Fast and Easy Solos in the Flatirons (or eslewhere) - DEN to DEN in 5 hours

I know this is going to be weather and crowd dependent so please bear with me.  I have plenty of soloing experience, but mostly single pitch stuff, and the only route ive soloed in the flats is freeway. I don't think it took us more than a couple of hours but I don't honestly remember. The group I was with had never soloed before.

I land in Denver at 12:30 pm on July 4th, then don't have anything to do until I pick my buddy up back at DEN at 6:30 pm. I'll be renting a car.  I was wondering if it would be possible to make it to the flatirons (or other suggestions) and do a quick solo in time to make it back to the airport for my buddy's arrival. Google is telling me it is a 45 min. drive from the airport to the flatirons, and I know some of the approaches can take time.

I'm looking for stuff in the 5.4 range or below. Easy descents are a plus. Easy route finding is a plus.  Bushwhacking is fine.  My partner for this trip will not climb trad or multipitch, so I figured I'd try to knock out something at least a little tall off while I had the chance.  Thanks

According to this site it’s 5.6 (what’s the actual difference between 5.4 and 5.6?) but East Face Direct on the First Flatiron would be a good one. Relatively short approach, easy climbing, easy route finding- just go up. The downclimb/downscramble is simple too. I bet you could get it done in that time pretty handily.

Take a look also at Baker's Way on the First (no walkoff). Time wise it will be tight, especially with 4th of July traffic. Probably best to take the E-470 tollway. Park at the Chautauqua Park Ranger Cottage. The approach will be maybe 30 minutes.

TJ Brannen wrote: According to this site it’s 5.6 (what’s the actual difference between 5.4 and 5.6?) but East Face Direct on the First Flatiron would be a good one. Relatively short approach, easy climbing, easy route finding- just go up. The downclimb/downscramble is simple too. I bet you could get it done in that time pretty handily.

The first friction pitch on that climb always felt like a sketchy solo to me.  Granted, it's pretty close to a solo if you do it with a rope and gear.  

For the first, I'd highly recommend Fandango https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105748508/fandango is you want to keep the sketchiness down.
I'd also either suggest climbing with a harness and light rope to rap, or going with someone who can show you the downclimb the first time. 

JD Borgeson wrote:

Word, thanks.  I was reading about that one and seems to be mostly 5.4ish with just a few 5.6 moves, which is no problem.  I was also reading about the north ridge, maybe even linking the first flatironette with the north ridge of the first. same downclimb/scramble?

IMHO, the face is better than the ridge, but I’ve never tried the linkup. anything that puts you on the summit block of the first is going to be an easy descent.

+1 to the N Arete on the First Flatiron if you're comfortable doing an exposed downclimb descent (or rap).

Christian Mason wrote:

The first friction pitch on that climb always felt like a sketchy solo to me.  Granted, it's pretty close to a solo if you do it with a rope and gear.  

For the first, I'd highly recommend Fandango https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105748508/fandango is you want to keep the sketchiness down.
I'd also either suggest climbing with a harness and light rope to rap, or going with someone who can show you the downclimb the first time. 

Yeah im not against bringing a rope.  an easy downclimb would be best, but since time is an issue it's probably better to rap.  I'll check it out.

yeah, I've seen a few people in over their heads on the first.

I first did it as an onsite solo, and it was definitely more heads up than I anticipated. Definitely a little more than "a few moves of 5.6 on a 5.4 climb" makes it sound like it is.

Also, it may be crowded on the 4th. And in my opinion, soloing the first sucks when there's crowds. Roped climbers aren't always psyched to have soloists around on the 1st. And it can be a shit show up there sometimes. Just a thought. 

Regency to Royal Arch to Buckets linkup

BillS wrote:

The Direct East Face on the First is actually a considerably more serious undertaking to onsight solo than I would accept as a recommendation from someone with such a weak ticklist.  Guys do it in running shoes - on their 100th lap - but for the rest it's a serious roped climb or a heads-up long and sustained solo in climbing shoes and it probably isn't their first time in the flatirons.  This route has claimed a few lives in recent years of guys exactly like the OP - out of town, unfamiliar, and way underestimated it.  If 300' of sustained no handholds old school 5.6 friction seems EZ to you along with the near certainty that you won't find a line as easy as 5.6 on your first try - it's up to about 5.9 in that neighborhood - then by all means - enjoy.  Otherwise - consider the Freeway. 

Also - 6 hours RT from the airport including getting a rental car, shuttles, 4th of July traffic, Chautauqua parking, crowds, lots of route finding, etc - not going to happen anyway...

Thanks for the honesty.  I was not considering the direct east face for all the reasons you mentioned until the one commenter suggested it. still, after reading the comments and such, it doesn't seem like a good idea.  I've already done freeway and was looking for something that felt a little more like rock climbing, but I remember the approach being a bit long.

"Regency to Royal Arch to Buckets linkup"

^^^ +1 for this, my favotite solo in the flatirons. 

You can easily throw Hammerhead into that Regency linkup too, which is super fun and unique.

Carry a rope and solo the third from the east bench, about 800'.  If you pick and choose your line it is probably 5.4 tops, I never really wanted to solo the blank section by the U (although leading it is super run out also...)  You could probably do it car to car in 2-3 hours or less.  off the back, 2 short raps, and one long one IIRC.  

Third is closed for raptor nesting through July.

Keep in mind parking is probably going to be a nightmare 

Thanks the the advice so far everyone! Thought I would throw out there that I'm down for simulclimbing with someone available as well. Just the weird time constraints I guess is why I didn't think of that earlier.

I would not recommend the Direct East Face or Fandango, unless you veer off Fandango to Baker's Way. Route finding onsight easily leads to harder stuff.

Check out:
-the Spy to the First's North Arete
-Regency to Royal Arch to 5th Flatiron or Hammerhead. Note 5th downclimb is a little tricky.
-Stairway to Heaven. The 5.4 move can be a little tricky stepping left but the rest is cruiser.  

All of those (or portions of them) are doable in your time limit and open.  The first option is the most straightforward, provided you rappel the First. The downclimb is easy but quite exciting without knowing it well.

Lots of good ideas and routes.
1st, 2nd, Flatironette, Spy, and all the others.

Make friend ride bus ($9). Have more time.
Pick up friend at TableMesa Park&Ride in Boulder.

BillS wrote:

The Direct East Face on the First is actually a considerably more serious undertaking to onsight solo than I would accept as a recommendation from someone with such a weak ticklist.  Guys do it in running shoes - on their 100th lap - but for the rest it's a serious roped climb or a heads-up long and sustained solo in climbing shoes and it probably isn't their first time in the flatirons.  This route has claimed a few lives in recent years of guys exactly like the OP - out of town, unfamiliar, and way underestimated it.  If 300' of sustained no handholds old school 5.6 friction seems EZ to you along with the near certainty that you won't find a line as easy as 5.6 on your first try - it's up to about 5.9 in that neighborhood - then by all means - enjoy.  Otherwise - consider the Freeway. 

Also - 6 hours RT from the airport including getting a rental car, shuttles, 4th of July traffic, Chautauqua parking, crowds, lots of route finding, etc - not going to happen anyway...

Been thinking about this and wanted to say I feel kinda bad for offering some dodgy beta to OP- it wasn't my intent to mislead anybody or give a false impression of the route. I think I let some over-familiarity (over-confidence?) cloud my advice, and I'm glad some folks were there to correct me. Sorry to OP, and hope I didn't come off some sorta spraylord or idiot or something! Now I just have resist temptation to defend my ticklist haha. Hope y'all have a good weekend!