East Ironing Board Rock Climbing

From Chautauqua, hike up the Kinnikinnic road, or up the Chautauqua trail, past the Bluebell Shelter, and onto the Royal Arch Trail. Pass the 'y' turnoff to the 2nd and 3rd Flatiron access trail, and continue up. Where the trail takes a sharp U-turn bend to the left, there is a large boulder in the trail with "(left arrow) Royal Arch” painted on it. Take a hard right, over a fallen tree, maybe past a “Seasonal Wildlife Closure” sign, and gain an incipient path down into Bluebell Canyon. The trail dips and rolls a bit, crosses to the canyon bottom, and then begins to climb. Follow the obvious line of least resistance, and work far right or bear right when a sketchy scramble seems imminent. Shortly you will encounter a 3rd class scramble up to a level area with a large gray boulder on your right and a wonderful profile of the third at two-o'clock. You are at the nadir of the East Ironing Board. Work right to gain the bottom of the east face, or turn sharply left and follow the trail up to the west face. Stay close to the rock as you scoot around the end, and remember to bear right when things look sketchy. Shortly, you will arrive in the gully of the West face, and gain an obvious trail which switchbacks up. The first obvious line is Hunka' Hunka' Burnin' Love (10b), a 7 bolt line which has three rather closely-spaced bolts protecting the initial passage through a pebbled roof onto a face. Further up the slope you will see the obvious roof through which one gains access to Velvet Elvis (11a), Hammer of Thor (10c) and Sunbreeze (10b).

A giant boulder jam and slab bar access to the upper end of the East Ironing Board, and the Green Thumb. Either pass the jam on the right (tricky) or on the left via an exposed 4th class slab solo, to get to the fun routes on the Green Thumb, or approach [as far] Friday and Saturday's Folly and follow the trail up to the Green Thumb (faster if only interested in the upper routes). On Green Thumb, Far Niente (12a, bolts), Green Corner (8+ gear) and Diagonal Finger Crack (9, gear) are popular, if short, routes. Diagonal Finger Crack remains one of my favorite short cracks in the area.

I've done recon hikes three times to this area. It is peaceful, rarely crowded and offers wonderful climbing. Hopefully this beta will speed your approach.