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Three Rings for the Elven Kings

5.9, Trad, 150 ft (45 m),  Avg: 3.7 from 50 votes
FA: Pete DeLannoy, Paul Muehl, and John Page, 1983
S Dakota > Custer SP > Sylvan Lake > Middle Earth > Erebor

Description

A fantastically aesthetic line with a quick crux at about 15 feet and solid, wonderful to place PRO in the made to order crack that you will wish went on forever. The face above is also very fun and mildly runout, but it won't matter 'cuz you'll be flyin' from the experience! A must do!

Protection

One set of nuts, 0.5-2 Camalots, medium Aliens or similar. I believe a total of four bolts take you through the upper face to the top.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Base of Route
[Hide Photo] Base of Route
The tricky start of the route.
[Hide Photo] The tricky start of the route.
Ehren following up on Three Rings.
[Hide Photo] Ehren following up on Three Rings.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Kevin Fons
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Great route Nov 28, 2004
Anonymous Coward
[Hide Comment] Can someone post a photo? I'm pretty sure we found the route based on the location but only found bolts and gear low down. I remember stuffing a brass nut between a couple of crystals and otherwise running it out a long (long long like 90 feet long) ways. Never finding any top anchors, we left a sling.abq Jun 21, 2005
Tang
SD
[Hide Comment] 4 bolts, and you call it trad??? Feb 11, 2006
Brad Schildt
Boulder, CO
  5.9
[Hide Comment] 4 bolts on a 150' pitch, where pro is required for a majority of the climb is not a Sport climb. "Trad" is a fair label for this route, "Mixed" would be better. Mar 29, 2008
Cory Mettler
 
[Hide Comment] Had a little trouble find this route at first. The main trail veers toward the left, along the end of the Erebor fin, and then up the fourth gully (counting from the top of the main trail). The trail up this gully is the only wide, crushed rock trail in these gullies. Erebor is the on the left and is considerablly taller than the features on either side. There is a HUGE pick quartz in the middle of the path at the opposite entrance to this gully.

The route follows a beautful crack that starts 10 feet up. Good gear placement the entire way leads to the bolted (4) face on top.
start of route




looking toward main trail from base of route


Looking toward route from main trail
Sep 5, 2012
R Walters
Sonora, CA
 
[Hide Comment] FA Pete DeLannoy, Paul Muehl, and John Page, 1983. Nov 14, 2014
Bob Rotert
Broomfield
 
[Hide Comment] We were able to get off this route with one 70 rope by rapping off right down into the gully. Climbers right. Then walked of from around the backside. Could probably easily down climb to front side from gully on right if you wanted. I think a 60 would also probably work to get down but didn’t verify that. Jul 28, 2021