First ascentionist Luc cranking the first crux of ...
Description
This problem is on the Falls Trail near the waterfall on the west side of the creek. Approach from the car is 5 minutes or less.
This strenuous problem begins with a sit down start. Sidepull your way up the pumpy and continuous arete on dicey feet until you can dyno for the lip. Once at the lip, the secondary crux is topping out on the exposed boulder.
I thought about putting a bolt below the lip to protect the secondary crux, but decided against it...in its current state, Little Devil offers quite a mental and physical challenge.
Protection
A good crash pad and a great spotter (maybe more) are necessary for this very serious problem.
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.
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.
By Luis Barandiaran From: Longmont, CO May 15, 2007 rating: V12+ X
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.
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?
By Swiss From: Loveland/Estes, Colorado Nov 17, 2007 rating: V12 X
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!
By Adam Stackhouse Administrator From: Escondido, Ca Nov 22, 2007 rating: V9 R
Nothing more than V9. You fellas from the city are soft.
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.
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.