Swain book says this is "one of the best moderate routes at Red Rocks". I would change that to "best moderate single-pitch routes", but it's still a very nice route. Very nice climbing. Starts in a fracture about 25 feet left of Fold Out. The fracture peters out about halfway up, follow it up and right onto a black streak where face climbing (small nuts in seams and slots) leads to the roof above - sort of wander for the easiest path. Juggy moves through the roof to the anchor. Rap with two ropes.
Protection
Small to medium cams, lots of small to medium wires, 2 bolt anchor w/chains.
An interesting 5.7-ish second pitch exists, starting up and left from the belay. Climb steep, featured rock past small overlaps to a white slab with old bolt, then continue to the summit of the formation. Descend by mixed downclimbing and a tree rappel in the exposed gully behind the left side of the formation (nontrivial).
Nice route! I would recommend saving a long sling to reduce a sideways/upward pull on a piece that you'll likely place under the roof. If that piece gets pulled out, you'll be a bit runout as you pull over the roof.
By J. Thompson From: denver, co May 5, 2005 rating: 5.9-
I believe swain gives this an R rating, This is not the case. There is plenty of gear, like alot of RR route's on varnished faces the gear doesn't become apparent until you are almost on top of it.Very fun route!
Loved this climb! I used quite a few small-medium nuts, a couple of small tricams, hexes and small cams and lots of long slings. About midway up the climb,I felt there were some tricky pro placements(pockets and some funky, chossy horizontal cracks),at the start of the sections of varnished, somewhat blank face climbing. I whispered to myself,"What the ****?", but thankfully I seemed to come across a decent handhold , or finger crimp just as I started to think, "Huh?" There are a couple of spots to protect the roof move using small cams.I did try to place a nut below the roof(Looked good for a minute) but as soon as I moved a little left and up, it pulled....I thought,"Ooops, I better place a cam." The entire Necromancer wall was shaded in the morning ,up until about noon when the sun started to show itself at the top of the route and at the base.
By brent armstrong From: Closer to RR than the Strip Sep 3, 2006