Hardrock Miner 

The Eureka Pillar is the large formation just to the south of the box canyon by the old Eureka mill. Hardrock Miner starts in an alcove and climbs up and left to a ledge, then up the center of the slab to the top. Although this route is bolted, it is still an adventurous alpine climb with some loose rock.

2 ropes, draws.

This route is sweet! I would say it is a grade II, from the first clip back to the ground it takes about 3 hours. But I have been up there longer.

Is it 4 pitches? Or less/more? I want to update my posting if I'm off. Thanks y'all.

Bring as many long runners as possible instead of QDs.

Can one of you tell me where this is in relation to Gold Digger?
(Even though I authored this original post, I've never actually been up here.) Thx in advance.

It is the bolted line on the face. Gold Digger is to the right in the corner it looks to be trad.

There seems to be some confusion about which route is which, but my wife and I started the bolted line after forgetting our helmets. Not advisable. The climbing was casual, but I inadvertently sent more loose rock down the line by the second bolt of the first pitch than I have in my entire climbing career. Make sure you bring a helmet for this one. If you do, it looks like a promising climb. Think of it as Silverton's zipped-up version of the third Flatiron in Boulder. Be ready for a thirty-minute approach over loose and sharp scree.

Definitely 5 pitches, not 4. Bring a single 70m rope. We climbed this today with a single 60m rope and we ended up downclimbing in 3 different places. Double 60m ropes will not allow you to double rap pitches, so leave the doubles at home or you'll end up making 5 rappels anyway. A single 70m rope is the way to go. Car to car took us 3 hours. My opinion, it's a grade II climb. Great bolt job whomever drilled it. Do NOT stop at the chains on the ledge after the 4th pitch (these are rap anchors). Once you reach the ledge, skip the chains off to the right and start traversing to the left up and out to the arete. The belay anchors two naked bolts out near the arete. The fifth pitch climbs the exposed arete climber's left. Great pitch. Every pitch is better than the one before. If you're out there, clean the route the best you can; it needs traffic and cleaning. Great time in great setting. Sewn up version of a Flatiron is a great way to put it.

This is a one of a kind climb. It is a near alpine bolted route. Well bolted. We only did the first three pitches due to rain. Pitch 1 had most bolts and most loose rock. Middle of pitch 2 was nice. Pitch 3 easy. Most climbing in 5.6 range. Pitch 5 did look good from a distance. A single 70m did not work for rapping down. Did some extra raps off single bolts. Great view of the new mega RV/ATV private campground in Eureka.

Can anyone give an estimate on how many draws needed? thx

Fun (sport) route in an alpine environment. My partner and I were following our friends up and let them get up a few pitches due to classic San Juan choss. We then proceeded to see if we could link pitches and we did the route in 3 pitches. Here's what we came up with:

Pitch 1 - 9 bolts with a 2 bolt anchor and chains, short pitch, but lots of rope drag on this wandering pitch. I belayed at the top of the first pitch.

Pitch 2 - 7 bolts with a 2 bolt anchor and chains, short pitch. My partner and I decided to link pitches 2 and 3. From the ledge at the top of the first pitch, I belayed about 30' to the left of the anchor, as it is a big ledge and this is where the second pitch starts.

Pitch 3 - 6 bolts with a 2 bolt anchor and chains, short pitch. We were able to link pitch 2 and 3 with a 70m rope, extended slings, and we skipped 2 bolts. I would only recommend this if you are short on time or just feeling up for it.

Pitch 4 - 8 bolts with a 2 bolt anchor and no chains, short pitch. Intermediate rap station with 2 bolts and chains. We linked pitches 4 and 5. See below.

Pitch 5 - 7 bolts with a 2 bolt anchor and chains. My partner and I decided to link pitches 4 and 5. Again, I was able to do this by using only extended slings, a 70m rope, and I skipped a few bolts here and there. I would only recommend this if you are short on time or just feeling up for it.

Since we climbed under our friends and they also had a 70m rope, we decided to see how few raps we could do. We simul-rapped to the ground in 3 raps. We did 2 double rope raps with our 70s tied together. This brought us to the ledge at the top of the first pitch. From here, we had to walk about 75' east (rappellers' right) to the 2 bolt anchor with chains at the top of the first pitch. From here, we did a single 70m simul-rap.

Took us just over 2.5 hours ground to ground. This route is definitely a grade II. Like it has been said before, bring only trad/alpine draws. 9 total if you don't plan on linking pitches. I used mostly 24" slings extended.

I think this just about covers everything. Climb on.