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Where is Aces High (Mt. Royal)

Original Post
Jason Eberhard · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 111

Trying to clear up where Aces High on Mt Royal is.  My climbing partner and I thought we did it this past weekend but there is conflicting info on different parts of the site for where exactly it is.  

We thought we were at the start when we arrived at this spot at the top of the scree field below the upper wall.  This matches the picture in the route description (which was disputed) and the coordinates given by another MP user.

Is this yellow line aces high?

I had some pictures along this and don't want to leave bad beta for other climbers.

Parker Wrozek · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 86

That picture is not at the base of the yellow line (aces high). It is well below that. After you get to the plaque you hike left to get to the location of that picture. You have one more pitch before you get to the talus (with a big snowfield right now) and then up to the aces high pitches. 

Jason Eberhard · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 111

I might have gotten my pictures out of order, but I thought the first picture was the top of the field.  Apparently someone else thought so too on the route description which confused me.  We definitely did aces high if its the yellow line.  Maybe both areas just look very similar.  Cheers

Parker Wrozek · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 86

That would be pretty crazy if they are very similar. You could be right.

aikibujin · · Castle Rock, CO · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 300
Jason Eberhard wrote:

Maybe both areas just look very similar.

I don’t think the starts of Aces High and the White Rib Pitch on Royal Flush are similar at all, but since you think you’ve climbed Aces High but still can’t tell the difference, maybe they are similar to some.

The GPS coordinates, the satellite photo, and the photo marked with the yellow line are all correct for Aces High. But the first picture you posted is the start of the White Rib Pitch. The picture you posted doesn’t sit on top of a HUGE talus field (you can’t miss this field), is pretty low angle, and the entire pitch is in view (the anchors are by the dead tree near the top of the rock). The start of Aces High is at the edge of the talus field, much steeper, you pull over a small bulge a couple of bolts up, and you can’t see the rest of the route above that bulge. I don’t know how anyone who has climbed Aces High can confuse the start with the White Rib Pitch, but I guess it can happen.

Jason Eberhard · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 111
aikibujin wrote:

I don’t think the starts of Aces High and the White Rib Pitch on Royal Flush are similar at all, but since you think you’ve climbed Aces High but still can’t tell the difference, maybe they are similar to some.

The GPS coordinates, the satellite photo, and the photo marked with the yellow line are all correct for Aces High. But the first picture you posted is the start of the White Rib Pitch. The picture you posted doesn’t sit on top of a HUGE talus field (you can’t miss this field), is pretty low angle, and the entire pitch is in view (the anchors are by the dead tree near the top of the rock). The start of Aces High is at the edge of the talus field, much steeper, you pull over a small bulge a couple of bolts up, and you can’t see the rest of the route above that bulge. I don’t know how anyone who has climbed Aces High can confuse the start with the White Rib Pitch, but I guess it can happen.

I agree you can't confuse the pitches; they're very different in difficulty.  I think having the other wrongly labeled picture in my mind might have swayed me.  My climbing partner confirmed the first pic was from before the talus field.  Aces high was the best lead I've had to date and the exposure feeling was awesome.  I wish I would have snapped a pic of the start.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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