Freeway 

(5.5 Sectors) Just walk up and climb. Can you lead 5.10 sport?? If so, then you can have a blast free-soloing this Flat. No prior climbing here is needed. You have the ability to hike up along the right side, so traversing to safty is always easy. Me and my buddy ChrisT have been running it a bunch and we're starting to lable the face in sectors starting from right to left. The first time we climbed about 10-20' off the ground which eliminated the fear factor (Sector A). About half way up Sector A you'll hit a nice pillar that'll have no foot holds but underclings on both sides of it. Really fun! Everywhere you look theres different ramps to take. Running from sector to sector eventually hitting the last pitch, what we're calling the "Final Sector", which is accessed by crossing the gully, cruizing though the "Trees of Love", and taking the final pitch of crack to the tree/trail. It fully fulfills me. heheMy friend ChrisT said to me while we were climbing it, "These holds are too big.", and I said, "Its not that they're to big, they're to Good! Have fun on the Sectors.

This is an awesome climb. I got engaged on it last weekend! I was proposed to just after the big jump (a leap of faith if you will). I recommend the climb to any budding lovers.....

This was my very first rock climb (did it a few years ago). went up with a friend who wanted to go "hiking", who had done this climb before and we freesoloed it in tennis shoes (you definitely do not need rock shoes---but i guess you could bring them on your first trip if noone knows the route). it was a totally awesome experience which got me hooked to climbing. i run up this thing with non-climbing friends at least once a year. pure fun, pound down some water at the trail head, and bring nothing with you like a back pack to annoy you...you can run up this thing in 15 minutes when you know the way---note you will not summit, you exit off a tree to the left (not the exposed tree on the right, keep climbing up) some ways above the exciting jump. hike up to the trail to get to the last 25 feet of climbing to the summit (also easy, but exposed).....downcliming it and go home and BBQ

There is really only one place to finish this climb, which from the trail is a notch with a large tree in it. You will be tempted to exit to the trail when you first reach the north edge, but this is not easy due to a 10' overhang right over a dead-end offshoot of the trail (which can be downclimbed, but is the hardest move on the entire climb). Alternatively, keep going up the edge of the N Arete and you will find the easy spot to get to the trail. It's the highest possible place to exit (below the summit block).

I'd estimate this climb is 5-6 pitches long with a 60m rope. There isn't a whole lot of gear. A rack to 2 inches would be fine. Might not be a great first lead as you have to run it out 50' a lot.

This is a good climb to introduce kids to climbing, because you walk off the back down a trail (no rappelling required). The "jump" in the middle, however, may not be easy for kids. We belayed my daughter from both ends and Tyroleaned her across the gap!

Rope-soloed first three 60m pitches to the gully. Pro available but after long runouts. Free-soloed remainder of route up gully, trees, jump, and summits. The Jump was a bit much given carrying gear, pack, & rope. The Trees of Love (refer to another pic) was the toughest move of the route, and the last 20 ft. up the crack corner/dihedral were harder than the avg rating. Lots of rock to grab!

John, that must have been you I met about half way up -- I was soloing. What a great climb! An infinite number of variations, all excellent for the grade. The wind really picked up near the top, making a solo adventure a bit more exciting.

You can bail off this route (if need) be in a matter of 40 seconds from almost any given spot which makes this a great place for shaky first timers.

Overall a very fun climb...rated at a 5.4 in a few guidebooks I've seen. Climbed this on 6/22/08. In my opinion the hardest pitches were the first and last pitches. Once on the ridge it's pretty much a class 4 scramble up to the leap. After that we climbed a few mini pitches to the walk off point to reduce rope drag. I though the last pitch was harder than a 5.0, but lots of cracks and good pro.

Puffery: My car to car PR (well, trashcan to trashcan at the gap in the fence leaving the corner of the parking lot and starting the trail) is 47:27. Any challengers? (Update July '09: 46 minutes.)

I'll take that challenge. The question is: where is the top? Where you can get back on the trail?

Yes...the notch with the large tree, just below the final summit.

A real fun after work work-out is to solo this route and then move over to Atalanta on the First, downclimb off the back of the first and than down to your car. Such a fun tour. How lucky to have this kind of stuff so available.

An hour ago I was sitting here drinking coffee and looking at MP, as I usually do... After reading Mitchell's challenge, I decided what the hell. I got a good time and maybe a heat stroke. Felt like an idiot sprinting past tourists on the trail. Now I'm back for my 2nd cup like nothing ever happened. Except for the sore legs and sweaty clothes...

I jumped off the right side of the point landing on smoother slabby stuff. I was happy to have the sticky rubber on.

I got 39:43 Shawn. and I feel like someone ran me over. The entire time I was sure I was half an hour behind you so I was hauling. I did the entire thing in La Sportiva tennis shoes. I'm sure I looked real sketch when I tried to run up the first 15 feet and had to fall back to the ground and start over.

The Empire Strikes Back, young SkyLauffen: 38:09.

It looks like I'm fudging now or wasn't trying before. But that's the true time and I always felt like I was trying. It saved several minutes to run straight through without changing shoes at bottom and top. Beyond that, I guess you inspired me!

36:44 huh, Josh? Does it count since you fell?

My Spring Ascent! Paradise again...

This is one of my favorite rock climbs ever! I usually solo it a handful of times each year and if you want to rope up it is great for practice placing gear. I have found hexes very useful. The "steep" crack on the final pitch is amazing (I would rate it at 5.6) - the rest of the climb seems to be right around 5th class.

Just follow the trees in general, and you will have a great time without a rope. The rock is super rough and makes for very positive feet the whole way.

Sort video of climbing Freeway in mid-June.

This is the first climb I did in the Flatirons. Roach rates it as 4th class, so I left the rope behind for my first free solo. Maybe it was because I was sans rope, but this didn't feel like 4th class climbing. I'm not sure how ratings go in the Flatirons, but as a 5.10-11 leader, while still very easy, this felt more like 5.4. Not to be a buzzkill, but I would caution anyone bringing their "non-climbing friends" up this to remember that a fall would still be extremely serious. That said this is a fun climb, I highly recommend climbing the west face to the summit, even though it's awkward, great views.

Did the solo for the first time two weeks ago. What an amazing climb. Last Friday, Apr 6th, was inspired to do a car to car time - 47:24. Today, 41:52. Goal is sub-40 minutes, but I lose about three minutes total in changeover at top and bottom with climbing shoes. I need approach shoes to compete with the big boys.

Did this for my first solo on Wednesday! Great route with some fun moves. I ended getting a bit off route in a few sections and had to make some 5.5/5.6 ish moves which I wasn't too proud of for a first solo. For first timers, my suggestion is to fight the tendency to want to move right. Ended up missing the jump and came out just right of it. Watch out for false summits, and make sure to be more to the left towards the summit or you will get stuck in a corner about 10-15 feet above the trail that you will have to downclimb to get back on track. The last slabby crack section to get to the top was the jewel of the whole route! This section will bring me back!

NOTE!!! The flake right through the Trees of Love is loose! It might have been that way forever, but I don't remember it flexing when I pulled on it before. I didn't X it, since I wasn't using chalk.

Just to clarify a bit regarding the approach, there's a trail junction where one can go either left or right to hike the 1st-2nd Flatiron trail. To get the the bottom of the 2nd, to do say, the Freeway, take the left hand fork. I.e. hike the 1st-2nd Flatiron in a clockwise direction. If one goes right, there is also a spot where it's possible to "step off the trail and onto the rock" and it looks quite like the posted pics. FYI.

Roger Spaulding

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself
is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength
mastering yourself is true power.

- Lao Tzu