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All Locations > Colorado > Colorado Springs > Red Rock Canyon Open Space

The Whale Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Whale

Aborigine S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Among the Stars S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Aphrodite S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Arapiles S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Arnold's Demise S 5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
Big E S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
Blow Tube Envy S 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Bound in Blood S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
Captain, The S 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
Dreamtime S 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
Esse Curve S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Finnacle S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
First Mate S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
Gomers in Blue Shirts S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Good Stuff, The S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
HMS S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a PG13
Happy Ending (formerly Top-Rope) T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Honeymoon Down Under S 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13
Just Happens S 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
Mister MIA S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
Never Ever Slab, The TR 5.0 2- 4 I 6 MM 1c
Plunge, The S 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
Red Venus S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
Route to the left of The Thin Line S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Tempest Toast S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Thin Line, The S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Undulating Dingo S 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
Virgin Bolters S 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
Whale Rider S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
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Elevation: 6,600 ft
GPS: 38.846, -104.882 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 33,543 total · 228/month
Shared By: Anna Moore on Jul 15, 2006
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac
Getting weather forecast...
Access Issue: Reopened after flood damage! Details

Description

The Whale is the long, humped fin on the west side of Red Rock Canyon between upper lake and the north side of the Quarry.

The trail from the south end (Quarry Wall) meets the crag just north of Big E.

This crag faces East, so it drops into the shade by 3pm or so.

Getting There

Two trails access the wall. The first takes off from the west canyon trail and climbs to a notch with steps and a dirt bank and then up left and back right through scrub oak to the northern part of the face. The rail reaches the face just south of Aphrodite. The second ascends a bushy ramp system left (south) of Solar Slab to the right of Never Ever Slab, walk left along the top of the slab to reach the cliff-base trail. A path along the cliff base connects the two trails. Avoid bushwhacking and scrambling off the trails, so new social trails or not created. Also, watch for poison ivy. (All information is from Red Rock Canyon Open Space book by Stewart M. Green.)

L->R:

Never Ever Slab (down and left of the bulk of The Whale)
A. Happy Ending (formerly Top-Rope), 9, 1p, 70', bolts.
B-C. The Never Ever Slab, 0-4, 1p, 90', TR.

The Whale
D. Dreamtime, 6, 1p, 50', bolts.
ED. Aborigine, 7, 1p, 55', bolts.

F. Honeymoon Down Under, 7+ PG-13, 1p, 85', bolts.
G. Undulating Dingo, 8, 1p, 80', bolts.
H. Arapiles, 9 or 10, 1p, 80', bolts.
I. Big E, 5 PG-13, 1p, 80', bolts.
JI. Bound in Blood, 8, 1p, 80', bolts.
K. The Good Stuff, 7, 1p, bolts.
L. Esse Curve, 7, 1p, bolts.

M. Route to the left of The Thin Line, 10-, 1p, 65', bolts.
N. The Thin Line, 9, 1p, 60', bolts.
O. The Plunge, 10-, 1p, 70', bolts.
P. Just Happens, 9-, 1p, 60', bolts.
Q. Virgin Bolters, 9-, 1p, 70', bolts.

R. Tempest Toast, 7, 1p, 110', bolts.
S. Whale Rider, 6, 1p, 110', bolts.
T. Finnacle, 8-, 1p, 80', bolts.
U. The Captain, 9-, 1p, 75', bolts.
V. First Mate, 9, 1p, 50', bolts.

W? Gomers in Blue Shirts, 10-, 1p, 85', bolts.

X. Aphrodite, 9, 1p, 100', bolts.
Y. Arnold's Demise, 10, 1p, 105', bolts.
Z. Among the Stars, 10-, 1p, 110', bolts.
AA. Mister MIA, 9+, 1p, 100', bolts.
BBAA. Blow Tube Envy, 7+ PG-13, 1p, 105', bolts & gear.
BB1. HMS, 9+, 1p, 100', bolts.
BB2. Red Venus, 6 PG-13, 1p, 100', bolts.

29 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Whale

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 42
● Tempest Toast
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 33
● Aborigine
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 46
● Whale Rider
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 39
● The Good Stuff
Sport
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 38
● Blow Tube Envy
Sport
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 29
● Undulating Dingo
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 49
● Finnacle
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 45
● Bound in Blood
Sport
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 46
● The Captain
Sport
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 21
● Just Happens
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 45
● Aphrodite
Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 40
● Mister MIA
Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 30
● First Mate
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 39
● Among the Stars
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 27
● Gomers in Blue Shirts
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Tempest Toast
 42
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● Aborigine
 33
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● Whale Rider
 46
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● The Good Stuff
 39
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● Blow Tube Envy
 38
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● Undulating Dingo
 29
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Sport
● Finnacle
 49
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Bound in Blood
 45
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● The Captain
 46
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
● Just Happens
 21
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
● Aphrodite
 45
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Mister MIA
 40
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
● First Mate
 30
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
● Among the Stars
 39
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Gomers in Blue Shirts
 27
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
More Classic Climbs in The Whale »

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Photos

Quarry Wall, The Whale, Whale's Tail, Never End Slab, and Solar Slab.
Quarry Wall, The Whale, Whale's Tail, Never End…
 5
The Whale.
The Whale.
 1
The Whale, Whale's Tail, Solar Slab, and Quarry Wall via Google Earth.
The Whale, Whale's Tail, Solar Slab, and Quarry…
 2
Among the Stars.
Among the Stars.
 1
Every other route getting sent. A wonderful day at RRCOS.
Every other route getting sent. A wonderful day…
 0
Gabby starts her first ever rappel.
Gabby starts her first ever rappel.
 0
Late afternoon on the Whale.
Late afternoon on the Whale.
 0
The Whale, Solar Slab, and Quarry (far left).
The Whale, Solar Slab, and Quarry (far left).
 0
View from the top of the Whale, looking south past the Top Rope Wall to the Cave (center of photo).
View from the top of the Whale, looking south p…
 0
Another gorgeous day on the Whale.
Another gorgeous day on the Whale.
 0

10 Comments

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Nathan Hoobler
Nathan Hoobler  
While exploring the Whale last night, we climbed a route between The Thin Line and Esse Curve. Four bolts and felt 5.9+ ish. It doesn't seem to be in the RRCOS climbing book (at least not my first edition).

Is this a new route or am I directionally challenged? FWIW, the route was fun. A challenge for me, though probably easy for most. May 21, 2009
Stewart M. Green
Stewart M. Green  
Yep. It's sort of a new route. We put that one up back in January. Unnamed and unrated. Look around for the other new ones. We've been keeping them off the radar for now because there will still be a few more to go up...trying to get a little more adventure at ole Red Rock Canyon. May 26, 2009
Ryan Sanders
C Springs
Ryan Sanders   C Springs
And we appreciate it, Stewart.

Our favorite so far is what Tom is calling Outer Reach (to keep the nautical theme). May 26, 2009
Andrew Keet
Andrew Keet  
Great Post! Very informative and a great read. I saw this site during my browsing and think it may be relevant whales.org.za .Keep up the great posts! Jun 17, 2009
Nathan Hoobler
Nathan Hoobler  
I think we might have climbed Outer Reach tonight. It was a touch loose down low, but had some cool moves up a double overlap toward the top. Seven bolts, I believe. Always fun to discover a new route where there wasn't one before. Jul 7, 2009
Dan Petty
Wheat Ridge, CO
Dan Petty   Wheat Ridge, CO
Lat/long: 38.846075, -104.88238. Nov 11, 2010
Mark D
Lakewood, CO
Mark D   Lakewood, CO
We hiked around for 45 minutes looking for this place not realizing we were on the opposite side the climbs are on. Park in the far SE lot and hike up the Red Rock trail for about 10 minutes. The Whale will be on the right shortly after the pond. Dec 4, 2013
Patrick Yarbrough
Colorado Springs, CO
Patrick Yarbrough   Colorado Springs, CO
Most of the climbs around here really benefit from using long slings or a long cordalette for an anchor to reduce rope drag at the top. Aug 25, 2014
Patrick Yarbrough
Colorado Springs, CO
Patrick Yarbrough   Colorado Springs, CO
Here's a nice challenge: lead all of the routes on The Whale in a day. I did all of them except three, which were occupied by other parties (I also don't really count the top rope on Never Ever Slab), but I made up for it by climbing the three routes on The Whale's Tail. Jul 31, 2015
Stewart M. Green
Stewart M. Green  
Climbing all the routes on The Whale is called a Whale Cap Day, since the vertical gain is about the same as climbing the Nose of El Cap in Yosemite or about 3,000 feet. Every route has to be led, and every pitch has to be seconded, so it's good to either swing leads or do them in blocks. We've always done it starting at the Whale's Tail at the north end and working south to Happy Ending. Brian Shelton and I did it in 3 hours and 45 minutes a few years back. Logan Berndt has also done it in sub-4 hours. Aug 1, 2015

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