Safety in Numbers is 1.2 miles West of the Beige Siphon Tube on Practice rock. North side of the road adjacent to the bridge. Park prior to the bridge on the south side. Looking at the right side of the rock, behind the guard rail two obvious cracks trace up the wall. Safety in Numbers is the Left slanting seam/crack on the left. Climb the seam/crack (5.10) to a good stance 8 feet off the ground. Set a couple sets of self-equalized nuts in the shallow, soft crack and hope for the best. Careful not to use up your hand holds in the seam. Continue up left of the seam using the seam and the face (5.11a), to good 5.9 edges. Continue up and left following the seam on easier ground or traverse up and right (5.7) toward the anchors above Safety in Moderation (recommended if top roping, careful with the potential swing.)
Protection
A-3 Aid or difficult to protect crack/seam. small equalized nuts may hold a fall, wouldent want to test that though.
Bring two blue Metolius TCUs. The first is good, but the second you can only get two of the three cam lobes into the rock. No worries, though, it held a ten footer and I'm a big guy. Awesome route, highly recommended.
By allen simons From: Loveland Jun 20, 2004 rating: 5.10d
Wow, how did you feel about a ten footer on this climb? Where did you fall from?
Super-sweet practice aid climb or a stellar free climb. However, I ran into some people the other day that didn't have enough small gear for the crack, so they decided to nail. This rock is soft and the seam is shallow. Their nailing made hideous, crappy, and worthless pin scars, and their frequent missed blows made some nice white spots on the rock surrounding the crack.
I've seen a pic from the sixties of a guy freeing this and its been aided on nothing but nuts.
If you don't have the gear, don't do it. It is absolutely unacceptable to nail because you can't do it other-wise. Don't use a hammer to make up for your inadequacies and in the practice ruin something thats not yours...
This climb used to be a fair bit longer with 15-20' of extra 5.10 ish climbing before the road was raised after the flood in 1976.
By allen simons From: Loveland Feb 18, 2005 rating: 5.10d
Now that is an interesting bit of trivia. Wow, 20 feet longer. I would like to see a photo of that. Way cool!. I heard this was an old Mark Wilford route, can anyone confirm that?
By Timmy! Tormey From: Fakeville, USA Feb 27, 2005 rating: 5.11a
If you get the right gear in, I would imagine it would hold, say, a 140 pounder taking a couple 10-12 foot falls before and after the crux. But that is just what I would imagine.
By Timmy! Tormey From: Fakeville, USA Dec 8, 2005 rating: 5.11a
Went back a few weeks ago and didn't have to fall on any gear this time. It actually protects pretty well, I think I got 5 pieces of gear in from the big stance to the easier climbing. Lots of RPs, but they are good!
By allen simons From: Loveland Dec 14, 2005 rating: 5.10d
When I lead it I did it with sets of HBs that were self-equalized in sets of two. I think they would have held, but then again...I [didn't] fall. When I lead this, it felt 5.11. Every time I top rope it, it feels a bit easier. Perhaps the [original] rating of 5.11 was applies when this climb was 20 feet longer, who knows? At any rate, it's a fun seam.
By allen simons From: Loveland Jun 28, 2006 rating: 5.10d
NOTE***the topo lists a route, "Safety in Moderation". This Route is an old Jim Disney route called "US 34 Bypass". It was thought to be an old Mark Wilford route but alas, it is not.
First climbed that line in '69 or so as an aid line, right out of High School, then free'd it a year or so later. Disney did a fair bit in that area earlier on and then my compatriots and I did our best to climb whatever we could around that bend. Also put up several routes on the pillar above the river downstream a bit. Also did some work on Mary's Bust (always liked that neame), but most of the lines seem to be lost in obscurity.
By allen simons From: Loveland May 13, 2007 rating: 5.10d
Jeff, is Safety in Numbers the right name, and do you have any early photos to post? Allen
Freed this a week ago and sweat the whole way up! Placed a nut for my first piece of pro and a #0 for my next and last piece before the runout crux! Solid edgy face climbing to good feet and hands 10 to 12 ft after your 2nd piece! Nothing over a #0.75 Camalot, and belay is solid! You can set your own or traverse left about 10 ft to the 2 bolt anchor! Classic line but be weary super thin and fairly unprotected till mid way through the climb! 3 stars and another favorite of mine in the area!
Beige Tube Area / The Narrows
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