PRINT: Rock Climb Outlander, Lumpy Ridge

Outlander

5.10c, Trad, 2 pitches,

Avg: 3.4 from 119 votes
FA: Malcolm Daly?
Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Lumpy Ridge > Book > Pages Wall Area

Access Issue: Closure Notice Details

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Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24 Details

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.

Description

Outlander is a fantastic, steep 2-pitch route at the top of the Book, with varied climbing. Start with any of the 3 to 4 pitch routes that lead up to the Cave area. Most people do Cheap Date and then the final pitch of Outlander, but P1 of Outlander is comparable in quality to Cheap Date.

It is most expedient to belay on a ramp down and left from the Cave in a little alcove, with some blocks and loose flakes.

P1 - climb up into the prominent left-trending arch (the significant dihedral left of the Cave) above the ramp/alcove, using a short, funky 5.9 crack. Follow the arch, interesting 5.9, to a little alcove beneath a beautiful finger crack which rises out of a small roof. Climb that (sustained 5.10b) and belay on a low-angle slab.

P2 (5.10c) - go easily up the slab and mantle onto a platform beneath the final steep headwall. Hand traverse left into a pod (3.5 Friend helpful in the pod, to free up a good jam), rest, and finish up with thin hands and then fingers to the top of the Book.

Descend by scrambling down grooves, 4th class, to join the normal descent from the Cave area or take the long walk-off as described.

Protection

Standard rack; #3.5 Friend helpful on P2. Lots of small stuff for P1.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Erika on pitch 2 of Outlander.

Bill Roberts cruising Outlander, 1993.

The beautiful finger crack.

Bill settling into the onsight!!

Contemplating the crux on Outlander

Squatting in the pod. There is a bit of a kneebar there, and hand jams that, for some reason, were not as good as they looked. Sustained above this with a series of long reaches between finger jams…

Pulling up into the pod.

Pitch 1 of Outlander. The climber is on Cheap Date.

The start of pitch 1 of Outlander.

Just below the crux section of pitch 2 of Outlander.

ian boyer 2nd pitch of outlander

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Bryson Slothower
Portland, OR

Pitch 2 is pretty burly and called 10d in most guides. I'd agree, I found it to be super taxing on lead but I think since I had just followed Cheap Date, I had lie-backing on the brain and ended up missing a few good jams. Either way the gear is good and the moves are really fun, [good] way to finish any trip to this part of the Book. Aug 14, 2002

Nate Christiansen

The second pitch of outlander is most definitely 10d. There are a couple really precarious moves to some steep bomber finger locks but those whole thing is pretty sustained. Jun 27, 2003

Jeff G
Colorado

5.10d

The first pitch felt much harder than other 10b routes I've done at Lumpy. Way harder than Cheap Date, Visual Aids, or Romulan. Good pitch though. Nov 21, 2005

John Parnigoni
Golden, CO

5.10c PG13

No way the 2nd pitch is 10d. The holds and jams are too positive. The feet might suck in a few areas but I think 10c would be more accurate.

A great way to reach this climb is by taking Thindependence (10c) to the 10b traverse into J Crack (9). Then take the 5.2 crack to the left below the cave for a good belay. The link up is worthy of 1 million stars. Apr 23, 2006

Luke Clarke
Golden

Like a lot of people, the first time I got on this route I did the second pitch, after doing Cheap Date. Did the first pitch yesterday and found it to be way cool. I think the crux is shorter than Cheap Date, and easier to protect. I think it's a great pitch but easier than Cheap Date or Visual Aids. Keep your smallest micro cams or RPs for after the roof. I used mine up on the beautiful 5.9 section below and nearly soiled my drawers after I pulled the roof and had nothing to fit the beautiful but tiny crack. The yellow C3 Camalot (which is about like a green Alien) is too big to go in until you get past the hardest climbing. A Metolius 00 or the smallest C3 would go nicely and reduce the risk of a potentially serious ledge fall. Jul 30, 2006

Guy H.
Fort Collins CO

5.10c/d

Link these pitches with (P1) Thindependence 5.10c, (P2) Visual Aids 5.10b, and (P3) Loose Ends 5.9 for a great, 5.10, thin crack outing on the Book. Jul 6, 2007

Ross Swanson
Pinewood Springs

P1: I'm tall so the 10b didn't feel as hard as say Fat City.

P2: I stuffed the 3.5 at the pod, did a lay back into the upper section and went to the top w/o other gear. This was not my plan but once I got into the layback I was hesitant to pull in to look for placements, I hadn't paired down the rack, doh! Anyway I'm wondering now if I could have decked if I came off at the top? Thankfully the climbing was straightforward. Aug 27, 2007

randy baum

Another great way to reach Outlander: Thindependence to Visual Aids, then take the 5.9 overhanging dihedral to the ramp and end at the base of the cave. From there, take Cheap Date to the small alcove/perch ten feet right of Outlander P2's hand traverse. Belay from here. Finish on Outlander's P2. May 15, 2009

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

P1 crux is very height dependent. A tall man could skip the thinnest moves after being established above the small roof (which is not the crux), a average guy or below 6' has to crack up on thin stuff and sloping feet to hit the good holds. May 18, 2009

Brian Weinstein

5.10c

After doing p2 again yesterday I'd give it 10c as well. I agree with Jeff that p1 is harder than the other 10s of similar style at Lumpy. Apr 12, 2010

Phil Lauffen
Innsbruck, AT

5.10c

Eh, to me it didn't feel as hard as Fat City crack, so giving it a 10c even feels soft. Great pitch. though!

I'm surprised no one mentioned the linkup we did today, worthy of a few million stars:
P1 Pear Buttress to belay ledge below Thindependence.
P2 Thindependence and downclimb a little and right.
P3 Traverse 10b into J Crack past flexing flake, 1 piton, 1 bolt then fire up J Crack.
P4 If you're ballsy, fire up the 11c part of J-Crack. Or just do the 10a PG variation and fire up easy ground to a belay below Cheap Date.
P5 Cheap Date, the best pitch I've ever done at Lumpy yet.
P6 Outlander.

This link up is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Aug 20, 2010

Ken Duncan
Ft Collins, CO

I believe Malcolm Daly did the FA. Jun 4, 2012

Erik Rieger
Maine

P1 is actually quite good. Lots of feet save you from needing to undercling the arching crack and the finger crack portion is good and thin. Jun 10, 2013

Chris Smith

5.10a

Thought pitch 2 was easier and more straightforward than each pitch on Fat City crack (until cave area). Fat City + Cheap Date + Outlander! Aug 22, 2017

J. Nickel

This is a great way to finish one of the lower routes on The Book (we did J Crack).

Gear beta for P1:

The "funky crack" is a little run out but the arch takes great gear (a red Alien fit beautifully). With a little fiddling, a #1 Camalot fits under the roof and is very reassuring. The first piece at the crux over the roof for me was a grey/purple Mastercam hybrid that fit very well, followed by a bomber small wire. The rest of the gear is straightforward. Jul 17, 2019

A.Eaton
Estes Park, CO

5.10c

The link-up you want to do is Toot to the pin belay; Pear B. handcrack to Cheap Date; and then Outlander's 2nd pitch. Excellent and logical line. Jul 29, 2024