Red Rock Canyon Open Space

I'm glad for those who spent so much time to get the access, along with work on the routes. Every route I have been on presented some challenge.....regardless of the grade.

So, are the two routes listed as projects in the guide still unclimbed? Anyone been working on these routes?

The 5.13 is an open project. The other is closed. I don't know if it has been climbed yet or not....

I'm not too good with lingo... does "closed project" mean because someone is working on it and they want the first ascent? Seems odd to publish it then...

A closed project is one that someone has put in the work to clean and then spent their hard-earned cash to bolt. They have the right to close it to all other climbers until they have snared the coveted first ascent or they can open it up to anyone who wants to do it. It's published in the book because anyone who sees the route will wonder "What route is that?", then consult their book and see that it is a project and hasn't been climbed yet. It's all about information...

About 90% of the routes at RRCOS are classics. Just lots of really good climbing. I've done almost 80 of the canyon's routes thus far and the following are some of my favorites....

Most of the routes on The Whale are excellent. Recommends include Pockets a'Plenty, Mister MIA, Aphrodite, Whale Rider, Esse Curve, The Good Stuff, Bound in Blood, Aborigine, and Dreamtime. The Quarry Wall has the excellent Old'n and Monosmear. On Solar Slab, check out Helios, Icarus, and Tava. Good routes on Wailing Wall are El Supremo Grande, Red Hot, Meet Me in Montana, and Like Bookends. On The Wiggins Wall, Mo' Verde is a classic 130-foot 5.7 route. The Coyote Wall offers several great lines--Zoidian Flakes, Pete's Classic Corner, Coyote Corner, Chaco, and Coyote Verde are all outstanding. The Ripple Wall's best route is Current Event. Other good Ripple lines are: Wake to Wake, Storm Surge, South Pipe Route, Jumpin' the Gun, and Snubnose. On Sayers Wall, you can do Pikes Peak in a half hour--very fun with a great view across the canyon.

Pick up a guide at Mountain Chalet or the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center, hike in, and crank. If you're motivated you can climb a lot of routes and get some serious mileage in. A couple weeks ago we climbed 12 routes on The Whale in an hour and a half.

Wow, I agree completely with Stewarts comments, most of the routes here are top notch. Yesterday was my first day of climbing there, and I was quite impressed. Did everything on Solar Slab in about two hours, and had a blast doing it. It lived up to its name too, the rock was warmer than the air I think. Anyway, some of the routes need some travel before they clean up, but thats to be expected.

I spent a few days exploring the bouldering opportunities in the park, and I'm impressed. One of the best balance problems I've been on is the the traverse of the Ripple Wall. Start on the sidepull jugs between Baja Ha Ha and The Ripple Effect, and traverse left for a hundred feet or so all the way to the end of the wall. Similiar to the Wall of Winter Warmth, but longer and considerably harder. Plus this will be in the shade of beautiful aspen trees in the summer!

Stewart, are there any plans for a second edition of the guide, as routes change and the park gets more travel?

Yeah a second edition will be published as stuff changes and the bouldering areas get discovered. Today I am actually doing the 4th printing of the guidebook. Each time I have revised ratings and included additional comments or beta on some routes. This new printing has a bunch of new ratings.

I've had a few folks tell me that some of the routes are under-graded and having gone back to those routes, I agree thus the new edition will reflect those changes. Some of the changes are on The Ripple Wall with some of those 5.9s going up to .10a. Also The Youth on The Wiggins Wall is now rated 5.10b. When I did the second ascent back in August it didn't feel so bad, but I had top-roped it twice before. Last week Brian Shelton and I climbed it and agreed it was stiffer than 9+.

I'm glad someone is beginning to explore some of the bouldering possibities at RRCOS. It is my understanding that we can boulder anywhere in the park, unlike the technical climbing which is confined to the designated areas. We did some bouldering on the big hogback to the east of the canyon as well as on the ridges above the old dump. Explore away and if anyone finds some good stuff, let me know and I will put it in the next edition...

Stewart,

Am I understanding you correctly that the guide book I got the weekend the park opened has been updated?

Have you dropped some off at the gym? I was wondering also who we might report updated route info to? Knocked some holds off last week on one of the 5.6's on the Whale.

For those of you in Denver who may want to head South for a visit, the guidebook is available at Wilderness Exchange Unlimited. After a glance, I bought the book, and after reading most of the route descriptions I can't wait for a warm afternoon to head down and give it a go!

Thanks for the routes Mr. Green! And, thanks for not bolting the cracks - ex: Ripple Wall, _Re-thinking the Ethics_, (10a). I've been twice and enjoyed both days - fun, thought-out routes. For your future editions, take another look at Solar Slab's "Up Until Sunrise" (11b/c). The crux micro-edges disintegrate after one use (you have to use your fingernail to re-edge it). . . maybe (11d) or (12). . . fun climb though! Anyway, I've climbed 15 or so routes here, and all the others seemed solid at grade. Thanks again!

Finally got down to check it out after a bit of ice but only tried Ripple Wall. Hmmm...the sandstone seems very soft, reminiscent of the face climbs on Windgate in Colo Natl Mon or the Navajo of Potash Rd. High H20 is very sandy, slopey, & stiff & NOT a must do. Storm Surge is better but still we broke off a big face hold on lead. Heavy traffic may make routes harder. Think desert face without calcium to strengthen the holds. Apparently, chalk is not allowed. Access is off Hwy 24 (S of GOG) on the turn S just W of 31st St (not 30th as per the guide).

My wife and I had a great day here on 4/17/05. Thanks for all of your hard work making this place happen. We wanted to give a big heads up though for one route. It's listed as #12 on The Whale in the guidebook and says 4 bolts to 2-bolt anchor. This climb does not have it's own anchors!! The closest anchors my wife could climb to were the ones on #13 "Just Happens"........which were 35+ feet away!! The name of this climb is "Virgin Bolters". Is this some kind of joke? We are worried someone is going to get hurt here. I hope someone can fix this.

The best climb so far here is Green2 on Solar Slab and that's it. A lot of these climbs here are over rated and are by no means classics as labeled in the guide. I climbed the Ripple Effect 11c/d and it was actually more 11a/b . Try comparing that climb to Anaconda in the Garden of the Gods!! The only wall I have not climbed on yet is the Wailing where Vanhorn's routes are. We shall see. I'm not trying to bust on anyone. It's nice to have all the climbing, but there is no way that was labeled in the guide, "the best and largest in the Pikes Peak region..and these routes are better than most of the climbs in the Garden"....no way man...that's my opinion..

Red Rock Canyon, like any new sandstone climbing area, is an evolving place. Grades change as the rock changes. Since the first edition of the guide came out in early November, many of the route grades have changed. Like "Ripple Effect," which Ric Geiman initially graded at 11d/12a. As the route cleaned up with traffic, the grade has plummeted. The latest guide, printed today, lists the grade as 5.11a/b. Some routes have gotten harder, some easier.

What I was refering to is the comment in the guide about how 90% of the climbs here are classics and that there is more of them at Red Rock than the at Garden. I would say that only 10% of the climbing is classic climbing here. The best of which are at the Wailing Wall. There are some awesome climbs here. I just belive a false impression was given in the guide about the quality of the routes here.

Well you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Over the last 35 years I've climbed almost every route in the Garden and I think, based on my experience climbing at hundreds of areas around the world, that perhaps 15 of the Garden routes are worth climbing. A few, like Anaconda, are certainly classic but most suffer from deteriorating fixed protection which detracts from their quality as well as a lot of bad sandstone. Red Rock Canyon, on the other hand, offers lots more great climbing than the Garden and it is well protected with modern gear. This opinion seems to be shared by most of the climbers I have talked with since the beginning of last November when the park opened. Many climbers have told me that they like Red Rock Canyon's cleaner rock, better protection, and the wide variety of routes that can be climbed quickly and safely. I talked with one climber last Wednesday who told me he had cranked 25 pitches a couple weekends before. Now go out to the Garden and try to climb 25 pitches in an afternoon... My advice is: if you don' t like climbing at Red Rock, which some people don't, then head over to the Garden and hang out with the tourists!

ok [Stewart] lets take a step back. i have also climbed almost every route at the [Garden] as well. i have also climbed many places other than [Colorado]. big deal. i do agree about the pro getting old there. so what needs to be done is some retro bolting there which had started but has seemed to slow down. my point for the whole thing is that there really seems to be no comparison to [Red Rock] and the [Garden]. name one 5.7 at [Red Rock] that even compares to lets say New Era? and the only reason it seems that you can do 25 climbs in a afternoon at [Red Rock] is because the climbs are so close together, over bolted easy slab. the reason you [can't] do 25 climbs at the [Garden] in a afternoon is because you would be so pumped out after the first 10 you want to go to the bar and drink beer. i [believe] that you are being biased and misleading about your discription of [Red Rock] because its your baby. if you are a [beginner] than [Red Rock] is great. but if you want real adventure i recommend going to the [Garden]!!

I was just there for a [couple] days with 4 friends from PA. We had a great time. The climbing is different than anything I have been on in the east. There seems to be a lot of crumbling rock and broken holds. We climbed things from 5's to 9's, although the 5.5 I led is now considered a 5.7. We wondered what it will be like in 10 years. Nice place.

Paid a visit to RRCOS recently and found it to be as advertised: a lot of fun, safe climbing on rock that is typical of the Garden of the Gods. Thanks for all the hard work of the route developers; that's a lot of hiking in and out with a heavy drill and all the other necessary toys/tools.

Question for Stewart or another route developer: what are the typical diameter and length of the bolts you used?

A...couple comments on getting to the cliff. I thought I would be able to climb a few quick routes on the way back from a long road trip. Not the case...

The parking lot is the first turn after 31st and not 30th, 30th street does not intersect US 24. There are also 2 old roads that leave the parking lot. Pick the wrong one and you will wander around for 30-45min before you realize you are in the wrong spot. There is a map by the correct one which is to the east.

I also saw a sign saying that you need to register to climb at the vistors center. Is this true, if so where is it located? [Eds. at the Garden of the Gods VC]

There was a question I read about the climbing permit for Red Rocks Canyon. You are supposed to pick up the permit at the Garden of the Gods visitor center. It is free and you can get one at the information desk on the second floor. The same "permit" is used for Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon, and actually for North Cheyenne Canyon as well. The visitor center is right across from the main Garden entrance or is at 1805 N. 30th Street (at Gateway Road) Colorado Springs, CO 80904, if you are from out of town and want to mapquest it. The permit allows the city parks folks to keep track of the multi-use portion of the parks.

So, um, can we put up route descriptions on CB.com? Yes, obviously, I *CAN*, but I'm wondering if the developers would prefer that everyone go out and buy the guidebook (which is in -- what? its fifth iteration?). I really, really enjoyed the Solar Slab area, and had some fun shots of Tava I wanted to put up.

Cheers to the folks who developed this fun resource.

I noticed the other day while climbing a couple of bolts above the upper shelf above the south end of the top rope wall across from the cave. The route/routes are not in the guide book. Are they projects, off limits etc. Also that same area seems to hold the potential for a little trad is it acceptable with the parks restrictions to climb this area?

That area of Red Rock Canyon is off-limits to climbing. The cliff, while big and impressive, is very loose and soft and would require lots of trundling to clean any lines. After we rappelled it a few times and looked at it and top-roped a couple possibilities, the park manager asked us not to climb on that area because of impact. There shouldn't be any bolts up there except on the route All Mixed Up, which requires gear also. We will have to take a look at the wall and remove any unnecessary bolts.

Thanks for the reply, Stewart. I'll stay off as fun as it looks it may be. I had a hard time locating exactly where All Mixed Up is based on the description, but if its in that area above the south end of the top rope wall, those are probably the bolts I saw. If not, then there's some that will need to go. By the way, I tried to send you an e-mail offering help with whatever goes on out there, considering how much I've been using the area. I thought I should do my part, so if there's something coming up pm me, and I'll try to give a hand.

I climbed Snubnose on Ripple Wall the other day. The guide has it as 5.8, but going directly up to the left of the second bolt felt much closer to a 10. Is the intended route to the right of the bolt or perhaps wearing of the route has bumped up the grade?

I have climbed every route in the park, and there are many changes in route grades from the original guide. I have given all of these to Stew, and he has been making the changes to the guide.

The route, Snubnose, is now graded 10a.

Thanks Brett. I agree with your Snubnose assessment. It has gotten harder. I was thinking of 9+, so 10a is close enough. The holds have smoothed out a bit. Most of the Ripple Wall routes have gotten harder. Like The Pipe Route...I would call it 5.8 now. Likewise Jumping the Gun, maybe a grade harder. Sandstone...you gotta love it...always changing. Just wait til the next rainstorm! Oh, congratulations Brett on being the first to climb ALL the routes (except that sick project). Great job.

Red Rock Red Point has been rescheduled to October 1st, due to weather. All other details are the same.

Anyone going up to climb High H2O bring a wrench. The left anchor bolt is desperately loose.

I wish I'd checked here before climbing today. As Joshua mentions, the one anchor bolt on High H2O is quite loose. The other felt bomber. We climbed Electric Swimming Pool before that and the right anchor was very loose also.

Stewart, considering I have absolutely zero experience placing bolts, what size wrench would I need and what torque should I use to tighten the bolts on High H2O and Electric Swimming Pool?

Soft rock and soft ratings, but you can still have a good time here. This would be a good place to take a beginner, a good place for someone's first lead, and a great place to take a small child climbing. Good place to focus on your footwork, too.

A few weeks ago we were exploring The Chief and noticed that the bolt hangers seemed to be pulled on both routes (Off to Kiwi Land and Certain Kind of Fool). Just curious why these were pulled. Certain Kind of Fool looked like a nice long route!

Ben and Ed Schmidt, the route equippers, were not happy with the quality of the routes, so despite my pleas to the contrary, they decided to strip the route.

First trip to this area today. It is really nicely developed . . . great job to all of you who put the time and effort in.