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Routes in West Ridge - part D - Xanadu to Pony Express
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Air Mail T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 |
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Backslash T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Barbie Doll Arete, The T 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R |
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Bit by Bit T,S 5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a |
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Bottlenecks T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Clean Dan T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 |
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Coffee Break with Joe T 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c |
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Cold Turkey T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Coniferous Types T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Crazy Fingers T 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a PG13 |
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Cruising Lane T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R |
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Detour, The T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R |
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Doc's Little Brother T,TR 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
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Dr. Michael Solar T,TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Duh Dihedral T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
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Early Bird Special T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
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Fine Line T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Five Fang Overhang T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R |
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Fork in the Road T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R |
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Formula, The T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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Foxtrot T 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a PG13 |
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Funeral March T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Hand Crack (aka White Lightning) T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Hang Ten T,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Henry Chinaski T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Highway 61 T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a PG13 |
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Inverted Vee T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R |
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Kashmir T,TR 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Kubla Khan T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Lady Fingers T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Lunar Avenue T 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c R |
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Lunar Lander T 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c |
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Masterbator's Edge, The T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R |
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Milk and Honey T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Milk Dreams T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Mirage T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R |
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MRJR (aka MB III) T,TR 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b R |
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Parallels T 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Pool of Blood T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Positively Fourth Street T,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Rhadamanthus T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13 |
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River Of Darkness T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Road Narrows T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Sign of the Cross T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Snail Mail T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R |
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Srinagar T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Tampon T,TR 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R |
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Tango T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c |
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Tanqueray T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a R |
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Terminal Velocity T 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Texas Two-Step T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b R |
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Three Lane Highway T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c X |
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Tickle, The T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 |
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Toprope Right of Formula TR 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b |
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Trip Itch T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 |
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Tryptich T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Whatever T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R |
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Willow World T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R |
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Working Class Hero T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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X T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a PG13 |
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Xanadu T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Zap Snack T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
Order Wrong?
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| Type: | Trad |
| FA: | Gary Issac, 1977 |
| Page Views: | 2,894 total · 10/month |
| Shared By: | Tony B on Nov 2, 2001 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closures - lifted
Details
Update: as of 6/7/23 per Mike McHugh, ECSP: all closures have been lifted within Eldorado Canyon State Park, including Continental Crag.
Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.
Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.
These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.
Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.
See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.
Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:
Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!
Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.
Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.
These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.
Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.
See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.
Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:
Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!
Description
Both my partner and I thought that this was a great dihedral and had wonderful moves, but not much obvious pro. It can be a frightening lead. Take a 4" cam to reduce leg shake by placing in high and left at the top (crux)
The route is 5.9+ in the old rossiter book but has been "downgraded" to 10a in the new Levin book, eliminating the proper suspicion that it should be getting. I interpret the 9+ as a height-dependent rating short person (5'4") might say "plus several" I was glad to be 5'10", but I'd still say +1. Peter (5'8") wished he were taller too, but he made it anyway.
To find the route, go up the West Ridge to the famous and popular Pony Express area. In the middle of this area is a tree, 1/2 way up on a sizable ledge. The corner immediately left of this is Pony Express. Looking further left at ground level, about 20 feet left, is a flake, crack and corner system called Zip Code.
One more system left of Zip Code is a sizable, right-facing dihedral that goes 1/2 way up the wall to a large ledge (70'). The crack in the dihedral offers some generally poor and sparse protection, but it could hold a fall and is definitely better than nothing.
Climb the dihedral up to the large ledge, moving left to the face and arete when necessary. From the ledge, one can either climb up and right on more poorly protected face, merge and finish on Zip Code, or traverse left to a 5.8 crack system called Cold Turkey.
You will probably be wigged out enough to take the latter two of these options with grace.
The route is 5.9+ in the old rossiter book but has been "downgraded" to 10a in the new Levin book, eliminating the proper suspicion that it should be getting. I interpret the 9+ as a height-dependent rating short person (5'4") might say "plus several" I was glad to be 5'10", but I'd still say +1. Peter (5'8") wished he were taller too, but he made it anyway.
To find the route, go up the West Ridge to the famous and popular Pony Express area. In the middle of this area is a tree, 1/2 way up on a sizable ledge. The corner immediately left of this is Pony Express. Looking further left at ground level, about 20 feet left, is a flake, crack and corner system called Zip Code.
One more system left of Zip Code is a sizable, right-facing dihedral that goes 1/2 way up the wall to a large ledge (70'). The crack in the dihedral offers some generally poor and sparse protection, but it could hold a fall and is definitely better than nothing.
Climb the dihedral up to the large ledge, moving left to the face and arete when necessary. From the ledge, one can either climb up and right on more poorly protected face, merge and finish on Zip Code, or traverse left to a 5.8 crack system called Cold Turkey.
You will probably be wigged out enough to take the latter two of these options with grace.
Protection
The pro up high is bad. In fact, it is mostly small and bad. The dihedral crack is mostly closed, with some iffy stoppers and some micro-cams or ball nuts. Aliens would probably be best due to their narrow width to get the best placement. So I've said some "S" routes are really "S-", but this route is "S+". The moves, while not terribly difficult, are somewhat insecure which adds to the stimulation of having little gear. Up high, a #4 Camalot placed in a diagonal slot will reduce the runout to the anchors.
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