Best long moderate in eldo?

I have a day to climb in eldo in November, currently looking to get one one of the long 5.7s or 5.8s. Does anyone have any recommendations between Rewritten, the Bastille Crack, Ruper, or gambit? Or any other suggestions

I haven't done Ruper or Gambit yet so I can't comment on those. The Bastille doesn't really get sun in the winter so I wouldn't suggest that unless we have hot-for-November temps. Rewritten gets plenty of sun. I've done it in January or February. There were small ice chunks coming off from above for the first two pitches and the crux of the Great Zot p1 start was icy enough that I bailed into Rewritten's p1.

Either Ruper or Gambit is your best bet. Ruper is harder, but the rewards are greater. Gambit is casual with a nice position on the final pitches. Take your pick.

Ruper > Alice in Bucketland is arguably the best 5.8 in the canyon.

I'd also recommend checking out Long John Wall for some varied 5.8 climbing

Marc Hwrote:

Ruper > Alice in Bucketland is arguably the best 5.8 in the canyon.

Agreed. That is the better upper pitches option.

Gambit for sure. Excellent position, protection, and movement that comes with a great summit. 

I've never understood the Ruper hype. Thrutchy climbing on the first half followed by a 5 minute hike to the second half of mediocre 5.7 climbing to "top out" at a saddle and just eventually hit your head on a tree branch. 

Rewritten or Gambit

Brian Carverwrote:

Gambit for sure. Excellent position, protection, and movement that comes with a great summit. 

I've never understood the Ruper hype. Thrutchy climbing on the first half followed by a 5 minute hike to the second half of mediocre 5.7 climbing to "top out" at a saddle and just eventually hit your head on a tree branch. 

Gambit has two ok pitches and the rest is choss. Don’t really understand why it’s so hyped up 

Ruper with the Rover (9+) variation is great if you don't want to get wide on p2. Heavy Weather is excellent if it's hot. My recommendation is Long John Wall with the Break on Through start. Then scramble the backside to Redgarden and climb Rewritten with the Great Zot start and the 5.8 arete variation. Then if you have time finish off with Wind Ridge.

Marc Hwrote:

Ruper > Alice in Bucketland is arguably the best 5.8 in the canyon.

Agreed. Alice has a few small roofs and a blind corner requiring a bit of faith making it more exciting and rewarding than others mentioned. Gambit is mediocre with one of the longest approaches in the canyon. 

Ruper to Alice or Long John. 

Ruper will be in the sun.

Long John will be in the shade.

After Ruper/Alice climb something on Wind Ridge. Do not stash gear at the base of slab to ruper not worth the time

After Long John rap down and do something on the same wall.

Hike to Gambit is not worth the time for someone out of town unless you have done other clasics.

Doctor Chosswrote:

Ruper with the Rover (9+) variation is great if you don't want to get wide on p2. Heavy Weather is excellent if it's hot. My recommendation is Long John Wall with the Break on Through start. Then scramble the backside to Redgarden and climb Rewritten with the Great Zot start and the 5.8 arete variation. Then if you have time finish off with Wind Ridge.

Would there be any easy way to do john long and then scramble to ruper, or would it be too out of the way? Ive only been out to eldo once and really just stuck on the wind ridge

John Goldmanwrote:

Would there be any easy way to do john long and then scramble to ruper, or would it be too out of the way?

It’s definitely doable. The trickiest part might be knowing the little shortcut to the start of Ruper. Going up the lower slab is shitty and would require a decent amount of (unnecessary) walking downhill.

John Goldmanwrote:

Would there be any easy way to do john long and then scramble to ruper, or would it be too out of the way? Ive only been out to eldo once and really just stuck on the wind ridge

Might even be better to do Ruper first, then take the vertigo raps down...then hike to Long John so that you can finish Ruper early before it gets too hot. Not a great climb in exposed heat imo. Wouldn't be super direct path back to West Ridge unless you scrambled up the backside and rapped into the Long John area...might be tough without knowing the area well and not a bad hike the long way.

Doctor Chosswrote:

hike to Long John so that you can finish Ruper early before it gets too hot. Not a great climb in exposed heat imo. 

Heat won’t be a problem in November.

Marc Hwrote:

Heat won’t be a problem in November.

Oops was thinking this was for the summer...yep we'll be chasing sun at that point.

John Goldmanwrote:

Would there be any easy way to do john long and then scramble to ruper, or would it be too out of the way? Ive only been out to eldo once and really just stuck on the wind ridge

Yes this is possible. You would start on Long John and then scramble off the top to the east. Be careful here. It’s not well traveled and has lots of loose Pineneedles and what not. No obvious path but it would put you pretty close to the scramble to Ruper that is right under Superette, easy fifth class right to the base of Ruper.  If you are quite fast and efficient at this grade it’s quite doable. But if you’re not familiar with Eldo and this is a challenging grade for you, this would be a long day. It is possible to bail after the first three pitches of Ruper by hiking up to the vertigo wraps and calling it a day if you don’t have time for Alice. But the first two pitches of Alice might some of the best climbing in this link up. It’s a bit run out after the first roof FYI. 

Greg Dwrote:

Yes this is possible. You would start on Long John and then scramble off the top to the east. Be careful here. It’s not well traveled and has lots of loose Pineneedles and what not. No obvious path but it would put you pretty close to the scramble to Ruper that is right under Superette, easy fifth class right to the base of Ruper.  If you are quite fast and efficient at this grade it’s quite doable. But if you’re not familiar with Eldo and this is a challenging grade for you, this would be a long day. It is possible to bail after the first three pictures of Ruper by hiking up to the vertigo wraps and calling it a day if you don’t have time for Alice. But the first two pitches of Alice might some of the best climbing in this link up. It’s a bit run out after the first roof FYI. 

That makes a lot of sense. I think we may do Long john into rewritten then. Would definitely rather get a bunch of pitches in below my limit rather than be slow on stuff closer to the limit. I’m used to red rocks or the gunks when 1 pitch on an entire route is 5.8, rather than every pitch 

Lots of great advice here (on this thread at least).

For me back in the early '70s when Ruper was the local epitome of a III 5.7, leading it was a breakthrough for me (as was returning and leading the Rover Dihedral which was made for my small hands).

I find Eldo to be a little slick and/or weird and prefer desert sandstone, but Ruper is an absolute dick wrenching mega classic. 

Layton was happy to hear that said, having been climbing less than 3 years before putting it up!

The Ruper traverse is amazing.