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Ridge 4 Rock Climbing
Routes in Ridge 4
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Apostrophe S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a |
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Dodge City S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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Drive By Shooting S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a |
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Gunsmoke S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b |
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Honeymoon In Beirut S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b |
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Hoss S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Killer Elite (AKA Ms. Coolie's Saloon) S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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Lawyers, Guns, and Hilties S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a |
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Life During Wartime S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c |
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Little Joe S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Mighty Mo S 5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b |
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Miss Kitty S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
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Mud Shark T,S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Occupied Territory S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c |
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Pandora's Bosch S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Piece Process T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R |
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Pinch A Loaf S 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Rawhide S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Wild, Wild West (aka Wild West), The S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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| GPS: |
39.90906, -105.28624 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
| Page Views: | 20,285 total · 79/month |
| Shared By: | Richard M. Wright on Jun 4, 2002 · Updates |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: Private Property issues
Details
The West Bank / Wild West / Secret Crag has been problematic for years due to access concerns. There have been negative encounters with gun-toting landowners who have alleged that the entire mountain is on private property. Typical approaches involve brief crossing of railroad property which appears to be prohibited.
Exact demarcation of property boundaries are not always clear. When in doubt, be discrete or polite.
Do not park your vehicle near the railroad tracks near Plainview. It is a well-known irritant to Plainview residents.
Exact demarcation of property boundaries are not always clear. When in doubt, be discrete or polite.
Do not park your vehicle near the railroad tracks near Plainview. It is a well-known irritant to Plainview residents.
Description
Sometime in the mid '80s this large sector of Eldorado Mountain was developed by a host of Boulder and Denver climbers. Ken Trout, Tod Anderson, Dave Fields, Ziggy, Mark Rolofson, myself, and a many others contributed to development. These fairly short crags all face South, hold numerous routes, and due to restrictions of some private property, the Railroad, and the town of Plainview, have seen little action in the last 8 years. Every now and then we make the pilgrimage to the West Bank, keeping a low profile, and this has never caused any trouble, but caution is always in order.
The area is composed of seven ridges and some large erratics sporting a route or two. The Secret Crag is reckoned as Ridge 2 (counting from the right) and is the most prominent of the seven ridges, and at least one of its routes dates back to a Jim Erickson ascent in the '70s. Ridge 1 takes off right at Tunnel 3 on the South side. Ridges 2, 4, 6, and 7 (counting from the right) hold 90% of the climbing. The rock seems to me more like Eldorado Canyon than Mickey Mouse and is full of edges, flakes, and corners. Most of the stone is a fine quality sandstone and well worth the hike in. Just leave the boom-box at home.
The area is composed of seven ridges and some large erratics sporting a route or two. The Secret Crag is reckoned as Ridge 2 (counting from the right) and is the most prominent of the seven ridges, and at least one of its routes dates back to a Jim Erickson ascent in the '70s. Ridge 1 takes off right at Tunnel 3 on the South side. Ridges 2, 4, 6, and 7 (counting from the right) hold 90% of the climbing. The rock seems to me more like Eldorado Canyon than Mickey Mouse and is full of edges, flakes, and corners. Most of the stone is a fine quality sandstone and well worth the hike in. Just leave the boom-box at home.
Getting There
From the railroad tracks, and between tunnels 2 and 3, a faint trail takes off up a short grassy slope and into the forest. Follow the trail up-hill until it dumps out at the base of long talus field. Enter the talus in its middle and after 50 feet a trail of blocks leads left (West) through the talus. At the end of the talus, pass a couple of large blocks on their downhill side and cut sharply right and uphill. The trail wanders through a sparse, section of the forest to a very steep, bolted overhang. This is the start of Ridge two. Numbering begins with this overhang (#1, Drive By Shooting, 5.12a).
L->R:
A. Cave Crack, 9, 1p, gear.
B. When Men Were Men, 11+, 1p, pin(s) and gear.
C. Unknown, 12, 1p.
D. West Wall, 9, 1p, TR.
E. Festus, 9, 1p, TR or bolts?
F. Crack, 9, 1p, gear.
G. Rawhide, 11, 1p, bolts.
H. Little Joe, 11, 1p, bolts.
I. Hoss, 11-, 1p, 60', gear, pin, & bolts.
J. Downclimb, 5, 1p, gear.
K. Loose Cannon, 8, 1p, gear.
L. Gunsmoke, 12, 1p, bolts & pin.
M. EZ Corner, 7, 1p, gear.
N. Miss Kitty, 6, 1p, 60', gear & bolts.
O. The Wild Wild West, 12-, 1p, 70', bolts.
P. Life During Wartime, 13-, 1p, 60', bolts.
Q. Unknown, 11, 1p, bolts.
R. Crack, 6, 1p, gear.
S. Roof Crack, 11, 1p, gear.
T. Honeymoon In Beirut, 12, 1p, 40', bolts.
U. The Great Defender, 13, 1p, bolts.
V. Moe Zone, 13, 1p, bolts.
W. Occupied Territory, 13-, 1p, 80', bolts.
X. Mighty Moe, 12, 1p, bolts.
Y. Mud Shark, 10+, 1p, 70', gear & bolts.
Z. Lawyers, Guns, and Hiltis, 11+, 1p, bolts.
AA. Apostrophe, 11+, 1p, bolts.
BB. Dodge City, 12-, 1p, 50', bolts.
CC. Pandora's Bosch, 11, 1p, gear & bolts.
DD. Killer Elite (AKA Ms. Coolie's Saloon), 11+, 1p, bolts.
EE. Piece Process, 11 R or X, 1p, gear.
FF. Pinch A Loaf, 10, 1p, bolts.
GG. Driveby Shooting, 12-, 1p, bolts.
B. When Men Were Men, 11+, 1p, pin(s) and gear.
C. Unknown, 12, 1p.
D. West Wall, 9, 1p, TR.
E. Festus, 9, 1p, TR or bolts?
F. Crack, 9, 1p, gear.
G. Rawhide, 11, 1p, bolts.
H. Little Joe, 11, 1p, bolts.
I. Hoss, 11-, 1p, 60', gear, pin, & bolts.
J. Downclimb, 5, 1p, gear.
K. Loose Cannon, 8, 1p, gear.
L. Gunsmoke, 12, 1p, bolts & pin.
M. EZ Corner, 7, 1p, gear.
N. Miss Kitty, 6, 1p, 60', gear & bolts.
O. The Wild Wild West, 12-, 1p, 70', bolts.
P. Life During Wartime, 13-, 1p, 60', bolts.
Q. Unknown, 11, 1p, bolts.
R. Crack, 6, 1p, gear.
S. Roof Crack, 11, 1p, gear.
T. Honeymoon In Beirut, 12, 1p, 40', bolts.
U. The Great Defender, 13, 1p, bolts.
V. Moe Zone, 13, 1p, bolts.
W. Occupied Territory, 13-, 1p, 80', bolts.
X. Mighty Moe, 12, 1p, bolts.
Y. Mud Shark, 10+, 1p, 70', gear & bolts.
Z. Lawyers, Guns, and Hiltis, 11+, 1p, bolts.
AA. Apostrophe, 11+, 1p, bolts.
BB. Dodge City, 12-, 1p, 50', bolts.
CC. Pandora's Bosch, 11, 1p, gear & bolts.
DD. Killer Elite (AKA Ms. Coolie's Saloon), 11+, 1p, bolts.
EE. Piece Process, 11 R or X, 1p, gear.
FF. Pinch A Loaf, 10, 1p, bolts.
GG. Driveby Shooting, 12-, 1p, bolts.
Classic Climbing Routes at Ridge 4
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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