Little Devil 

Heads up: Little Devil is closed for the season because of raptor nesting on the summit.

This was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Thanks!

(I bet the bolt would have been chopped if installed...)

Nice one, Luc. :-)

Commiting highball! Well done. Would have been a good problem though, without the spotter.

I worked this a bit over the weekend... pretty tough. I brought a TR along to work the highball crux... I have it pretty wired now, but I'm not sure how it'll go after pulling the dyno... lots of pads and spotters will be nice for sure. Still couldn't work out the dyno though. This is an awesome problem and surely destined to be a hard Front Range classic.

WARNING! The Little Devil is unstable!

Yesterday I was cranking hard on the initial move (I am nearly 200 lbs) and the sucker started to shift. Luckily I rolled out of the way or it would have crushed on my leg! It was now in the middle of the trail, but fortunately with the help of a passing hiker (thanks Mike!) we were able to get it back into more or less the same position.

Using a crash pad is cheating because with 2" more reach you can grab the final hold.

I just have to let the climbing world know of my latest accomplishment.
I just completed the first ascent of Little Devil in full-on winter conditions.

The sloping mantle at the top was really difficult. I had to brush off about four inches of fresh snow. The finishing moves, which I thought the most difficult, took several tries to accomplish.
This one makes me a shoe-in for the Mugs Stump Award.

Props to the visionary first-ascentionist! Quality!

Very commiting. I was attempting the first blindfolded barefoot ascent of LD when I ripped the nail on my pinkie back a few millimeters. I will probably be out of action for a week.

V11 sandbag maybe.

What's the beta for the feet on the dyno to the lip? I tried a left heel-hook on the arete with a right toe on a pretty much non-existent "nubbin"<-(broke maybe?)- but kept taking huge falls. Has anyone had any luck with better feet? I'm 6'2" and it feels like my feet are really high. It seems like this problem would be a little easier for shorter people: maybe more like V12/13 for taller folk?

Although I have yet to complete it, I too felt like it was closer to a V12. I'm probably lacking the correct beta though. Very technical and tenuous moves with a mean dyno to top out. An ultra classic problem!

Nothing more than V9. You fellas from the city are soft.

Where's the wool cap?

Adam - sandbagger! I've been projecting that for months.

This is on my to do list. Someday...

The best part of the photo is definitely the spotter...you need to have a sense of humor to hop on that, let alone spot like the guys life is in danger, hahaha, hilarious.

Sad news. Tics of this classic may be a thing of the past, at least the original V11 route. Reliable reports indicate a visiting French climber, halfway through his first pack of cigarettes and frustrated that he hadn't sent yet *chipped a hold* on the left arete. It's now V10+ max. Sorry to be the messenger.

Shawn,

Thank you for relaying this extremely disturbing news.
I have been training my entire life for a send of this classic V11/12.
When I learned that some visiting frog bastard has brought this magnificent line down to his level by chipping, it practically ruined my life.
My sponsorship, upcoming book and screenplay are all based on my goal of sending, what has been for me, a lifelong dream.
I'll have to cancel several television appearances now. It is likely that Regis and Letterman will never have me back.
I have devoted the last twenty years of my life and sacrificed family, relationships and gainful employment to focus on my one goal in life, to send the classic V11/12 on Little Devil.
Sure, I guess that I could epoxy over the chipped travesty, but now a once beautiful and proud line has lost its aesthetic charm and appeal. I've lost my interest, not to mention, the will to live.

Good send Luc, if you like these type of scary highball problems, check out this classic line, http://www.mountainproject.com/v/south_dakota/rock_maze/sout>>>>>

With the recent snow earlier this week and now warmer temperatures, a good sized puddle has formed under the great north face of this route.
I am considering a deep water solo attempt tomorrow, but I will want the well deserved glory that I'd be entitled to with such an audacious ascent.
Attention editors of Climbing and Rock & Ice: Send a film crew out to the canyon tomorrow to photograph my greatness and you will be guaranteed to increase the circulation of your publications.
I've already called the major news networks, but since they are not familiar with our sport, I think they failed to realize what an unprecedented, state-of-the-art, bold achievement this will be.

Why is the rating so high? That looks pretty easy.

Looks? Looks easy?!?!?

What if I should spill my PBR on my next attempt? Don't you realize the technical fortitude & danger of this entire route?? Surely, you must appreciate the level of commitment it takes to send this elite grade.

looks easy...

You have to start lying down. Sitting starts reduce the grade considerably.

Need some beta for this. I couldn't find the bivy ledge and I ended up climbing through the night to top out. For my next ascent, it would definitely be helpful to know where the ledge is.

thanks

I believe Hanson & partner to remain unnamed had the distinct pleasure of having the ledge fall away during a stint back in the '60s. You might be able to see the piton scar from the attempted heli rescue in which his partner's harness exploded during a tyrol to the opposed canyon wall. I believe they survived but a teddy bear did take flight; inspiring the opening sequence for the historically accurate movie about mtn rescue, climbers, base jumping, drugs, money, feds, and the women who love them.

Actually you can do a 2 pich traverse to the right (around 2 aretes) that ends at a nice ledge with a ginormous pine tree. This is a great date route variation, as the solitude and privacy in such a remote location can really impress the chicks.

Historically accurate movie my ass! Hanson is way more ripped than Stallone. But I suppose the rest of that flick was pretty much right on.

I should note however that the movie shots were not actually taken in Castlewood - for whatever reason the big wall stuff was mostly filmed in the Alps.

You guys are a bunch of sandbaggers! I sold my crash pad and chalk pot, and gave up bouldering for two years because this thing gave me such a mental makeover. So Hard!

Omg dude....I'm surprised that this hasn't shown up in any climbing DVDs. I'll be sure to contact either Chuck Fryberger or Big UP Productions and we'll get a film segment going on this thing! Although it looks too dangerous to secure a film crew.

Little Devil sees second ascent (unconfirmed).
The biggest story this season is the possible, though as of yet unconfirmed, second ascent of the formidable Little Devil in Castlewood Canyon.
Colorado's greatest testpiece, originally rated V11x, but now several grades harder due to several crucial holds breaking off, has seen an alleged second ascent.
This famous boulder has rebuffed the attempts of many of the country's best climbers.
Sharma, Graham, Kinder and even Fred Nicole have all vowed to never return after, as Nicole put it, "I was so close to being sucked into the bright tunnel to the afterlife that I had to give up climbing for months."
Though unconfirmed, several Castlewood locals claim they came upon a climber who resembled the legendary Roland Thompson, topping out on the unrepeated line.