Eldorado Canyon

What routes are a must for an eldo noob to put on there tick list. I started with Swanson's Arete but what are the must climbs for a moderate leader?

If you've started with Swansons Arete, then you must do:
Wind Ridge (one of best leads of its grade in the country)
Bastille Crack
Maiden north Face (just fur the rappel)
Rewritten

Lower and Upper Ruper, Long John Wall (watch out for the poison ivy) and Touch and Go would be my picks for "Must Do" climbs.

If after doing the routes that Tom listed, and you're feeling pretty solid leading the grade in Eldo, go scare yourself on Calypso. Scariest 5.6 I've ever climbed. It's fun, but don't fall on the crux traverse. :)

If you happen to be on the West Ridge, go do Mesca-line and Dandi-line. Both are pretty good. Once you feel good about leading 5.9 (more like 8+), climb Sister Morphine (in the same area as Dandi and Mesca.) It's almost as fun as heroin. ;)

Icarus is probably the best 5.6 in the universe, if you like exposed aretes. It shares the same exposed final pitch as the infamous Yellow Spur. You'll feel like a boy melting his wings in flight from the airy arete up there!

GAMBIT! there is only 1 5.8 move on this, but every other move is well-protected 5.7. this route is better than rewritten (imo) and an absolute must-do. reggae is not to be missed as well. great winter route. of course you have to do the bastille crack, but save it for a time when there isn't a crowd. go play on cadillac crag as well. there are stellar 5.8's there (gonza, v3 for example). long john wall, sooberb minus the last pitch), washington irving, rush buick.... and when you are feeling strong you absolutely must climb the yellow spur!

Go take a look at the list of "Routes people die on" at the bathroom by the entrance. Do all of those.

Depends what you consider moderate. Nobody mentioned Werk's Up (5.8+) Which I think you'd be OK on if you had the nerves for Upper Ruper (5.8-, S). So what leel are you comfortable with and what leel are you comfortable running it out on?

timt is right, Gambit is an excellent climb. Run pitches 2 and 3 together so nobody has to hang out on the pigeon shelf.

I hate to say it, but in a popular place like Eldo, the popular routes tend to be popular for a reason (combination of good pro and climbing). If you use the sorting feature on this website, you'll get lots of good suggestions including what others mentioned.
Let me add Great Zot as a great moderate that hasn't been mentioned yet (but I don't get any creativity points--it's a very well traveled route). First pitch of Great Zot as an alternative to first pitch of Rewritten even if you do upper Rewritten--probably gets you the best pro and best climbing on those routes.

Re Calypso: I'm not sure why it was the scariest 5.6 for one of the above posters, but I've been much more scared on runout 5.6 than on Calypso, which is NOT run out if you have the right gear and know how to use it. But Calypso has claimed victims and don't underestimate it, and I agree that safely protecting the traverse is not trivial for a novice leader. My vote for scary moderate: "business" pitch (not the top) on Anthill Direct.

Rewritten, Gambit, and Bastille Crack are all great recommendations. I'd advise staying away from upper Ruper until you've ticked those, and definitely give Touch and Go a wide birth until you're solid+ at sandbagged 8's and standard 9's. Just my opinion. Either push the grade or push the risk, but don't do both.

Have Fun VolklKarma! IMHO: The Bastille Crack is THE quintessential Eldorado must!

pfwein wrote:Re Calypso: I'm not sure why it was the scariest 5.6 for one of the above posters, but I've been much more scared on runout 5.6 than on Calypso, which is NOT run out if you have the right gear and know how to use it. But Calypso has claimed victims and don't underestimate it, and I agree that safely protecting the traverse is not trivial for a novice leader. My vote for scary moderate: "business" pitch (not the top) on Anthill Direct.

That was me; please allow me a moment to qualify my statement. I've led 5.6 X/R climbs, where truly "the leader must not fall." Today even, I just led the runout business pitch you mentioned on Anthill Direct. Still, Calypso holds the record for the scariest 5.6 I have climbed.

When I climb something that has very little (or no) pro, I know what to expect. Calypso, however, is not run out. The traverse is--like you said--not trivial to protect, and even with pro in to protect the traverse, I was nervous about it.

That said, it is a great climb; well worth doing, and for someone solid at 5.8 in Eldo, it shouldn't pose a problem. As always, be careful!

Cheers,
JC

The Mountaineers route on Shirttail is a great route with an incredible view.

For what itis worth, Calypso is one of two climbs in Eldo that I have cleaned human remains from.

I dono about scariest 5.6, but for me, the traverse isn't even the worst of it. Does anyone else finish the traverse, get to the little stance out right, and scan the next 10' or so of gear-unfriendly corner, and think "Now what?"

Gimme brute problems like the crack on Blind Faith or the crimps on lotsa' 9's-10's any day.

Shawn, Yes, I agree with your description of the "trouble" on Calypso. It's really not the traverse itself, but what comes next. Definitely anyone who wants to be safe in the event of a fall should make sure to place pro through the traverse and then as soon thereafter as possible.

V3, The Bulge, Knights Move, Verschneidung, Mesca-Line, Mr. Natural.

"I dono about scariest 5.6, but for me, the traverse isn't even the worst of it. Does anyone else finish the traverse, get to the little stance out right, and scan the next 10' or so of gear-unfriendly corner, and think "Now what?"

Oh yeah -

The Bulge is VERY out of character with the rest of the routes mentioned above and, unlike Calypso, is an example of a climb which has "leader must not fall" terrain no matter how good you are at placing gear. It's a great climb, but the leader has to accept that not falling is a critical party of the protection system on parts of the climb.

Bastille Crack

-Wind Tower
Wind Ridge (skip the 3rd pitch)
Tigger
Calypso into Reagae (2 moves of well protected 5.8 layback)

-S. Buttress of Redguarden
The Bulge
Touch n go into Anthill Direct

-Redgarden
Rewritten (be sure to finish on Rebuffat's Arete!!!)
yellow spur

West Ridge area-
Vershnidung
Knights Move
Emerald City

And i swear I'm never reading all the comments on climbs from mountain project again, or at least not really paying much attention to them. I've always been all psyched out from people saying things are so hard and so heady, and then I get to the move with great fear and trepidation, pull it, and its frickin easy.

Take the traverse on Calypso for instance. If you look at it for 10 seconds and figure out where your target foot is at the end of it, its 2 moves to a no effort rest. Plenty of places in there to slam in good sized cams too. Seriously, don't let these people psych you out.

For the bulge however, both the leader and the follower should be pretty solid at 5.6. It IS 5.6 climbing, but it certainly keeps your attention the whole time with the traverses and runouts. Was one of my most memorable (in a good way!) climbing days so far.

Thanks for all the good input, I now have a great tick list, all I need now is for the weather and partners to coincide with my days off. Speaking of witch anyone out there interested in climbing these moderate routes during the weekdays?