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Third Flatiron Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Third Flatiron

L › R R › L A › Z

	1911 Gully T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Blazing Biners T,S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	College Drop Out aka East Face North Side T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Direct West Face a/k/a Western Skyline T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Doctor Merkwurdigliebe T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Dog's Head Cutoff T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R
	East Face (Standard) T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
	East Face Left T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Exit Through The Gift Shop V0 4
	Extra Point T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R
	Fail Safe T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Falcon's Fracture T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Feathers and Stone S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Flailure (Is Not an Option) T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R
	Friday's Folly T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Friday's Folly Direct T,TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
	Funny Games T,TR 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b R
	Greenman's Crack T,TR 5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a R
	Holier than Thou S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Inner Sanctum T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
	More Mellow T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Northwest Passage T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R
	Panda Rigolo S 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Panda Scat TR 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Pandammic S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Pentaprance T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R
	Ph.D. Roof T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Pile In the Sky S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Rite Of Spring T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
	Saturday's Folly T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Sayonara T,S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Shoyu State S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	South Chimney T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Southwest Chimney T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
	Super Woo T 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
	Thin Crack T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13
	Third Kingdom/Papillion T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Third World Zone T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R
	Unnamed (formerly entered as Problem Child) T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
	Waiting For Columbus T,S 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	West Door T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	West Face [3rd Flatrion] T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Winky Woo T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R
	Wrongs of Fall T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
Unsorted Routes:

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	6,737 ft	2,053 m
GPS:	39.9874, -105.29196 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Ben Mottinger on Dec 31, 2000 · Updates
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Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures Details

The usual crags are closed for climbing for raptor nesting:

See: bouldercolorado.gov/service….

Click here for the trail closures. Some are M-F, some are 24/7. These impact the Bear Canyon/Fern Canyon regions primarily:

flatironsclimbing.org/tempo…

Click here bouldercolorado.gov/service… for the latest in raptor closures.

Access Issue: Raptor nesting lifted July 26, 2023 Details

Per Ryan Kuehn, Stewardship Director, Boulder Climbing Community: the seasonal raptor closure on the Third Flatiron will be extended beyond July 31st, 2023. The reopening date is TBD. This has been lifted as of 7/26/23 from the OSMP website per Zachary Henry.

bouldercolorado.gov/service…: lifted 7/26/23: Third Flatiron, including Queen Anne’s Head, W.C Fields Pinnacle, 1911 Gully and the Ghetto, the East Bench & West Bench, the East & West Ironing Boards, The Fin, Green Thumb and Jaws.

Update from the Flatirons Climbing Council July 2021: due to late nesting of peregrine falcons this year (2021), this area is closed until ~Aug. 12, 2021.

Information on OSMP wildlife closures, which help to protect sensitive habitats, can be viewed at:

bouldercolorado.gov/service…
maps.bouldercolorado.gov/wi…

The following crags are closed 1 February to 31 July:
First Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Second Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Flatiron
Queen Anne's Head
WC Fields Pinnacle
The Ghetto
East Ironing Board
West Ironing Board
The Fin
Green Thumb
Jaws

Updated details may be found here.
osmpwildlifeclosures.org.

Description

Unmistakable and outstanding, its jutting east face is obvious from anywhere in Boulder, and the beautiful, solid rock meets or exceeds your high expectations. A 100-foot-high "CU" was painted on since the 1940s. Since camouflaged by more paint, you can still see the faint outline. Of course, when you're on the east face, it's obvious when you get to this section of the rock, especially because it's a smeary section of rock with no hand holds, mostly friction foot moves. Enjoy it when you can: the Parks department closes this and most of the rocks around it, due to raptor nesting concerns (see below).

Note, the Ghetto is actually part of the Third Flatiron.

Getting There

From the ranger cottage at the Chautauqua Park trailhead (Baseline Rd.), follow the paved Bluebell Road south to the Bluebell Shelter. From the shelter follow the Royal Arch trail south to the junction of the Second-Third Flatiron Trail. Follow this trail west to the clearly marked Third Flatiron Trail. The trail ends at the start of the Third Flatiron standard east face climbing route. The Third Flatiron Descent Trail starts in the saddle to the west of the summit of the Third Flatiron. The trail begins to descend north, then east, down through a talus field to end at the Third Flatiron Trail, a few hundred yards north of the start to the standard east face climbing route.

Descent

Per mark felber: for rappel, there are chains at the south end of the summit, for a 45' rap to the South Bowl. Use the chains here for a 50' rap to Friday's Folly Ledge (or just go from the summit to Friday's Folly ledge in one shot with a 60m or longer rope). On reaching Friday's Folly Ledge, you'll see a great big eyebolt and a sign placed by BOSMP, warning you that the rappel from the eyebolt is 140' and directing you to a much shorter rappel(72') from good chains to climber's left/west. The shorter rappel lands you right on the descent trail. Taking the longer rappel means you have to 3rd class up to the landing of the short rappel to reach the descent trail, or descend 1911 Gully.

FWIW, there is a low fifth class downclimb for those without a rope.

44 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Third Flatiron

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c 1,175 ● East Face (Standard) Trad 8 pitches
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R 53 ● Winky Woo Trad
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c R 21 ● Third World Zone Trad 8 pitches
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 150 ● East Face Left Trad 9 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 102 ● College Drop Out aka East Face N… Trad 6 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R 53 ● Extra Point Trad 5 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 117 ● Friday's Folly Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 44 ● Saturday's Folly Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R 11 ● Northwest Passage Trad 3 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 5 ● West Face [3rd Flatrion] Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 34 ● Waiting For Columbus Trad, Sport
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 10 ● Panda Rigolo Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 17 ● Direct West Face a/k/a Western S… Trad
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 5 ● Pandammic Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 12 ● Pile In the Sky Sport