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North Narrows Slabs Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map This is our best guess at this area's location.
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Routes in North Narrows Slabs

L › R R › L A › Z

	Alley Cat Street S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Climb to Safety T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Death Tongue Variation T 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Gas Huffer T,TR 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Hitcher, The S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a
	Narrows Crack T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Narrows Escape, The T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	White Line Fever T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b

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GPS:	40.1863, -105.3334 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Leo Paik on Jun 21, 2003
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See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: MM 23-29.5 - now ended daily CO 7 highway closure/delays Details

Per Kai Bouwman: the daily CO 7 highway closure/delay access issue is no longer a problem according to CDOT the construction finished as of Nov. 11, 2022.

From CDOT: Colorado Highway 7 is closed daily from MP 23-29.5. Motorists can only travel through the area between 6-8 am and 4-7 pm. During these timeframes, pilot cars will lead alternating one-way travel. Drivers should plan for delays, and this schedule will remain in place through Memorial Day 2022.

During the closure, motorists need to take US 36 to CO 7.

codot.gov/projects/co7-lyon…

Description

This is the roadside crag which nearly abuts the road on the N side of CO Hwy 7. There are a few glinting bolts which attract the climber's eye to wonder what's there if you haven't perused either Rolofson's 1995 or Hubbel's 1999 guides. This is the narrowest bit of the South St. Vrain canyon. Nice slab of granite in stretches here. Routes include Alley Cat Street, White Line Fever, Cling to Safety, Climb to Safety, Flash Flood, Death Tongue variation, Death Tongue, Crack, Narrows Crack, and The Hitcher.

Parking is best obtained just downhill in front of Observatory Rock or just uphill from the crag.

Getting There

Find this rock approximately 5.3 miles up CO Hwy 7 from the intersection of CO Hwy 7 & US 36 in Lyons. Drive W, uphill and when you park or stop, the rock rises nearly from the road.

Routes

Per Bernard Gillett: (routes listed left to right).

A. Alley Cat Street, 5.9+ (some say 5.10a) (left-most bolt line up black water streak; bolts just got replaced)
(note: with the exception of one route, none of the bolted lines are sport climbs; bring a bit of gear)
B. Gas Huffer 5.10a (starts with 3 diagonal bolts from block, then gear, not in Hubbel guide)
C. White Line Fever, 5.9- R (gear, run out)
D. Cling to Safety, 5.11b (first bolt route right of trees; wires for the bottom, then 4 bolts)
E. Climb to Safety, 5.9 (gear to two bolts and anchor)
F. Flash Flood 5.12a (thin slab with 4 bolts, a little gear at top)
G1. Death Tongue 5.12b (has been listed in guides as 5.11d/12a; I think the start is quite difficult) (mixed gear and bolts to big flake in large roof -- the Death Tongue)
G2. Death Tongue Var., 5.9+ (gear; start right, cross DT, and angle left with big flake)
H. Narrows Crack, 5.11a (listed as 5.10d in older guides) (gear to obvious jam crack through roof to tree rappel station -- run out and junky in first half)
I. The Hitcher, 5.12b (the only sport route on the wall, follows bolted arete -- the 4th bolt has a quick link on it. Cruxes low and at the quicklink. 5 bolts to anchor)
Hanging Bridge 5.10b (height-dependent crux) (newer route on right side of wall, gear to two bolts, more gear -- not a good route for short people unless you add a bolt below the 2 that are there; that would better protect the 5.11a LB section that tall people can avoid with a stem. I put the route in and don't mind if short climbers want to add a bolt)