Pulling the roof on the first pitch of Dueces 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 qd's 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.
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.
By Charles Vernon From: I'm in transition right now Sep 5, 2001
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.