Type: | Trad, 4 pitches, Grade II |
FA: | Steve Shea & Dick Jimmerson, 1968 |
Page Views: | 16,436 total · 56/month |
Shared By: | Charles Vernon on Dec 31, 2000 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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From the Denver Post 7/21/24: some of the raptor closures have been lifted, officials announced.
Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.
Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.
Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.
Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.
Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Description
This is a route with a couple of superb corners but also some rather questionable sections. Hike around to the east of the 100 foot high flatiron that leans against the face. Backflip begins in the long, clean right-facing flake near the narrow gully which separates the main rock from the Bookmark Pinnacle.
P1. Climb the 5.8 flake with excellent liebacks and hand-jams, and belay at its top.
P2. Ascend an easy corner on the left to a long ledge.
P3. Take the right of two clean, thin dihedrals (the other being Romulan Territority). After 30 or so feet, undercling out right where it turns into a roof. Belay on easier ground at some flakes. (5.8) Variations: 1) turn the 5.9 roof capping the dihedral, belay, and then continue in a crack to the end of Romulan Territority; 2) after the undercling, continue up an attractive looking but very thin 5.9 dihedral, and arrange a belay at its top.
P4. Climb up and right, then back left to a broken area, and continue to easy ground and the eastern descent, 5.8 or so, but a much lower quality pitch. Variation: directly above the belay is a 5.9 seam that apparently was the original line of the route. There is no longer a pin in this seam but according to the comments below, it protects reasonably with micro gear.
P1. Climb the 5.8 flake with excellent liebacks and hand-jams, and belay at its top.
P2. Ascend an easy corner on the left to a long ledge.
P3. Take the right of two clean, thin dihedrals (the other being Romulan Territority). After 30 or so feet, undercling out right where it turns into a roof. Belay on easier ground at some flakes. (5.8) Variations: 1) turn the 5.9 roof capping the dihedral, belay, and then continue in a crack to the end of Romulan Territority; 2) after the undercling, continue up an attractive looking but very thin 5.9 dihedral, and arrange a belay at its top.
P4. Climb up and right, then back left to a broken area, and continue to easy ground and the eastern descent, 5.8 or so, but a much lower quality pitch. Variation: directly above the belay is a 5.9 seam that apparently was the original line of the route. There is no longer a pin in this seam but according to the comments below, it protects reasonably with micro gear.
Descent
Eds. You can go right down and around Bookmark Pinnacle. There are 1-2 raps that can be used (one is off a huge tree).
Eds. Apparently, a new descent has been added (caveat emptor): First, rappel to the east off the slings around the big block. Then, used the rappel station at the bottom of this first rappel to rappel south (not east!) into the bushy gully (Dont stop at an old intermediate station with ratty slings in this gully, but continue to a level stance. Then, traverse L (west) for about 15 feet on the Bookmark face, where a rappel station around some large flakes using 5.5 mm cord and a steel rappel ring. From here, rappel to the bolts atop p1 and from there to the ground, which landed us exactly at our packs. 60m rope recommended.
Eds. Apparently, a new descent has been added (caveat emptor): First, rappel to the east off the slings around the big block. Then, used the rappel station at the bottom of this first rappel to rappel south (not east!) into the bushy gully (Dont stop at an old intermediate station with ratty slings in this gully, but continue to a level stance. Then, traverse L (west) for about 15 feet on the Bookmark face, where a rappel station around some large flakes using 5.5 mm cord and a steel rappel ring. From here, rappel to the bolts atop p1 and from there to the ground, which landed us exactly at our packs. 60m rope recommended.
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