Starting the dihedral. Photo taken by Jacy Jacobso...
Description
The crack is on the left side of the Coffin. The crack starts out on a lower angle crack to a steep, 3-4" crack in the dihedral. The crack slims down to hand jams at the roof. Pull the roof and enjoy the last few moves of crack to a ledge. I set a bomber hex directional for my second and climbed up another 10 feet up an easy slab to some anchors to belay. Use those anchors to rappel.
Location
The route is located on the left side, or the right-facing dihedral, in the coffin. Scramble up ledges to access the climb from the river. Rappel off of rappel anchor on slab at the top of the climb to climber's right.
Protection
A couple of smaller pieces (green and red Camalot size) and multiples in hand pieces. One bigger piece, such as a #4 Camalot, is handy.
To find the wire tyrolean (not the rope one I don't know where that one is):
I climbed this on Sept 15, 09. The tyrolean to cross the river is a bit hard to spot. The only description that I can give is that you pass PCP Pinnacle and Rosie Lane, go about one mile until you see some boulders on the right,(they are small, about 4 feet high, and almost in the shoulder of the road). Once you see these boulders, start looking for the tyrolean on your left. It's a bit tricky to spot, so look closely. If you get to the big pullout on the right with a big boulder in it (looks good for bouldering) and a small shack, then you have gone about 200 yards too far.
Once you cross the tyrolean head upstream to the end of the meadow (1/4 mile?), Go a bit beyond the end of the meadow, then look up and slightly left to see Coffin Crack.
This climbing area offers some of the best crack climbing that I have seen in Taylor. It is definitely worth the four star rating. Go check it out.
YDPL8S, yes, that is the only way I have accessed the Coffin Crack area. It's awesome to know about the tyrolean, I guess I'm gonna head out there tomorrow. I have done all three routes there in the past, and I remember the furthest right route (I think it's called Blackwater) being really good.
By Allen Hill From: FIve Points, Colorado and Pine Oct 6, 2009
By Allen Hill From: FIve Points, Colorado and Pine Nov 12, 2009
Robert certainly has climbed it, but it was done before Robert showed up in Gunnison, at least I think so. I was always under the impression that Rosolt did the first ascent. Phil will know for sure.