PRINT: Rock Climb Zabrina, Eldorado Canyon State Park

Zabrina

5.10c, Trad,

Avg: 1.7 from 3 votes
FA: Mark Rolofson, Alfredo Len, 1980
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > Veil

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!

Description

No crowds here! Luckily, the monster approach hike is made up for by a great climb. Expect a few crusty bits of rock, some lichen here and there, and little sign of previous traffic. This must be how Redgarden Wall felt back around the mid sixties. Start on the far right of the crag. The ground around here is covered in holes made by some rodents or something. Spooky, especially as it is so quiet, far from the Eldo crowds. I was half expecting a swarm of rats or marmots to suddenly emerge. The first pitch is apparent by the rusty old bolts (though these are not easy to spot) which are further right than I was expecting, in fact hard up against the gully to the right (You can avoid this slab on the right). Step backwards a ways to see the very obvious second pitch up above, a fine looking steep crack up the southwest prow. The first pitch is thin low-angle smearing. A litle scary, but if the bolts ever get replaced it will feel much safer. This slab leads to a steeper face/scoop. Zigzag up this awkwardly (Aliens in a horizontal) and up into an obvious large left-facing easy dihedral. Romp up this and stem right past a bush to the big belay ledge on the prow. Pitch two tackles the crack looming overhead. This starts out way steep straight off the big ledge ("5.9+", strenuous gear placements, and obviously a bad place to fall and twist an ankle), but soon gets easier. After a short stretch of real easy groove, the pitch starts to steepen up again and a long stretch of sustained 5.9 Eldo finessing up a cool and exposed crack/face system takes you to a welcome ledge. Belay here, and do a final short easy pitch to the summit. The descent is awkward, head down behind to a ledge system with a large tree, (this is awkward 3rd/4th class) then meander to the south down a steep gully to the base.

Protection

Crux of pitch 1 has two bolts. These are are rusty 1/4 inch relics that look like they were brought over by Columbus, in a water streaked black face. Ugh! Upper pitch requires a standard Eldo rack.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Fran, Zabrina, pitch 2.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Anonymous Coward

Hey Crusher, great review about a climb that Mark and I put up in 1980, wow, how yeras go by ha? This was actually the first climb in the Veil, after we found out what Alec was doing in this neighbohood.

So how are you, are any other old time brits left in Boulder?, i know about Nick Donnelly and Dereck, really too bad.

Cheers, and send a note

alfredolen@terra.com.pe

PS as you can see i am back in Peru for the last 12 years, do you ever come this way? Feb 19, 2003

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

5.10c

The only bolt on the route is easily clipped after a mantle and stand up on a good 2" ledge, although standing up there is balancy. The bolt is a 26 year old (and counting) rusted button-head with a thin Leeper hanger (the type that were recalled). Then you do a thin crux (10b/c) and keep climbing.
Some pretty bad gear peppers the first pitch of that route thereafter, none of it being trustworthy. The formulation of the 'calculated risk' was too complex to compute while leading this route as there were too many dependencies on which pieces would blow and if they did, how much energy would they absorb before you hit the next peace- affecting it's potential to hold. As well, one must toss into the formula the increased odds of taking a fall at the top bulge before the ledge, as there is some bad rock there that could fail.

Realistically, there would be a significant chance of a ground fall from a decently long section of the first pitch. While incalculable, I felt the best summary would be to say:
"The crux is protected by a 26 year-old button-head with a Leeper hanger, and the rest of the pitch is far worse."
I should better hope that any leader here is comfortable on 5.9 VS.

The second pitch takes good gear and you can get a very large nut or a brown tricam up at a short pod in the crack overhead before committing to the hand-munching, flaring jams at the second pitch crux (5.9+ my patooey- sandbaggers). After doing that mid-5.10 move, continue up on mostly 5.8 and easier rock to the top. I did not belay on the ledge, but rather continued, as a ledge belay would have been awkward and would run the rope over a sharp edge at a high angle. It was far more gentle from above, and a few cams 1.5-3" protected reasonably well. Apr 17, 2006

Steve Levin
Boulder, CO

The bolt has been replaced. Apr 5, 2008