Pulling the roof on the first pitch of Deuces Wild...
Description
Pitch 1: The route begins hard. The crux is after you clip the first bolt. Continue up past the small roof (fun!) and up to the anchors.
Pitch 2: Climb a slab with positive holds everywhere. Fun and not too hard. A variation can be made at the last clip if you go to the left, making it "10ish." Otherwise it's a great way to finish this climb to the right of the last bolt. 135 feet to the ground.
This route can be one pitch with 18 QDs and two ropes. You MUST have a 60m rope to rappel with just one rope, otherwise bring two 50m ropes.
Protection
Pitch 1: 7 bolts with two anchor bolts for the belay. Pitch 2: 10 bolts with two anchor bolts for the belay.
Location
Addendum: This route is located to the left of Via Comatose Amigo. It is on the middle buttress of rock to the left of the gully between Road Rash Roof & Jackpot.
This first pitch is beautiful I thought, clean strong moves above pro that make you think, but not enough to really screw yourself up. The first three or four moves off the ledge are kind of balancy - a fall here could be quite painful.
Way Fun Route with cool exposure at the top - but the mid-point belay does not seem to be in line with the natural line of holds. I found myself making way thin moves left to reach the belay. I was able to protect this with a small Friend, but without gear I would have been sketched. I'd recommend doing it as 1 long pitch.
Just an update on the fixed pins on the roof. There is now only one angle in the roof, which is really not necessary--a yellow alien fits just above. The other pin is lower in the dihedral before the roof and the eyes are smashed halfway closed anyway.
I tried to climb at Clear Creek yesterday using only the beta from this website (the first time I've ever tried to do that!). This sounded like one of the best routes at High Wire, but unfortunately this description doesn't even give a hint for where the route is!
Charles, Two thoughts. I'll try to get the numbering organized. Also, some of us like to call this sector the Queen City Slab to differentiate it from High Wire proper that is on the other side of the road and hosts, amongst others, the Highwire route.
Climbed this on Sunday - I agree that you should string the pitches together! My climbing partner was dying on that first belay, then I was dying waiting for her to rappel down to me! Also, I'm not sure even a 70m rope would get you to the ground on rappel from the top belay! Tie 2 ropes together or rap to the first belay. Be careful pulling your rope, too - our got stuck on a horn on the way down! Great climbing, though! Bring about 20 draws - it's long!
The joy of this climb is its length. I've always thought the mid point two bolt anchor was just there as a rap station anyway. Maybe because I've never been able/wanted to climb to the anchor directly as it sits lurking at you from a blank spot on the wall, anyway, it seems way left of the route and low as a mid point belay - even out of reach to clip as you climb past. It's a little run out climbing past it on the right, but I don't think dangerous.
Really nice face climbing to finish - all in all a great route for the grade. Climb it in one, rap it in two.
If you don't have enough draws to make it all the way to th top in one. I found the best way to get to those sketchy anchors is to climb up past them and then traverse over on the desent ledge. It's pretty easy but also kinda sketchy.
By Michael J Yarros From: Colorado Springs, CO May 12, 2004 rating: 5.10a
Great route. We climbed it as one pitch. Better bring a lot of "Draws" :)
I thought the section right below the top (second anchor) was the hardest part of the 2nd pitch.
Pitch 1 goes at harder than a Clear Creek 10a, at least compared to other climbs of that grade in the Canyon (e.g. Ace in the Hole, Jellicle Cats, MacCavity). I would say the pitch 1 crux is getting to the anchors. To make the anchors you have to traverse left from a good stance across a face with little in the way of hands or feet. The section between the first and second bolt at the start of the pitch is balancy, but at least there are holds, particlarly if you stay left of the bolts. If you are doing both pitches you might want to just skip the first pitch anchor.
There is loose block midway on pitch 2. Be careful not to use it as a hold.
By Jeff Welch From: Lakewood, CO Aug 31, 2008 rating: 5.10a
Agree the anchors for P1 are in a fairly silly spot. Moving them 3' to the right would put them more in line with the natural holds, still at a relatively convenient place to belay from, and still line the rope up well. The bolts are looking old anyway... maybe it's time for someone to move them?
By Justin Cantrall From: Boulder, CO Sep 26, 2008 rating: 5.10a
The beginning of this climb is a little spicy; the (1st) crux is thin and delicate, inbetween the first and second bolt. Try not to fall here. :) Solid 10a moves.
I do agree that the anchors for the first pitch are in an odd position, but I do not think that they should be moved. Their current position adds an interesting traverse (crux #2) off of the expected line of climbing. Once I thought it through, I enjoyed the moves to get over there.
The second pitch is fairly easy... 5.9 at its hardest point, but no less fun than the first pitch. To save time (it was getting dark) and to "spice it up" I skipped a bolt here and there. It's well enough protected, and the holds solid enough that I felt ok doing so.
I definitely recommend combining the two pitches as one very enjoyable long climb. Bring plenty of quickdraws (17+2) if you want to do it this way. A 70m rope would be helpful to descend in one rappel, otherwise plan on two easy rappels.