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Black Velvet Wall
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Texas Tower Direct 

5.12d

   

FA: To be added shortly
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.12d [details]
Length: 6 pitches, 500 feet
Views: 535 page views

Submitted By: Josh Janes on Nov 7, 2008


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Description 

Texas Tower Direct is a great, sustained rock climb on bulletproof rock. When linked with the upper half of Texas Hold 'Em, this makes for one of the best long, hard routes in Red Rocks -- rivaling even the Rainbow Wall.

Begin 100' right of the start of Epinephrine. Scramble 50' up 5.0 ledges just left of a huge, hanging left-facing dihedral. Belay on a large ledge with lots of bushes.

P1: Same as for Texas Hold 'Em. Pass a small roof on the right hand side and climb up an arete of sorts with marginal gear to a good ledge and bolted belay. 5.9 R.

P2: Continue up the slab above, eventually trending right to a left-facing, left-leaning corner. Up this to a bolt on the right face. Do a move above the bolt and belay at a bolted anchor out right.

P3: Where Texas Hold 'Em goes right, TTD goes up and left off the belay. Climb ledgy terrain past a small cam placement before clipping a bolt. Continue up the bolted wall above past a difficult 5.12 stemming section to an intermediate anchor at a steep stance (do not belay here). Head up and left, then back right along an interesting feature on a beautiful wall. Some balancey 5.12 in there before reaching a bolted belay. An amazing pitch!

P4: The Velvet Tongue goes straight up the left-facing corner above. Instead, step straight right past a bolt and a difficult boulder problem. Clip the first bolt on the next pitch and down climb to a bolted anchor. V6-7, 20'.

P5: Head up the interesting right-facing flare/corner passing a tightly bolted crux section (5.12d, desparate). Alternatively, break off to the right and up a green, mossy face and head back left, bypassing the crux. Either way, continue up the corner past some hand-size gear placements before stepping wildly out left around the arete and up to another bolted belay. Spectacular.

P6: Climb up off the belay to the left on gorgeous, burgundy-varnished rock. Do a difficult move to a good finger lock (5.12a), then pass a roof above. There's good gear in a hidden crack out right. Continue up, eventually joining with Texas Hold 'Em and arriving at a bolted belay at the very top of Texas Tower.


Protection 

Single set from 0.3 to #2 Camalot. Lots of draws.