BETA PHOTO: The best route for a decent from the summit of Kin...
Description
Kindergarten Rock is the Southernmost of the three large main formations in the Garden, and contains many fine climbs. Ormes' Chimney (5.6) may be one of the first technical climbs in Colorado and is still impressive when you consider it was done by Robert Ormes in 1924.
While the West Face of Kindergarten is composed of the same soft sandstone found on the Gateway Rocks, the East Face of Kindergarten is composed of solid, featured, and almost glassy sandstone. Some development has occurred in this area over the last 10-15 years, along with some rebolting of old lines. Must-do climbs on Kindergarten include the super-classic and well protected New Era (5.7), End of an Era (5.8), and Diesel and Dust (5.11).
Getting There
To reach the East face, drive all the way around the main Garden formations until you are on the one-way road headed back North on the East side of the Rocks. Park at the parking area just South of the main formations. New Era, a dihedral splitting the rock all the way to the top, will be clearly visible. Hike uphill basically straight towards New Era. It's hard to get lost.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Kindergarten Rock:
This is the first sport route left of New Era. Start on moderate ground, crimping up solid, incut, iron-oxide rails. Move left and up, then over a bulge (crux), then right to anchors. This is very soft 5.11. A second pitch exists, which is rated 5.11, but it is more like mid-range 5.10, and is high quality face climbing on good holds in an awesome position. Do both pitches, rap once with two ropes, twice with one. ...[more]Browse More Classics in CO
Seems to me this section should be listed as Grey Rock, or Cathedral. Kindergarten might best refer to the south end (only) topropes. This very large formation and some intense climbs, deserve a more recognized proper name, yes?
On the photo, add two other anchors - both to the right of the last blue line on right. One set is just under the bulge and slightly down from the bulge peak. The other set is for rainy/slippery descents of the ramp or rappel training. The two hangers there are on the flatter dish area on the top of the approach ramp. Also, I got to agree - calling this magnificent formation, in total, Kindergarten Rock is ridiculous. East and West Face climbs of moderate to high difficulty deserve to be attached to the name(s) Grey Rock, or Cathedral Rock as mentioned and recognized in the Park literature.
While walking around the south-end topropes (en route to the Scarecrow area) I saw a route that I was wondering if anyone had info on. It is pretty much on the SW corner of the rock, though more W than S. It is definitely before (i.e. south of) the other west-side climbs. It has 4 bolts to a 2-bolt anchor. The anchor has blue webbing and maybe rap rings. It doesn't look super hard and isn't super tall. Can anyone ID this climb and its rating? The books I have don't mention it. Thanks for any insight.
By Rik Anderson From: C/S, Colorado/Tok, Alaska Apr 7, 2006
Ryan, if the climb your talking is roughly 75ft to the right of Footloose and goes over a small roof, that's about a .9. It's been there a long time and I haven't climbed it in a long time, but if my memory serves me it's right around that grade. No idea on the name though.
I added "Unknown 4-bolt climb" with some pics. There were some climbers on it, so I didn't get a chance to go up. They didn't stop at the webbing, but went all the way to the landing way up there. Please comment on the description or the grade.
Tonight at the Garden, we noticed a sign below Kindergarten/Gray Rock that referenced the falcon closure. It said that "Angle Tangle" was closed for raptor nesting until August. Two questions: 1) The only reference that I found to Angle Tangle was in Stewart Green's comments about North Gateway. Is the sign in the wrong place? 2) Which climbs on Kindergarten Rock are actually closed during falcon nesting?
Angle Tangle is an old A2 aid route on the east face of North Gateway, so yeah, the sign seems misplaced. Not sure where the falcon closings are, I'm sure someone else on here knows more specifically.
Regarding the falcon closure and nesting, as far as I know the only falcons nesting at the Garden right now are in the usual nest above Angle Tangle on the east face of North Gateway. Falcons have nested in the New Era area on Grey/Kindergaten Rock, but I haven't seen any sign of them this year. It would be best to check with the CO Division of Wildlife about the closure. Obviously, the wrong sign is in place, of course, that might be all they have. Still it is incumbent on us as climbers to know if the area is closed or else risk a ticket.
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