This granite wall is one of the best crags in this section of the Ironclads. It's a little harder to get to than the more familiar Ironclads crags, but definitely worth the 20 minute hike. The rock is a solid granite wall that has a moderate slab lower half leading to harder routes above. All routes except two short cracks are bolted, and all routes have bolted rappel anchors. The elevation yields breezy climbing with great views of the valley below, and offers morning shade in the summer. The routes range in difficulty from 5.6 - 5.11.
Getting There
To find Ironsides, drive up CO 7 to Allenspark from Lyons. 0.6 miles after the Peak to Peak (CO Hwy. 72), turn left at FR 115 right before the Bunce School (this is the turn off for all of the Ironclads climbing areas.) Drive up FR 115 for 1.2 miles to a pullout on the left with a tree in the center and a large boulder behind it. This road is hard on a 2WD car after the first 0.5 mile where you can park your buddies who don't own a 4WD vehicle. From the pullout, walk up the strenuous hill for 20 minutes from the other side of the road to a saddle between two domes. The dome on the left is "The Nose." Stay just right of the Nose and follow a trail that gradually goes left just below the saddle. Look for a good-sized bolted wall on your left with a stand of pine trees 10 feet from the base.
On a separate pinnacle to the south: K. Void Where Prohibited, 11- PG13, 1p, bolts & gear, 45'. L. Repeat Offender?, 8, 1p, bolts, ~70'. M. Unknown?, 9, 1p, bolts, ~80'.
Ironsides is a crag that a lot of people don't go to and they are missing out. The drive up wall is great, but the 20 min hike Mike is talking about is well worth it. Ironsides is such a cool crag because you can a good long 80' pitch, bolted of course, or you can decide to go the full value with some 150' pitches.
Last Saturday (6/7/03) we were up at Ironsides between noon and 2pm. No other climbers in the area.
We did Gypsies in the Palace (lower half only) and Port Side. Weather was cool, rock was cold until the sun started to hit it around 1:30pm. It was breezy also. On the way down we finally found the real approach "trail" which made life much easier than scrambling over fallen logs.
There is a route right of the gully (and right of the climb listed as unknown 5.9 right of Slab-a-dab-adoo)- we didn't know the grade but climbed it anyway. The climb is 5 bolts and a consistent overhang with generally good holds. DANGER-PLease take note: the bolt hanger on the 4th bolt came off while the second was removing the draw from the 3rd bolt. This is also one of the crux moves; FORTUNATELY for us the leader did not fall on this bolt. After inspection, the other bolts look suspect as well. We did not have any tools to safely re-attach, so choose to leave it off to prevent someone from thinking it was good and taking a fall on it. The bolt is still visible sans hanger.
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