I'm flying into DEN this afternoon for a week of work, but I brought a (very) light rack to run up the 3rd Flatiron one day. Couple questions:

1 - How long do you think it will take to dry out after the drizzle today and tomorrow?

2 - Anyone have a nut tool I can borrow for the day? Not checking a bag so I didn't want to risk getting mine yanked by the TSA.

Raptor Closure, sorry man. Try the 1st instead but it might be very cold and/or covered in ice. Takes a couple days of warm sun to dry.

I have one you can borrow, PM me.

3rd is closed. You could do the 1st which is a couple grades harder. You could probably get up with a single set of cams as well. Weather is going to be your hurdle. It's covered in snow and ice right now. By the time it dries out by Thursday or Friday it looks like it's going to snow again.

Gotcha. Bummer to hear.

The reason I was considering the 3rd is because my climbing partner is recovering from elbow tendinosis and can't pull down very hard, but 7 pitches of 5.4 slab shouldn't be a problem.

All I brought with me was a set of 5 Totems, a set of stoppers, 7 runners, and a couple slings.

Any recommendations of potential objectives given my light rack and my mildly crippled partner?

Weather is still gonna be your biggest hassle, it sounds like. But if it cooperates, there are many, many climbs in the Flatirons area that are super-enjoyable, they're just obscure. You'll need some navigational skills to find them, and perhaps footwear with outstanding traction, but you're likely to have the whole rock to yourself. Check into Gerry Roach's book, Flatiron Classics (or whatever the newest version is titled) for all the info you could need. Nothing in there is over 5.8; 90+% of it is way easier than that, so no tweakage is possible; and you won't get a lot of pro on any of these climbs anyway, so a light rack won't be a problem. Good luck and have fun.

Sounds good, thanks for the info. I've got the MP app and I'll swing by boulder library and photocopy a couple pages out of the Flatirons and BoCan guidebooks.

I'm heading out the door now. If anyone wants to come climbing and be a tour guide, I've got car, basic rack+rope, and beer. Shoot me a message, I'll be out this afternoon and tomorrow.

Jon

There are lots of shorter, low angle Flatiron routes to possibly do with a very light rack. Flatirons Central has quite a few 2-4 pitch lines. Admittedly, I would want some cams.

For instance, Rug Munchers on Dinosaur's East Face is 5.4, 2 pitches, relatively easy access, and it often dries fairly quickly.

East Face Left Side on Der Zerkle, 5.6, 3 pitches can be relatively easy. The tunnel section could be cold.

Buckets on Amoeboid, 5.0, 2 pitches, could be an obscure adventure.

FI Fun on Fi, 5.3 R, 3 pitches, could be good, but your rack could be lean. Getting off might be adventurous.

Wednesday, tomorrow is supposed to be the warmest day. The sun goes off the Flatirons' east faces by 230 or 3p typically. Then, in minutes it'll feel 20 degrees cooler.