The Wicked Cave  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  5,342. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Pinklebear on Nov 20, 2001 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 91° | 50° 91° | 48° 88° | 54° 88° | 54° 82° | 54°

Ed Strang crushing the first crux section on Zulu ...

Description 

The Wicked Cave is home to many of Rifle's longest, hardest routes and is an impressive spectacle in and of itself. The cave proper, while way too chossy to climb, forms an immense roofy bowl that is easily 70+ feet from the back to the lip and often runs with water or drips with giant icicles.

Most of the routes are on the super-steep wall right of the cave, which hosts Rifle's first 5.14, Kurt Smith's Slice of Life, now 13d with kneebar technology. There are a couple of routes left of the cave as well, and a mini-cave with three difficult routes (5.13-5.13+) up and left on a dusty bench.

This cave can be pretty muggy and buggy in the summer, as it is very close to a marshy mosquito breeding ground and doesn't see much breeze action. Arm yourself and your belayer with bug juice if you're serious about climbing here, otherwise wait until the fall when conditions are a bit better (a hint: the Project Wall is a much better place for summer climbing because it sees way less sun, is in the deepest, narrowest part of the canyon and is generally breezy).

While the bottom of the wall is somewhat scaly and occasionally wet, the top 2/3 is made up of bomber tan stone with varied and interesting features. Endurance is the name of the game on these routes, all of which are hard all the way to the anchors.

Getting There 

The Wicked Cave is just downstream from the Arsenal on the same side of the Canyon, and is just across the road from the Fluff Boy (Sno-Cone Cave) parking area.

Drive about a mile into the canyon and park on the right as for Fluff Boy (use the pull-out right on the road instead of parking in the picnic area).

Cross the road and follow a narrow but well-defined trail through the grass to the wall right of the cave. The first route you'll encounter is Shades (12d), a seldom, if ever climbed line up the blocky wall behind a tree.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Wicked Cave

Zulu 5.14-  CO : Rifle Mountain Park : The Wicked Cave

Zulu is one route left of Slice of Life, on the right side of the Wicked Cave. It climbs up vertical grey rock and quickly gives way to a very overhanging swell, which is followed to the lip of the cave. It can also be recognized by a long jump to a deep hole around the 5th or 6th bolt.While all the hardest climbing hits you on the bottom third of the route, it is unrelenting all the way to the anchors, with an undercling crux at 2/3 height and a crimpy finishing crux providing plen...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO