PRINT: Rock Climb Cobble Wobble, Denver South

Cobble Wobble

5.11a, Sport,

Avg: 2.9 from 63 votes
FA: Scott Sills, 1994
Colorado > Denver South > Castlewood Cany… > Wendell Spire

Access Issue: Historical seasonal raptor closures with 2023 updates Details

Per Castlewood Canyon: there is a new closure for nesting raptors this year: Five and Dime will be closed March 1st through July 31st. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, Rachel Chaffee (Park Ranger) at dnr_castlewood.canyon@state.co.us or by phone at 303-688-5242.

Per Garrett Garner-Wells:

the current raptor closures, announced by CPW and reported on Denver7:

The following climbing route closures are currently in place:

- Morning Sun Wall is closed March 1-July 31.
- Porky’s Wall is closed March 1 - July 31.
- Vultures Wall is closed March 1-July 31. (per Rachel, CCSP Ranger, dnr_castlewood.canyon@state.co.use or 303-688-5242)
- Shakespearean Theater is closed March 1-May 31.
- Mind Meld is closed March 1-May 31.

As of 2020:

There is a very new and active nest of owls midway up the cliff at the north end of the Neanderthal Wall between Cro-Mag and Up The Red. There is no active nest around the south end of Neanderthal Wall.

As of June, 2017:

The 3 toprope routes at the far south end of Neanderthal Wall (far north end of Allied Wall) have a nesting pair of Snowy Owls. Please stay off these routes until further notice. The park has been notified and hopefully some signage will be put up. The route Rock Rat is included.

As of March 7, 2012:

Shakespearean Theater - restricted March, April, May.
Mind Meld - restricted March, April, May.
Porky's Wall - restricted March, April, May, June, through July 31.
Vulture Wall - restricted March, April, May.
Morning Sun Wall - restricted March, April, May, June, July.

Description

Cobble Wobble is one of the earliest and finest routes put in at the Wendell Spire area. It starts just about where the trail meets the wall. It is the left of two obvious face climbs both immediately left of the shallow 5.6 bolted ramp.

The ramp starts about 10 feet right and uphill. Deceptively harder than it looks, Cobble Wobble ascends largely excellent cobbles, mostly very small. A crux between bolts 2 and 3 leads to very continuous pebble pinching right up to the last bolt. A second crux between the last bolt and the anchor gives the coup de grace for the finger pump. Don't be shy; a hang on the last bolt is now considered a general courtesy to those of us who run out of juice at the last bolt.

Cobble Wobble is another beautiful Scott Sills line. It is worth three stars by CWC standards, but it's CWC, and nothing gets three stars. This ain't Devil's Head after all!!!

Protection

QDs only. Bring 7-8 QDs and something for the double bolt anchor at the top. This line is approximately 50 feet long.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Justin on the sustained middle portion.

Al nearing the top of Cobble Wobble, Jan. 2009.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Darin Lang

5.11a

A great, pumpy route, but a bit harder than 10c IMO. Tom's guidebook lists it as 11a, which seemed about right to me. Then again, perhaps it was just the sustained nature of the climbing that made it feel harder ... Out of a sense of duty, and as a courtesy to all those who preceded me, I hung on the last bolt .... May 5, 2002

Ryan Brough
Orem, UT

5.11a

This climb is has twice as many bolts as its neighbor, Icerigger, but it is more difficult. Sep 12, 2008

Mike Lane
AnCapistan

5.11a

It's 5.10E. Apr 18, 2009

kallen300

There is a very large bee colony just to the left of the base of Cobble Wobble - be careful. Aug 5, 2016