Big Rock Candy Mountain

Looking for beta on the Doucette/Wiggins route 5.9. I'm not much of a slab climber and this is the only crack route that reaches the summit.

Hey man,

Two friends and I attempted this last summer. Lets just say that we got REALLY off route, and were 350 or so feet up a giant "Buick sized" chimney before we could go no further and realized that it just wouldn't go. I'm certain that no one has ever climbed that chimney, and I think it was meant to stay that way. There is actually a crazy story that goes along with this, but its too much to post here.

I can say, however, that on our way out we are pretty certain we found the correct start to the crack route. We didn't have enough time for a second try, but we climbed the first pitch of it just to see if we were right. Sure enough we made it to an obvious belay ledge, and could get a nice view of the center of The Big Rock, which showed us the cracks we were hoping for.

I know that you were probably looking for more information, but since this route doesn't see many ascents, It's better than nothing.

We took the Metberry Gulch approach which was a bit of a drive past Turkey Rocks. The road mandates decent ground clearance with your vehicle. A pickup truck would do fine, and you might be able to swing it with something like an Outback. It was rough though, so much that I thought I was going to hurl, seriously, twice. From here we rode mountain bikes past the Metberry gulch closure until we were at the base of the back of The Big Rock. We stashed the bikes and took a left onto a 4X4 road and did the rest on foot. We passed Big Rock on our right and then hiked across the base of it near the river until we were under some easy slabs. Total approach time was about 3 hours. We climbed up the slabs and into a gully which led us though some pines and eventually to the base of a gully. Climb up into this gully (JUST A LITTLE BIT) until you see a somewhat wide left angling crack. This is the start of the route. Climb this crack to the left, do a hand traverse, and exit onto a ledge where you can belay at a stout tree. From here it looks like you head under a boulder, and you start to make your way up on some easy ground with the cracks looming above you.

BTW - I think I ran into you at Skinner Mountain this past Sunday. We were in a green Saturn and going to climb the corner, you gave us some beta?

Thanks for the info. Will the usual South Platte rack will work? That was me at Skinner. How did you like the central corner?

I cant be 100% sure on the rack since we didn't get into all the cracks on the route. I will say though, that the route definitely looked like it had potential for offwidth on it. Your probably safe not brining items like micro-nuts, but I would make sure you bring some bigger gear. When we go next time, we are going to bring a bit of everything. We might even bring a bring a big bro or two.

As for the Corner, I think that is one of the best pitches I have climbed in the Platte yet. Good moves, exposure, pro, everything. I loved it. Are you familiar with any of the new bolted routes on the slab? Hubbel lists 3, but we counted at least 7.

Questions on the approach...

I did the approach from the west (crossing the river) a couple years ago and thought it sucked royally (probably 1:30 to 2:00 including routefinding errors and the river crossing) from the main road (the actual access road had been closed due to fires) to the base of BRCM.

Ever since then I've been wondering about the eastern approach. You say it was 3 hours all-in-all... is that from when you parked the car until reaching the crag, including the mountain biking?

How long do you reckon it would take completely on foot (from where you'd have to leave a high clearance vehicle and/or where you'd have to leave a low clearance vehicle)?

Does anyone know from which side (climber's left or right) it is easier to descend to the base of BRCM from the back?

Thanks!

Josh,

Yes... the 3 hours was total time from the truck to the base and it included the biking. I know it sounds nuts, and it was. I thought we actually rode pretty quickly too. However, our start was very early in complete darkness and we had heavy packs. Mike Anderson said he round trip'ped it in sub 3 hours, and I believe him, but he didn't have a pack and I think he had daylight also. He also didn't complete the hike to the base. That, and I think he is one fit bastard. The sandy shit that he mentioned surely slows you down though, and one of us actually hit some at the bottom of a hill and ate shit as a result.

After the long day at the rock and the hike up the hill to where we left the bikes (which was hellacious and nasty) the ride out was slow, exhausting, and time consuming. I cant remember how long it took us to ride out but we did push the bikes a fair bit and I'm sure at least at one point I was wishing for death. Take note though that I have a HORRIBLE habit of getting myself dehydrated and not eating enough.

If you were to try this thing on foot, I have no idea how long it would take. The bikes were a SIGNIFICANT advantage. I would almost say that they were necessary. It is completely possible to do this one foot but your problem will be time. No matter how fit you are or how fast you can hike, if you are planning on going car to car in a day you are in for a frickin' challenge. If I had to take a wild guess, from the Metberry Gulch closure to The Big Rock with pack would take between 4.5 to 5.5 hours.

As I said above, I think it is "possible" to reach the closure with a low clearance vehicle though you may tear your exhaust off getting there. Since it was completely pitch black and I was concentrating on fighting the urge to hurl, I have no idea where you would have stopped anyway. So, sorry but I cant comment on that.

-Mack

I think the approach from the west looks easier by foot or bike. You also get to look at the rock on the way down. I have not done either but I have driven down metberry before the fire and it seems to be a bit longer than corral creek from the west. I went about 3/4 of mile down corral creek last week by foot and the road is pretty smooth for mountain biking in. There will be a hard right to the south as you get down the hill, this would probably be a good place to stash the bikes and head to the river.
I'd still like to hear from someone who has climbed the Doucette/ Wiggens route.
Thanks

I have done both approaches over the last couple of years and think the western approach is definitely the way to go these days, As long as the river is not too high. When you follow the dirt road to the big right bend and go around the fence, you want to drop down to the north along a ridge to pick up a good horse trail that takes you down to the river. I cross right there, as it is at its widest.

I attempted to rope solo the Doucette-Wiggins last year, and think I was on route at least for the start. Here is what I remember. It starts way up the central gully, you will see a old fixed rope on the left, I continued up the right until I could work left along a ramp. Work up and under a huge flake/boulder to the obvious crack above. I remember this first pitch above the flake as being the hardest, and if I did it again I would bring a 4 Camalot. I only had a few cams and was definitely scared as you have to make a weird lieback over a bulge on a rotten flake(out 20 feet from my last piece). Above this I remember the crack ends, and I traversed/downclimbed left into a big left facing corner system. Stretch out the rope to a belay on top of a big grassy chockstone. Next pitch goes up loose easy ground and belays in the hanging forest. From here I believe the route continues up left to another headwall, but I traversed right around a small prow and took a few easier runout pitches to the summit. Honestly I do not know if I followed the route the whole way, I was just looking for the easiest way to the top. Probably give it 1 star for historical significance...I guess.

I would recommend instead looking at climbing "Petered Out" on the south side of the Gumdrop Spire, or the 5.7 direct start up the 45 degree chimney/block forming the left side of a cave on the far south ridge. The slab climbing up higher is pretty easy and the rock is a lot cleaner than the Doucette/Wiggins. If doing the 5.9 start definitely bring some big pieces.

For descending from the top I would not recommend circling Big Rock, as there is no trail and the terrain is burned out and slow going. Instead, after doing the rappels continue east over a small ridge and then head SE down a gully and back NE to a jeep road. Follow the road down to the South then West to the river then work your way back North along the river and a trail to where you crossed the river and hopefully left your extra gear. Best of luck, let me know how it goes!

We crossed the river (coming from the W) last week on a big debris pile (Luke!) right below the dome.

If you come down the trail as Kevin describes, hit the river and walk left/downstream/towards the rock for a couple hundred yard to the obvious constriction, which was choked up with logs. No 5.9, no rock shoes.

We descended as he rec'd via the jeep trail, which is easily spotted from the top. Easy and mindless, a good call.

THANKS KEVIN FOR YOUR REBOLTING WORK. WE HAD A GREAT TIME!

I've only done the eastern approach, 3 times now. Last year with my daughter we busted it out in about 1:30 and the walk out about the same. Chris's direction from the top are right on. On the second trip in I biked a fair ways untill I realised I didn't want to bike/hike it and left the bike and walked to the saddle between the top of BRCM and the hill side. That was purely a recon to see how things were after the fire. Again I didn't find it bad at all. I'm surprised to hear the comments on the western approach as I've always thought it looks like a lot more vert gain/loss.

Ok, after reading Jeff's post, I am either crazy or a fat out of shape lard ass. Total approach time 1.5 hours?! On FOOT?! Wow! It isn't that I don't believe you, its just that I cant see how it took us twice as long on bikes.

I really thought we were movin' man. We did have full packs, as Im sure you did too. It was cold, and completely dark. This could have slowed us down some but still, to make it in half our time on foot is amazing to me. Do you think it is possible that we took a wrong turn or something that increase our approach time/distance???

Obviously Jeff is a hardman, and you are on light duty!

I talked with the South Platte District Ranger today and he informed me that the Metberry RD (FS 205) on the east side of the river will be reopened sometime this summer. We can thank the 4x4 club Predator from Colorado Springs and Teller County. Predator will be doing most of the work. Teller county has an easement with the Forest Service that makes all this happen. The ranger did not have an actual date but thought that it would open mid to late summer. Is there anyone else out there with more route info on the Doucette/Wiggins?

1:30 sounds about right coming from the East, as it usually took me 1:10 to reach the saddle behind BRCM. The tough part about that approach is that it is uphill both ways, and pretty soft soil so biking sucks. Chris Mac, I am betting that you got off route on the approach, there is one spot where the road branches(Kinda) and in the dark I can imagine it taking a bit longer. Pretty wild being back there in the dark, I used to always crank my ipod when hiking out in the dark...guess I am still scared of the boogey man.
From the West you basically hike down a perfect road ( have no clue why it's closed) then descend a steep slope to the river. Takes about 1:00 to reach the river and about 1:15 to get back to the car. It will be awesome when they open up the Metberry Gulch road.

Christopher, I doubt that you are going to get any more beta on the Doucette/Wiggins, as the climb has probably only seen a few ascents in the last decade. It is serious adventure climbing up there. I remember being way run out on the first hard crack and having 2 Bomber planes come ripping down the canyon at my eye level. Almost soiled the shorts...Then there was the big boulder that came ripping past me as I was rappelling the next loose pitch. Then to top it off I thought I was going to be the first casualty to a pine needle avalanche in the hanging forest. Needless to say I exited stage right after that, soloing on Big Rock is always a humbling experience. I can say that the upper pitches that I avoided looked a lot cleaner and steeper than what I had climbed. Just go for it!

Thanks for the info Kevin, I think I will give it a go sometime this summer.

My first trip in there was via 4 whl dr before the fire. It was very rough but we did make it all the way to the saddle, where we parked, without to much fanfare. I suspect that the trip down to the river from there will be pretty much as it was then, which was steeper and more more hard core 4 wheeling than we were willing to do. However it still turned the whole outing into much more of a cragging type trip. In some ways its kind of a shame they are re-opening the road. that said I'll use it.....

We did Childhood's End last week which is great if you really like slab. We approached from the west, from the car to the river we were looking at about 1 hour. We waded the river upstream from the debris at the base. This might not be an option in another couple of weeks because we were waist deep as is. As for the descent, there is a rap station located on the north-east corner of BRCM. 2 single raps, or one double rope rap with 60m's will get you down, as from there we bush whacked through nasty burnt debris to the south back to the base. I recommend racking up at the river before the climb to save some time and effort. From the west mountain bikes would be could for the approach, but wouldn't help you much getting out of there. Round trip we went car to car in 12 hours, definitely took our time.