Redgarden - S Buttress  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  131,484. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Leo Paik on Mar 20, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon 72° | 45° 81° | 50° 84° | 48° 82° | 48° 81° | 46°

2013 Raptor Nesting Closure in effect - NOW LIFTED MORE INFO >>> As of Feb. 1, 2013, a seasonal wildlife closure is in effect on Redgarden Wall in Eldorado Canyon State Park to protect nesting and roosting sites of the canyon’s falcons. The closure starts Feb. 1 through July 31, or until further notice and includes the following climbing routes: The Naked Edge (last 3 pitches only), The Diving Board, Centaur, Redguard (last 3 pitches only), Red Ant, Semi-Wild, Anthill Direct (last 3 pitches only), and The Sidetrack. For more info, visit dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/press.asp?PressId=8152 From an Eldorado Canyon tweet, the Redgarden Wall closures were lifted May 6, 2013. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment Action Committee for Eldorado

BETA PHOTO: The right side of Redgarden Wall. The South Buttre...

Description 

This section of the cliff is the right most end of Redgarden Wall. It is arbitrarily cut off after the large, obvious, dihedral system which is called Redguard. We will call this South Buttress.

This section of the cliff is characterized by challenging route finding, slickened rock, and sparse protection options. Perhaps, this is part of that which helped to link the adjective "spicy" with Eldorado Canyon climbing. If close protection is what you require to enjoy climbing, you should climb elsewhere. Routes vary from 30 to 600 feet in this section.

This is an amazing section of the Redgarden Wall when considering the early history of climbing in Eldorado Canyon SP. History emanates from the rock here and some of it is documented in B. Godfrey's & D. Chelton's Climb! Given the crude equipment available in the mid 1950s, it is awe-inspiring to imagine our climbing forefathers wander up these cliff as they did. In 1956, Dick Bird, Dallas Jackson, Cary Huston, and Chuck Murley climbed what had then be considered unclimbable, Redguard, with Dick Bird leading the first pitch, dubbed the Bird walk, and Chuck Murley deciding to give the last pitch "one last go" on their 3rd and finally successful attempt. There is also the story of the amazing Layton Kor in 1957 getting stuck on these walls requiring a rope from Ben Chidlaw to rescue him. Kor & Chidlaw that year followed this by ascending the very runout route, The Bulge. Subsequently, Kor rappelled down for possibly Colorado's first rap-bolted, retrobolt when others encouraged him to make his line safer for the masses. Thank you, Mr. Kor! Genesis, originally climbed with RURPs in 1962 by J. Turner & B. Culp, became one of early Colorado routes trained for specifically, and was freed by the indomitable Jim Collins in 1979 after training to the point of blood blisters for this specific climb (as documented in G. Randall's Vertigo Games.

Savories include: the adventurous Pseudo Sidetrack 5.4 s; The Bulge, 5.7 s; the ground-breaking Redguard, 5.8+ s; the ever-popular Anthill Direct, 5.9 s; the exciting Blackwalk, 5.10b s; the mind-control Pansee Sauvage, 5.11b s; Exodus, 5.11b; the super-popular C'est La Vie, 5.9 P1 or 5.11c; the control piece Back in Black to Black Top, the delicious Le Boomerang, 5.11d; Book of Numbers, 5.12c/d s; the former test-piece Genesis, 5.11a P1 or 5.12d s; the overhanging Desdichado, 5.13c.

Descents vary. Those routes going to the top of the wall typically involve the East Slabs Descent. This can be exposed and intimidating when wet. Also, the last bit can be challenging in the spring with a wet slab finish or funky downclimb down a chimney. Routes that partially up the wall will typically involve rappels.

Some come and play here, but bring your honed skills and verve, and enjoy!

Getting There 

To access this section of Redgarden Wall, you should park at the east end of Eldorado Canyon SP, hike uphill briefly, cross the bridge. Here you may choose one of 3 approaches depending on your exact line and preference. To access the furthest R routes, you go up the trail along the downstream side of the 150 ft tall crag, The Whale's Tail. To access routes behind The Whale's Tail, you can hike either around either the L or R side of the The Whale's Tail with both requiring 3rd class-ish moves (though the L side may be a bit harder). To access the furthest L of the routes in this section, you continue upstream, cross the concrete pad, follow the trail, take the right fork and you arrived nearly at the base of Redguard.

The Classics

Featured Route For Redgarden - S Buttress

Desdichado 5.13+  CO : Eldorado Canyon SP : ... : Redgarden - S Buttress

This classic route is in dire need of an upgrade. It climbs right to left across the very smooth, very overhanging wall left of the crux (2nd) pitch of C'est La Vie and features bouldery moves on flat to sloping edges and a crux finish on an overhanging arete.After waiting ten years to try the route, my fat ass pulled off a huge key flake right at the fourth bolt yesterday. Sincere apologies to the climbing community!There may be some holds left, but they definitely need cleaning, if not a lit...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

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BETA PHOTO: Redgarden Wall, showing the major features and the...

The Magnificent Redgarden Wall.