Beautiful dihedral to good-ole South Platte slab climbing. You have your choice of evils for the start--awkward offwith or an awkward flared handcrack. Rap from a decent rap station after pitch 1, or wander on for 1 more pitch of slab climbing to rap from Fool's Gold. Approach as for all other Helen's Dome SW face routes, Face Value is the first decent looking right-facing dihedral just to the right of Fool's Gold.
Protection
Miscellaneous gear to 3". Typical runout S. Platte slab with old bolts on pitch 2. 2 bolt rap station with slings and rap ring after 1st pitch.
Did this route today. This first pitch is great, a brief crux in the start then sustained 5.7 joy. The second pitch is well protected where you truey need it. Highly recommend it.
Had a blast on this route a few days ago before winter arrived. One thing I'd like to note is that you can do this route and get off it with a single 70m rope with one significant footnote. The first rappel down is slightly incomplete with a 70m. The rappel gets you to a bomber ledge but not to the bolts. I had to go off rappel and walk over to the bolts whilst connected to nothing. My girlfriend did the same, mindful to secure one side of the rope to herself before going off rappel and doing the unprotected scramble over to me. This stunt was pretty relaxed due to the low angle terrain and bomber jug flake right there for your "security." Again, nothing scary, though this manoeuver is definitely "against the rules" to most safety-conscious climbers.
By Allen Hill From: FIve Points, Colorado and Pine Nov 16, 2009
First ascent, Dave Bell and I believe his brother Chris, and Byron Nelson. I found some slides the other night from a mass ascent by drunken Colorado College students in the early eighties. Perhaps I'll put a few up, as several of those students lurk around here.
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