Best 10+/11- Trad Routes on the Front Range

Hey MP!

I'll be back on the Front Range this summer & am looking to expand my horizons. What are your fave 10+/11- routes on the Front Range? I would like to avoid scary run-outs (though if they're on easier terrain, that's a'ight), as I'm kinda new to this grade.

Thanks dudes.

So many... But one I did recently that has stuck with me is Kloof in Eldo. Memorable climb with good pump factor and clean falls.

People obsess over grades too much. Why does it specifically need to be that grade? 10+/11-? Super open to interpretation. Most people chase grades just to tell people theyve climbed 11 trad or whatever. Get over it you know?

Pick an aesthetic feature and get psyched on that. Pick an amazing partner and get stoked with them. Those are better and more lasting accomplishments.

Okay off my soap box. Go to mountain projects front page.
Scroll down to the map of the US area.
Select Colorado.
Scroll down to the "Classic Climbing Routes in Colorado"
Select "Browse More Rock Climbing Classics in Colorado"
Change the sort menu to trad.
Theres the consensus with no forum arguments.

Short cut, here mountainproject.com/scripts…

You can filter this to more specific areas other than just Colorado.

Eldo:
Vertigo
Parallels
Center Route

Parallels has a potential long, but safe fall through the crux.

In Eldorado:

C'est La Vie
Vertigo
Grand Course
Grand Mothers Challenge
Suparete
Disappearing Act
Genesis (1st pitch)

Lumpy Ridge:

Fat City
Howling in the Wind

RMNP:

Days of Heaven

Boulder Canyon:

Left Wing
What's Up
Athlete's Feat

Rad, thanks for the advice, ya'll! Tombo, I'm especially psyched about C'est La Vie - I was eyeing it last year & it looks like a lovely route. I'll check out those routes at Lumpy, and BoCan too. Cotopaxi - Kloof looks like great fun. VRP - those all look like fun routes, I remember a friend recommending Vertigo - as a first Eldo 11.

Grog - to speak to your point: I agree - getting wrapped up in grades is ridiculous. But it is a way (albeit a faulty way) to measure progress. Typically, I'm not much of a number chaser, but I am getting stronger & want to push myself. However, I don't particularly want to climb a chossy/run-out climb that is at my limit. I was simply trying to crowdsource advice - when I wasn't finding what I was looking for scrolling through pages on MP.

grog m wrote:People obsess over grades too much. Why does it specifically need to be that grade? 10+/11-? Super open to interpretation. Most people chase grades just to tell people theyve climbed 11 trad or whatever. Get over it you know? Pick an aesthetic feature and get psyched on that. Pick an amazing partner and get stoked with them. Those are better and more lasting accomplishments. Okay off my soap box. Go to mountain projects front page. Scroll down to the map of the US area. Select Colorado. Scroll down to the "Classic Climbing Routes in Colorado" Select "Browse More Rock Climbing Classics in Colorado" Change the sort menu to trad. Theres the consensus with no forum arguments. Short cut, here mountainproject.com/scripts… You can filter this to more specific areas other than just Colorado.

Ah yes, the internet. Stella, who is presumably looking to progress in her climbing, asks locals about climbs for a grade range new to her (at least on gear). She must be "chasing grades", because La Sportiva definitely starts handing out free shoes for 11- trad. She should get psyched on "a feature", and climb the same 5.8 circuit that 80% of Eldo climbers do. That will stoke the flames for years! I'm with you Stella, use grades as a way to assess your progress and continue to challenge yourself.

Turkey rocks:
Vanishing Point 10+
Great White Crime 11-
Whimsical Dreams 11-
Drumstick Direct 10+

When I was in shape last fall I was in sortof the same place with my climbing -- hoping to break into 11- on gear and looking for routes around Boulder. I found "Point Break" to be an excellent and super well protected route in this grade range, the first crux pitch being 10+ and the second being 11- but protected by bolts. Great climbing and a challenging quintessential Eldo pitch at 10+ with small pro and weird sequences.

As for Athlete's Feat, I got my ass kicked big time trying to onsight the 5.10 pitches haha. I actually did pretty well on the first pitch but it was definitely not 5.11-. Go for it though it's so aesthetic!

Jeff - Agreed on Athlete's Feat in fact pretty much everything on Castle Rock is full value plus in my mind.

Stella - If you do Ces't Le Vie RP's are mandatory to protect the crux unless the here again, gone again pins are back.

Turkey Rocks is one of the best places to push your limits...the gear placements are abundant and excellent. You should also put Scorpio Crack on your list.

Hi StellaBea,

I think TOMBO's suggestions are spot on! Every route listed is great IMHO. For me, having a goal was always more fun. Say...The Naked Edge(!). The Edge is among my all time favorite routes and with modern gear is not as heady as it once was. If you are working through TOMBO's list, having fun, and filling in with other classics, a route like the Edge is totally doable.

Just my .02...welcome back and have a fun season!

Scott

Eldo is stacked with 10+/11- climbs! Here are some of my favorites. All have pretty good/good gear.
Center Route
Rincon and finish on Bat's Ass Dihedral
Point Break
Zip Code
Practice Wall (a combo of Practice Climb 101 and Sidewall)
Land of Ra
Disappearing Act

Oh yeah, and don't forget the East Ridge on the Maiden! Roughly 10c and a spectacular summit and rappel!

andrew.reed wrote:Turkey rocks: Vanishing Point 10+ Great White Crime 11- Whimsical Dreams 11- Drumstick Direct 10+

+1 to this list and to Turkey in general. Turkey is a very friendly place for pushing your physical limits (strenuous climbing, good pro, solid rock, clean falls). There is also a good selection in the 10+/11- range. Definitely worth the extra bit of driving. The one downside is that the main walls at Turkey face south and can be quite hot in the summer.

This is great, ya'll are so helpful. +1 for crowdsourcing knowledge. Evan - you're spot-on, thanks for that. I give 0 f**** about how hard others think I climb/how hard I climb compared to others - I just wanna have fun, & know I'm making progress/getting closer to realizing my bigger goals (and know when I'm ready for them, too).

Andrew, Turkey Rocks is where I learned how to climb & I plan to get on Vanishing Point soon - Great White Crime intimidates me, but I gotta buck up & get on it. Jeff, thanks for heads on Point Break - and I've never been up to Castle Rock - I'll check out Athlete's Feat for sure. Tombo - good heads on the C'est La Vie pin - as of last summer, I had heard it was gone. Gruff - Scorpio Crack looks steep; True Religion up Rampart looks sick, too. Scott - I would love to be ready for the Edge - but I have a healthy respect for that beautiful line. When I climb it, I intend to send it in good style. Indeed, my goals are what keep me training. ;)

Pervertical Sanctuary on Long's East Face is pretty great and some would argue it is both 5.10+ and 5.11-. However, getting to that route is a bit more complicated than, say, Center Route.

Momentum Operator is a great 5.11- at Broken Rock in BoCan

Andy Hansen wrote:Pervertical Sanctuary on Long's East Face is pretty great and some would argue it is both 5.10+ and 5.11-. However, getting to that route is a bit more complicated than, say, Center Route.

Weather depending, I plan to climb that route this summer. All climbing is training for alpine climbing.

It may be pushing the grade a bit at 11c, but Country Club Crack at Castle Rock was my favorite trad project so far. The 11c crux start is protected by two bolts, then the rest is easy to sew up and it's all super safe.

Have fun there's so many good ones.

New to the grade and wants good gear...
That DQ's about 1/2 of the suggestions made, I figure.

So I'm thinking of a few routes here that have great gear at the level specified, and not terribly sustained or tweaky:

In Eldo, Grandmother's Challenge at 10c, Art's Spar at 10d/11a, Land Of Ra at 11a (with some space between placements on easier territory) Practice Wall at 11a.