The Cathedral Spires are closed from March 1 to July 31 for raptor nesting.
Description
Aptly named, and one of the best and most challenging finger cracks in the Front Range. BIA takes the R-diagonal splitter just right of The Maelstrom (see that route for approach description).
The initial 20 feet is a very strenuous, technical set of moves, and requires a lot of work fishing in the gear. Hope that there is at least one fixed wire. After that, the climbing only gets harder and harder- sustained, technical finger jamming with marginal feet which goes on and on, until turning the corner and easing near the top. This climb should be on the South Platte fingercrack hardman/woman's tour, right up there with the Bishop and Sphinx cracks. Originally done as a siege effort, it was onsighted by Alan Lester in the early 90s.
Protection
Wired nuts to 2" cams, with as many TCUs as you can scrounge up, mostly yellow Metolius (approx. 0.5 to 0.75") and several 1" also. Advil, tape, and "Crazy Glue" for the cuticle ripping you will receive.
I have never climbed this route, but have looked at this thing in awe. I discovered Brothers in Arms while hiking in the Cynical Pinnacle area this past fall. There was a fixed piece of pro directly above the start, about a couple of moves up.
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