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The Headstone

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Alienist 
Chickenhead 
Clouds of Jupiter 
Epitaph, The 
Haus Flake 
Head Trip 
Io 
Lions and Chipmunks and Bears, Oh My 
Noble Savage 
Project (aka Who Haas Done It) 
Rampart Rage, The 
Razor Burn 
Remote Control 
Rock Nazi 
Scratchy Face 
Topaz 


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The Headstone

Submitted By: Richard M. Wright on Jan 1, 2001
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Elevation: 9,400 feet
Latitude: 39.2575  Longitude: -105.0991 
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Views: 2,756 page views

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Headstone Wall.


Description 

The Headstone proper can be said to end on the right at Rock Nazi just before the trail drops under a large detached boulder. The Headstone is an imposing 250 ft West facing yellow wall that gets good sun from noon till sundown. If you climb at Devil's Head, you will climb The Headstone. It is pure classic.


Getting There 

From the Zinn Overlook, take a faint trail down and left, heading directly toward the most imposing crag in sight. Cross a small talus field to the base; routes start all the way to the left around the corner and in a huge dihedral.

Ed: I tracked the trail heading in and it's about 2 miles from the lower road when the gate to the campground is closed. Very obvious trail to the fire tower and Zinn Overlook (marked with a sign). -Ben


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for The Headstone:
Chickenhead   5.8     Trad, 3 pitches   
Remote Control   5.10a     Sport, 2 pitches   
Clouds of Jupiter   5.10     Trad   
Topaz   5.10d     Sport, 2 pitches, 220 feet   
Scratchy Face   5.10d     Sport   
Rock Nazi   5.11b     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   
Browse More Classics in The Headstone

Featured Route For The Headstone
ABS climbing the route.

Topaz 5.10d  CO : South Platte : ... : The Headstone
The ultimate classic Headstone route and one of the best moderate lines on the hill, Topaz is a must do. The route fires straight up the middle of the Headstone in rather roughish looking rock. It begins on a sparsely bolted slab, passes a small roof, and fires straight up in two pitches of pure classic crimps, flakes, layaways, chickenheads, and a roof just below the first anchor. The first pitch is nearly 150 ft long; the second about...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of The Headstone Slideshow Add Photo
Headstone lower pitch and Crimpfest (right).

Headstone lower pitch and Crimpfest (right).

Headstone as seen from the Zinn Overlook.

Headstone as seen from the Zinn Overlook.

Headstone from the fire lookout.

Headstone from the fire lookout.


Comments on The Headstone Add Comment
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By SAL
From: broomdigiddy
Aug 4, 2008

For what it is worth to anyone going up to proj on some of the stellar lines on the upper face. You can rap to the ground from the anchors at the base of Rampart Rage to the ground with one 60m rope. This is with ROPE STRETCH though. So know that you will be hitting the ground with your toes as the end of the ropes hit your belay device.
Totally casual though.

By percious
From: Arvada, CO
Jul 20, 2009

Well worth the long approach. Look for a small cairn just past the Zinn overlook on the left. This is a good crag on those hot days. Parts of it are shaded most of the day, and it is a few thousand feet up above the parking lot (providing some alittudinal relief from the heat).