One of the classic sport routes of its grade in the state, let alone the canyon. With a thuggish start, balancy crux, and sustained climbing above with a dicey throw to a break, Anarchitect is the best route on the Anarchy Wall.
What a phenomenal route - there's just something about the water carved slots that align across the wall to make this line. It's also pretty cool when you pass out, crouched in a fetal position, at the little alcove just above the hard climbing.
Don't be tricked into thinking that the only way to finish the business on this route is to stick the long toss. A smaller, easier toss out right followed by a balancy move gets the job done - not necessarily easier, but higher percentage. There's also beta underclining left to a long reach - requires some wingspan.
Certainly one of the finest routes in the canyon! Well worth the drive!
By Greg Hand From: Golden, CO Dec 10, 2003 rating: 5.12d
17 July 1993 at 7:15am I arrive at the Anarchy Wall parking lot for an attempt at Anarchitect. I had previously thought the route impossible for me, but an attempt weeks earlier with Moe Hershoff provided hope. Moe developed a move at the crux where you jam the left toe in the crack near a left hand undercling. Pulling hard with the toe allows you to release the left hand and statically reach up for a crimp. That proved to be the secret for me to make passage through the crux. There were still more problems to put it all together, but I now knew I could do the climb.
The reason I was here this early was for the cool temps and I had to pick someone up at the airport at 10:30am. Ray Snead was to meet me at 8:00am for the redpoint attempt. My plan was to scramble to the top and rappel down to pre-hang the draws.
While deciding which tree to rap from, I hear a horrible CRASH! As I look down at the road, there is a car in full Duke's-of-Hazzard flight, heading off the road towards the river. As the nose of the car hits the hillside, it flips over and rolls 3 times ending up in the river. As I look back to the road, there is Ray's white Honda CRX smashed. So much for the redpoint today!!
As the story unfolds, Ray was proceeding through tunnel #3 signaling a left turn into the parking lot. Little did he know that someone was passing cars in the tunnel! Just as Ray began the turn, his front left quarter panel was clipped, re-directing the car to the river. Another second, and Ray would have been T-Boned! Ray gets out of his car and looks to the river. He sees the car and lots of clothing floating in the river. He believes a whole family has been killed. Within seconds, a truck towing a river boat stops and the driver (an EMT instructor), throws a rope from the boat down the steep slope and slides down the rope. He approaches the Subaru wagon and sees one man lying in the very back pointing to his chest. He believes the man is having heart problems. But NO, he is pointing to a badge on his chest. He happens to be a casino worker, and his casino name badge is "Lucky"! Wearing no seat belt, he comes out of it with a broken wrist and a cut on his head.
One week later I would bag the redpoint early in the morning on the way to Rifle.
Months later, I would stop at the parking lot to tell passengers of the story, and could still see Lucky's tire tracks heading through the weeds!
What did you guys name that new, invented move? How 'bout the "Toe Moe" or the "Moe Jam" or "Toe Moe Wham Jam Thank You Ma'am"? Be sure to let us know. Moe. Toe.
Whoa! A trip report on a sport route, sweeeiittt.
But that car scene? No way dude, I saw that scene on McGuyver once, you're making it up.
Greaser, aren't you a mechanic? Maybe you can fix the car.
Amazing story and nice beta. Working the route with Alan Nelson a few years ago, his beta (stop me if I am wrong, Alan) was largely similar. It seemed as though you could traverse left several steps on the ledge and get either toe jammed. Regardless of which toe jammed, the jam provided enough stability to fiddle with the nasty slopers above. Keeping the jam further left seemed to gain a bit of elevation so that the slopers were not so far above the head. Once you release the jam, you better have saved a lot of open hand strength, since the slopers are nasty and small. Probably the real crux, however, is just holding on for a ride that dishes out one hard move after another. Nice job on the RP, Greg, I'll bet that felt good.
We are old guys, but Greg did not redpoint Anarchitect in 1003... it was actually 1993, and I will never forget the sight of Lucky spiralling though the air. Think "Back to the Future," not "Dukes of Hazzard."
BTW, this "side comment" idea seems well-intentioned but wrong...
By Greg Hand From: Golden, CO Dec 12, 2003 rating: 5.12d
Certainly the flames coming off the tires was very Back to the Future and the fact the the tire tracks were there for months, but the 100+ feet flight through the air was just like the General Lee! Here's a wav file where you can hear Lucky:http://www.dukefarm.com/sounds/horn1.wav
By chris deulen From: Duluth, MN Apr 9, 2005 rating: 5.12d
2nd best 12 in Clear Creek.
By Ken Cangi From: Boulder, CO Jul 26, 2005 rating: 5.12d
This route is a gem, and it is best done in cool temps. The day I sent this route, it started to snow as I was cleaning the draws. I could not feel my fingers, but they stuck like glue to the cold rock.
If this isn't the best 12 in Clear Creek, then what is? Sonic Youth? There are some harder 12d's at Rifle, but there are some easier ones as well. It's definitely harder than the majority of the 13a's I've done in the Front Range.
By chris deulen From: Duluth, MN Oct 2, 2006 rating: 5.12d
You must be climbing 5.13a's in Boulder Canyon then (read: Major Burn!). I would say that Sucking My Will To Live is more exciting (and more difficult, at 12c). Ken T'ank is also comparable. Though Sonic Youth was originally graded at 12.d (albeit years ago), I believe it merits 13, as does the consensus on this website. If, however, It were 12d, it would be better.
I am glad to see the work done on this wall. I was working Anarchy in the UK several years ago, and I thought it was a pretty damm good route. I am sure it is much better now. I really appreciate the history on this wall. While I haven't lived in Colorado for almost two years now, I remember sending Power Trip as my first 12. When I was climbing at Anarchy, I never really understood how much work went into putting up this place. Thank you. Out of all the walls in CCC and the country for that matter this is one of my favorite.
To all you punter sport climbers, not to start an ethics debate, but Anarchitect is a classic example of a route that should have never been bolted, In early June 2007, my friend, Matt L. fired the first FREE acent on trad gear rating this climb 5.12d/x. Please don't bolt routes that accept gear, and don't take climbing out of climbing. Anarchitect is a beautiful line that readily accepts the placement of gear. Let's keep it that way, oh and I'm not as nice as Matt, so when I send this climb on gear, be sure to say goodbye to those bolts.
As my buddy, Josh, said above, I recently climbed Anarchitect without the use of bolts...all trad. I unfortunately did not do it ground up but rather headpoint style.... Does anyone know if this has been done before? When it takes gear, it's really good, it just has a rather large runout during the crux down low, which if you fell at the dyno MIGHT result in a ground fall..if not it would be close, depends how talented of a belayer you have. Personally, I dont really care that this route has bolts because of the scare factor. It's beautiful rock climbing.
Let's see, 12d/x. I guess that means it doesn't protect with gear then does it. Why not just toss your rack on the ground at the base of the route and free solo it then.
Also, for all those CCC critics who think that various routes would go on gear, you didn't see them in their original state. Most of the routes in CCC were unearthed beneath tons of loose blocks, layers of decomposing rock, dirt, etc. Just because a route appears somewhat clean today doesn't mean it started out that way.
By Hank Caylor From: Eldorado Springs, CO Jul 9, 2007
First off, VERY nice job Matt! Eliminating those pesky bolts on a real classic like the Anarchitect is really exciting info to those of us who dig "12dX". With that said, jliening, chopping a sport classic in a mostly sport area on a FULLY sport wall is not a great idea, IMO. There are many more great, scary classics to bother about. Let this one slide bros, and like I said, wayyyyyy nice job you two.
It's definitely cool to run this route on trad gear. However, it might be nice to have a few questions answered just to help us all understand the ascent. 1) was any of the existing gear used in rehearsal?; 2) were the rap anchors used in getting off the route or did you walk off or set a trad anchor somewhere?; 3) was the gear pre-placed or did you place it on the lead? As for removing Alan's bolts, I think Hank has it right. Furthermore, I've known Alan for something like 20 years, and one thing he is not is a punter. Quite the opposite, and in his younger years in Yosemite he pulled off some vicious aid and free ascents that would have most of us switching out our drawers several times.
It's commonplace for youth to blow into a sport with no regard for context, history, or the people that came before. The truth is that everything we do, climbing included, builds on the shoulders and strong hands of those who came before us. For example, I do not recall hearing Jim Erickson labeling Layton Kor a punter and threatening to erase his routes after Jim freed them. Jim had a new approach, a new attitude, and new preparation. It's fine to revel in a success, but to distinguish it from a lot of blather and spray recognize an achievement in the context in which it arises, and expose enough humility to recognize that things done more than a decade ago also arose in context, and the people responsible for them were also serious and dedicated individuals -- quite possibly far better than ourselves.
That's neat and all, but chopping the bolts would be really stupid.
Think about the true style points here: 12+ (not that hard by current standards), headpoint (depressing form), at a sport crag (why?), in a canyon that has almost no trad routes.
Preplaced gear, brushed holds, TR rehearsal off the anchors -I don't think you can even make Hot Flashes with this stuff.
Go do some of Eric Decaria's stuff in Eldo (ground up) and then post that - that's the real deal.
Richard M brings up several good points.I would be willing to bet that route was climbed several times and the gear was placed on rappel from the fixed anchors before the trad ascent...(somewhat of a joke). Chris Sharma or Tommy Caldwell could more than likely solo the route onsight...without calling for the removal of the bolts.
Wow this is crazy.... I never said anything about pulling bolts. I climbed the route placing all the gear and clipping no bolts, and yes I did rehearse it before I climbed it on trad. I'm not bragging or claiming that it was better or worse than anything anyone else did. I was just sharing. Whoever put up Anarchitect sure as hell did it right, badass line. Props. I just chose to climb it in MY OWN STYLE. As for Josh talking about pulling bolt's, it's not going to happen so chill out. He was just talking shit....
Good job Matt! If someone had said you sent it on trad gear (12d X), and left off the part about chopping the bolts, I would have been super psyched. I sent this thing fully at my limit while clipping the bolts - I never would have tried it on just gear, headpoint rehearsal or not. Pretty impressive!
But I was chapped by the bolt chopping talk and couldn't help being snotty. I apologize.
I quote: To all you punter sport climbers, not to start an ethics debate, but Anarchitect is a classic example of a route that should have never been bolted, In early June 2007, my friend, Matt L. fired the first FREE acent on trad gear rating this climb 5.12d/x. Please don't bolt routes that accept gear, and don't take climbing out of climbing. Anarchitect is a beautiful line that readily accepts the placement of gear. Let's keep it that way, oh and I'm not as nice as Matt, so when I send this climb on gear, be sure to say goodbye to those bolts."
Thanks for the tempered response, Matt. The quote reads in a largely unambiguous fashion and falls squarely on Josh's shoulders, not your own. I think that everyone would agree that yours was a bold ascent. If Josh was just spraying then it is advisable for him to leave out the threats and insults. That is what pisses everyone off.
Matt deserves nothing but props for his efforts and comments on this route. He was honest about his efforts in what was a very bold ascent. He isn't beating his chest over the ascent (though no one here seems to be lining up to repeat his accomplishment), nor denigrating the presence of bolts on the
August 28th To claim a first ascent of superior style the question that must be answered really loud and clear is: WAS THE GEAR PLACED ON THE LEAD WITHOUT FALLS OR LOWERING?
If the answer is NO, and that seems to be the case, then others still have a chance to bag Matt's project. He's gotta get back up there with either a good witness or video cam and really do it. Ground up!
If the answer is YES it was led ground up, then this is a truly great first and no one else can claim it. Even if it took tons of tries!
What if headpointing was a football play? It would be like a QB claiming a TD at the fifty and then explaining: "I'm just doing my own thing."
Or to put it another way even an old guy like me could do Anarchitect with preplaced gear. I'd just add a couple of shoulder length slings and call it a 25 yard TD.
PS: Kelly I agree with you and erased my old blog. I'm also guessing you've never done this route. Poser?
07/06/14, redpoint, Anarchitect, Clear Creek Canyon, comment="No bolts.... All trad Acsent..The way i should be done...amazing climb that should have never been bolted. 5.12d R/X"
07/07/03, redpoint, Finger Prince, Clear Creek Canyon, comment="very hard for me.. fingery and painfull with big moves. Next it will go with no bolts on trad. No bolted crack will be safe"
...As for news on me, I just climbed “Anarchitect” in Clear Creek Canyon. It is a classic 12d sport climb that I had sent in the past. I had heard people saying that it should be done on trad gear …. So I hooked it up with Dan Gambino belaying. It was a little spicy it definitley get 12d R/X. It is an example of a route that should have never been bolted...."
Have you considered some of the testpiece trad routes in the Front Range or maybe a trad FA of your own? There are a ton in Eldo as Hank mentioned, or even closer to golden. For example, a send of a route like the Naked Kill would also be pretty impressive on your 8a score-card.
Matt wrote:As for news on me, i just climbed “anarchitect” in clear creek canyon. It is a classic 12 D sport climb that i had sent in the past. i had heard people saying that it should be done on trad gear …. so i hooked it up with dan gambino belaying. It was a little spicy it definatley get 12d R/X . It is an example of a route that should have never been bolted..."
So Matt...it never should have been bolted but you use the bolts to get it wired to do it on gear. WTF???
Also your website/Blog...alway cool to hear white suburban kids trying to talk like inner city black kids. Impressive.
I was initially irritated, then thought I would give this guy the benefit of the doubt - now irritated again.
Matt, you don't seem to get the trad ethic here!
The following applies to both Anarchitect and Finger Prince:
If you want to claim the bolts were "unnecessary", it is totally hypocritical to wire it on the bolts, then do it "trad", then suggest the bolts shouldn't have ever been placed.
Look to the recent trad ascent of China Doll by Adam Stack for better climbing form on a lot harder route, done with a lot less spray.
According to Matt Samet: "Adam said he used the bolts to work the route the first time or so through it, and couldn't really justify chopping them. Hats off to Adam for both a stylish ascent and the self-restraint needed to *not* yank the bolts out."
"there has also been a bit of clear creek action… i am in the process of trying to trad climb “finger prince” 13a/b at the wall of justice….wow is it hard. also there is this pesty bat that has a vicious set of teeth who lives in the crack. With him in there i couldent climb the route so i did what any self respecting man would do….. got a girl ( erin dewbre ) to get it out for me. The thing was terrifying. anyway i feel close on the route, it will perhaps go down tomorrow… i’ll let you know."
I guess I wouldn't want any "pesty bat" in the way of my "13a/b" ascent either. Disgusting.
It never ceases to amaze me what absolute a$$holes some grown men are. Matt was absolutely honest in his style of ascent, and rightly proud of what was correctly characterized as the boldest ascent to date of this route. To see 50+ year old men making personal attacks on him is pathetic. How on earth is it remotely relevant to an intelligent discussion to make the wholly inaccurate assumotion that Matt is a "suburban white kid trying to sound black." Even if it were true, which it is not, you come off sounding like a childish bully whose maturity level never got past playground level. Why not leave the debate to the climbing, and grow the f*&K up!
Mike R...calm down...it was joke. I can't be too serious on this because of the way the insults started with Matt's buddy (calling Alan Nelson a sport punter). Don't take yourself so serious...like yo... nevermind. The only assholes here are you and Matt's friend who started this crap.
As to boldest ascent so far...think what you want. He used the bolts and anchor bolts to wire the route, and I wouldn't doubt if he preplaced gear. I call that sport climbing with gear. Just because you use trad gear doesn't mean you are trad-climbing. Too bad you're not as old as me, then you might have a clue to what trad climbing really is!
Bob D... I am quite calm... I'm glad to hear your gratuitous comment was a joke. It sure didn't come across as one, but then unfounded personal insults rarely do.
As for your doubt that it was a bold ascent or that the gear was pre-placed, again, GROW UP. The style of ascent is honestly described above -- all gear was placed on lead. You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Lastly, I'm glad to see from your comment that you don't include Matt on the list of the "only assholes here." I would add at least one person to that list.
As Winston Churchill said, having the right enemies is a sign of character.
Mike..don't flatter yourself... you are not my enemy. You call it a bold ascent...I call it wiring a route and then climbing it. Would have been more impressive if he started (on-sight) from the ground up and not top down. That is what trad-climbing used to be. Also would have gotten more respect if Matt's buddy didn't come off as such an ass from the start.
There are a number of great routes in Eldo and other areas where you and your buddies can do a number of dangerous trad routes in good style without the use of bolts placed for sport climbing to practice before leading on trad gear.
jleining wrote "Matt L. fired the first FREE acent on trad gear rating this climb 5.12d/x. Please don't bolt routes that accept gear, and don't take climbing out of climbing."
Don't you mean "please don't bolt routes that don't protect with gear (ie. 12d/"x") and don't take dying out of (short,sport) climbing (ie: "x" = could die).
But I do agree with Bob that an onsight-ground-up-trad-gear-placed-on-lead would be quite an accomplishment. All else is modified sport wanking spray and threatening to chop bolts after using them to rehearse the moves is hypocrisy. Let it be, let it be. Peace.
No one disputes that Jleining's comments were stupid and intemperate. Chopping bolts, especially in Clear Creek is ridiculous. But suggesting that Matt hypocrtically "threatened to chop the bolts after using them to rehearse the moves" is equally ridiculous. He made no such comment, and still is being held up to ridicule and personal attacks by childish, middle aged men who have never met him, all on the basis of something someone ELSE said. It's pathetic but unsurprising, and I can only hope that it is done simply in a perverted attempt at self-entertainment rather than in effort at intelligent discourse.
I am in full agreement with Mike Howard -- Let it be, let it be. Peace.
There once was a climber named Lloyd In CCC he found bolts to avoid Other climbers not so strong Talked shit all day long About the whoop-ass that Matt had deployed
M,
Great work, amigo. You are the Kuntzman this time (thanks, Dan). The pointy head whatevery thing you did still sounds scary to me! What was the deal about somebody getting robbed by a climbing partner while he waited in the parking lot? Damn, dude, did he leave a bag of dog shit burning on your front porch, too? You couldn't make that shit up! But what does it have to do with some obscure sport/trad route in a mediocre climbing area?
Otherwise, classic Boulder drivel.
You are young and strong and have a hungry heart. I think most of these fellas are "not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven." So sad they are threatened by you.
Uh-oh, now maybe I'll get beat up on here on this mega popular blog, too.
Matty, let me know if you come to the westside- the air is cleaner over here for sure. You can belay me on my re-proj. I think I can wiggle a tri-cam behind the glued-on tombstone on Beer-run and skip the last bolt...and then I will CHOP IT. Or unscrew it, whatever the case may be. Or maybe I will flatten the hanger like in the old Yosemite days. Or a padlock, yeah, and only I will have the key, so if some sexy climber chick wants to dog the last move, she's gotta come to me, the key master, and I will wear a big hat with sparkly shit on it and get a key shaped tattoo just up and left of my schlong...wait, what were we talking about?
To everyone who can't comprehend what they read! The blame of my comments lies squarley on me! Matt said he did it it his own style and respects everyone else's style. I said I don't. And quite your bickering it's not like the bolts where chopped, I said "when I send this those bolts are gone" but it probably won't happen, so don't worry but you got something to say say it to me cause Matt didn't say anything. So keep drinking your beer at your homes in NM or wherever else you might be.
Sweetjesus, talk about absurd. So, Matt does a rad send (awesome job, Matt), his buddy talks some shit, and then Matt (?!?!) gets strung up by dudes with too much time on their hands (not that there's anything wrong with having time on your hands...) -- hard to believe. Matt's climb didn't negatively affect anybody else's experience, so even if you aren't into his style or whatever, so what? Ahhh, but such fun to put someone else down for no good reason, yes... And some of the stuff on here, jesus...Ken Trout, you sounded like a prick who needs to take a basic reading comprehension class -- railing on Matt for things he didn't say, where the hell does that come from? Er, wait, sorry. I just re-read it, and it must be a joke, a satirical post, being so rife with irony. Nice job mocking the absurd internet attacks, it went over my head for a minute there.
Googling him to find any comment he's made, in an effort to denigrate his efforts, shit, some of you guys should work for a political campaign. And what, now, again, exactly has Matt done wrong? I'm sure none of you have ever written/posted/said anything yourselves that others could find issue with. Wasn't this supposed to be the kinder, gentler, version of cb.com?
Hey Bob (sorry, man, can't resist -- I hope all's well with you and you're digging NM), "Also your website/Blog...alway cool to hear white suburban kids trying to talk like inner city black kids. Impressive." --not nearly as impressive as your spelling. Stay alway cool, yo. Yukyuk.
Regardless, great job, Matt, don't let any dickweeds try to bring you down.
Kelly...things are good...thanks for asking. You got a lot of nerve talking smack about other people talking smack on the internet. You were the king of smack talking and the one who had about ten different names and trolled every climbing site you could find.
Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black.
Talk about to much time on your hands. Read all my posts...I said good job on the climb...the other remark was a joke. The real dickweed is Matt's little wanker friend who started this shit.
Looks likes you've come a long way in the internet troll game...glad to see that you can now post under your real name.
You're right on all, Bob, but I'm reformed, a changed man. Seriously, yeah, definitely I'm the pot calling the kettle black to criticize anybody for anything...as would be most people. Maybe some (me) more than others. Even still, and despite my old times trolling/goofing off (and also being harsh in a serious tone), I think the baseless attacks on Matt are lame and, of course, I still have every right to say so. Even if it means I have "a lot of nerve"--better than no nerve. Doesn't change the fact that the few people who seriously jumped on Matt (btw, I did read all your posts, and didn't think you were being a jerk) were dicks in doing so, as they had no reason. Cheers, Kelly
Thirty years ago it became obvious (to me, at least) that anything that could be free-climbed could be on-sight free-soloed. If you gain satisfaction from unnecessary risk, that's your business. Eventually you'll mature or you'll earn a Darwin award. Maturity is more impressive.
Just wanted to say this is one of the best sport routes on the Front Range and thanks to Alan for his time, effort and $$$ establishing it for us to enjoy.
By Ken Cangi From: Boulder, CO Sep 2, 2007 rating: 5.12d
Steve Levin wrote:
Just wanted to say this is one of the best sport routes on the Front Range and thanks to Alan for his time, effort and $$$ establishing it for us to enjoy.
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