The Agony and Ecstasy  5.14a

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Type:  Sport, 1 pitch Consensus:  5.14a [details] FA:  Direct start Peter Beal, Upper arete Mark Rolofson New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  Peter Beal on May 14, 2002 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

The Agony and Ecstasy is the direct line up the ar...

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Seasonal Raptor Closure Lifted Early at Security Risk MORE INFO >>> The seasonal raptor closure has been lifted at Security Risk and Eagle Rock as of April 16, 2013. The closure is still in effect at Blob Rock, and Bitty Buttress. Each year, Boulder Canyon raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting February 1st at Eagle Rock, Security Risk, Blob Rock, and Bitty Buttress. However, the area is monitored and closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the Forest Service Boulder Ranger District, Boulder Climbing Community, and Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. 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

Description 

Ecstasy of the People is the striking bolted arete just left of Enemy of the People and was originally climbed with a traversing start by Mark Rolofson. Now the direct start goes free as a V10 boulder problem, making the upper, balancy, 12d arete that much more insecure. The whole line is now one of the classic hard free routes in Boulder Canyon, so train small crimps and have at it.

Full disclosure: I climbed the start with the first three bolts (which are 2 feet apart) clipped. The first one is a mandatory stick clip, as is the second one. If you fall from the last hard move with just the first two clipped, you stand a good chance of hitting the rope (and maybe the starting ledge?) since the low bolt doesn't keep you out of the way. Since I'm a wuss, and the start is truly a boulder problem, I decided to play it safe.

(Now that this route, despite being one of the most striking lines in the Boulder area, has gone five (make that nine as of 2011) years without a repeat, I am upgrading it to 5.14a in the hope that it will gain more traffic and there will emerge a consensus on the difficulty.)

Protection 

9 bolts/anchors maybe a midsized stopper at the top (it's about twenty feet to the anchor from the last bolt).

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The crux of The Agony and Ecstasy.