Type: | Trad, 400 ft (121 m), 3 pitches |
FA: | Jim Brink, Malcom Daly, mid-'80s |
Page Views: | 2,342 total · 8/month |
Shared By: | Charles Vernon on Jul 26, 2001 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/28/23
Details
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Description
2019 edit/preface: there's a lot of ranting on this page by my 24-year-old self in the description & comments. In hindsight, it seems over-the-top to me, and I was planning to delete it, but others encouraged me to leave it up. It does seem that an acceptable consensus was achieved judging by the comments below, but, I do apologize in advance for the self-righteous tone on this page.
This route is a perfect example of where, how, and why not to rap-bolt a route. As a toprope, it's somewhat fun and worth doing to hone your slab technique.
The route is not particularly well-bolted; set so close to the perfect crack of Endless Crack that escape would be possible at almost any point and a couple of the bolts could be clipped by someone leading the crack; furthermore, the rock quality of the first half is poor, with crumbly edges for the hardest moves (we broke several in one TR session). As Lumpy is largely a traditional area, it seems that rap-bolted routes should be placed with considerably more sensitivity (not to mention good bolt work!).
The route is found just right of a large gully, which lies right of J-Crack and Femp. Endless Crack is the obvious clean crack which begins and ends in the slab on the left; Pizza Face is squeezed in just right of this. To top-rope, lead either Mission Impossible or Endless Crack, and clip the top bolt (or more, if desired) as a directional. Note that from the anchor atop Mission Impossible, a 60m rope does not reach the ground, so both the climber and belayer must begin from ledge just above the ground (its easy for the belayer to then downclimb after the climber ascends 10 feet to a good stance).
The route has an upper pitch (after following Endless Crack for a pitch) of reportedly much better quality and position, though still run-out, but this pitch has come to be known as a separate route called Kite Slab.
This route is a perfect example of where, how, and why not to rap-bolt a route. As a toprope, it's somewhat fun and worth doing to hone your slab technique.
The route is not particularly well-bolted; set so close to the perfect crack of Endless Crack that escape would be possible at almost any point and a couple of the bolts could be clipped by someone leading the crack; furthermore, the rock quality of the first half is poor, with crumbly edges for the hardest moves (we broke several in one TR session). As Lumpy is largely a traditional area, it seems that rap-bolted routes should be placed with considerably more sensitivity (not to mention good bolt work!).
The route is found just right of a large gully, which lies right of J-Crack and Femp. Endless Crack is the obvious clean crack which begins and ends in the slab on the left; Pizza Face is squeezed in just right of this. To top-rope, lead either Mission Impossible or Endless Crack, and clip the top bolt (or more, if desired) as a directional. Note that from the anchor atop Mission Impossible, a 60m rope does not reach the ground, so both the climber and belayer must begin from ledge just above the ground (its easy for the belayer to then downclimb after the climber ascends 10 feet to a good stance).
The route has an upper pitch (after following Endless Crack for a pitch) of reportedly much better quality and position, though still run-out, but this pitch has come to be known as a separate route called Kite Slab.
Protection
6 QD, and a larger Friend or two for a wide 5.7 crack if desired. Mostly this route is top-roped (60m rope!) by leading either the first pitch of Endless Crack (5.9) or Mission Impossible (5.10a) up to a fixed sling anchor (bring extra carabiners).
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