South Face Variation: La Porte de l'Enfer
5.10a YDS 6a French 18 Ewbanks VI+ UIAA 18 ZA E1 5a British X
Avg: 1 from 9 votes
Type: | Trad, Alpine, 900 ft (273 m) |
FA: | Christopher D. Jones, Keith Brown, 2013 |
Page Views: | 3,984 total · 33/month |
Shared By: | Chris Jones on Jun 4, 2014 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: Closures
Details
Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
Description
Follow the the South Face pitches until you reach the pitch 7 belay. On pitch 7, traverse right of the South Face route for 25 feet along a 3 feet wide ledge (top of a deep flake system) until you reach a right-facing dihedral full of several small rusty fixed wires where other climbers have retreated. Follow the fixed wires straight up in the shallow, right-facing dihedral for 15 feet, then launch straight up for 150 feet of committed nightmare climbing. Survive it with psychological gear with most of it unable to sustain a rest. After continuing straight up from the dihedral system, face climb on run out terrain and enter the final crux on a tweaker, layback arete reaching to sloping holds just below the belay ledge of pitch 8 where the climb rejoins the South Face route. This was an accidental onsight. The crux popped ligaments in three fingers while wearing a full pack and nearly caused a 180 foot + fall onto a ledge, hence the name.
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