Spiral Staircase area  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  9,000' Page Views:  29,930. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Leo Paik on Mar 19, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Rehab.

Description 

This is an area created to help with the organization and reduce the cluster for the Vail ice/mixed area.

This area is located uphill or East of the Rigid Designator/Fang amphitheatre. The classic of the area is the Spiral Staircase. There have been routes put in to the left of Spiral Staircase. Since the opening of that route, lines left, right, and above have been done. The area above is called the Pencil & Eraser area or the Belfry. Multiple modern mixed lines fill this small amphitheatre. All these routes are short, none longer than 25m.

You can get a fun glissade on the way down. Beware, at least one climber has blown out a knee on too fast a descent!

Getting There 

It's best to exit I-70 at the E Vail exit, about 100miles W of Denver, parking problems abound here, find legal parking or be rich, or you can park near the Pumphouse area. Then hike back east to Spiral Stairs. Climb it or 4th class gully to the right.

History 

From Rich Purnell: Misery was the first mixed line in the upper Staircase area, which I refer to as the Belfry (Spiral Stairs leads to the Belfry). It was put up in February of 1998 with a hand drill and boasted two pins. Svengali followed the next Jan and sent on Feb. 3rd in '99 then Quasimodo in about 2003. All these routes were FA'd without the nice leashless tools and heelspurs we now all know and love. Finally, Pete Takeda and I added Guano and Esmeralda sometime around 2004. I think there is still at least two routes to do here, and a variation to Svengali that would be pretty nice.

L->R: 

work in progress, please be patient

Thanks to Colorado Mountain Journal for the info & to inspire the update.

Lower Tier

A. Menora, 5.8+ WI4 M4-5, 1p, 80', gear & screws.
B. 8mm, WI4 M7, 1p, bolts.
C. Dragon's Tongue, WI5+ M7 PG-13, 1p, 65', bolts & screws.
D. Tourette's, WI4- M6, 1p, bolts & screws.
E. Unnamed Verglas, WI4, 1p.
F. IMAPNISS, WI4+ M5, 1p, 80', gear & screws.
G. Slabutt, WI3, 1p, 70', screws or TR.
H. Titties 'n' Beer, M7-, 1p, 60', bolts.
I. Public Masturbation, M8, 1p, 60', bolts.
J. Pink Funhouse, M7, 1p, 45', bolts.
K. Log-Jammin', WI3-4 M4-5 R, 1p, 45', gear & screws or TR.
L. Boxed In (aka Stemcicle), WI5 M7, 1p, 65', bolts, gear, & screws.
M. Spiral Staircase, WI3-4, 1p, 80', screws.
N. Secret Probation, WI5 M4-7, 1p, 80', bolts & screws.
O. Rust Never Sleeps, WI5+ M6+, 1p, 80', 3 bolts & a stubbie.

4th class access with a fixed rope.

Upper Tier (The Belfry)

A. Eraser, WI4-5, 1p, 40', screws.
B. Middle Curtain, WI4-5, 1p, 40', screws.
C. Svengali, M9, 1p, bolts & screws.
D. Pencil, WI4, 1p, 40', screws.
E. Quasimodo, WI4 M6-7, 1p, bolts, gear, & screws.
F. Misery, M8, 1p, bolts & screws.
G. Esmerelda, WI4 M6+, 1p, bolts & screws.
H. Guano, M5, 1p, bolts.

The Classics

Featured Route For Spiral Staircase area

8mm M7  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : Spiral Staircase area

Climb up a shallow corner on small (small) holds. The rock climbing here is technical and fragile. Pull the lip to a sheet of ice no more than 1/2" thick and about 20 feet long. The ice does take a stubby just under the roof but then again there are anchors at that point....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

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Secret Probation.