FACE PROBLEM - more hard crimps up the face 8. RAMP - ascend the prominent rail cutting across the face 9. CREEK WALL - from good holds at the base of the rail, move big to a slopey topout, highball 10. SHORT OVERHANG - start at chest height and use fun holds to surmount the short overhang
POST-GRADUATION BOULDER PROBLEMS (Problems face the trail):
1. TOUGH GUY - the full right-to-left traverse
2. RIVER RUMBLE - climbs the main, north-facing overhang to the highball slab above
Getting There
From the park entrance, drive .7 miles and pullout on either side of the road. Park near a large, obvious boulder (Graduation Boulder) on the south (left) side of the road. If you miss this boulder, get an eye transplant.
Post-Graduation Boulder is about 40 feet directly uphill from Graduation Boulder, on the trail.
Add PhotoPhotos of Graduation Boulder and Post-Graduation B
BETA PHOTO: From the north, looking south down at the road, Gr...
BETA PHOTO: Jeff Russell on the cool arete on Graduation Bould...
Steve on Graduation Crack.
BETA PHOTO: Joe Williams pulling the Arete Problem V2
Ashley Gann on Graduation Boulder.
Jerad Friedrichs on Graduation Boulder.
Graduation Crack
My friend, Chris, on Graduation Crack
My friend, Nicky, on Graduation Crack.
My friend, Wil, on South Arete.
Add CommentComments on Graduation Boulder and Post-Graduation B
When the crack running up the west side of the rock flattens out you can throw to a nice pincher on the southern arrete. From there it's whatever you can find. I'd like to hear if anyone can come up with something.
This is probably one of the best boulders in the springs for quality and quanity of problems on a single boulder. The problems on the creek side are a little bit more committing and harder but are definately three star quality.
Oh, people come up with quite a bit, actually. I think there are probably hundreds of eliminates on the western bit o' this boulder. If it didn't bore me so much, I could spend a lifetime there and never climb something twice. And it IS a sweet boulder.
This is a great boulder and an excellent way to kill a couple hours. Couldn't pull off the right to left traverse-- way too pumped, but the rest of the obvious lines are quite do-able and have reasonably safe landings without a pad.
Graduation Boulder and Post-Graduation B
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