Early Access
| Type: | Trad |
| GPS: | 39.93129, -105.28757 |
| FA: | M. Brooks, 1981 |
| Page Views: | 1,240 total · 4/month |
| Shared By: | Tony B on Apr 27, 2002 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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
Follow the directions as for The Potato Chip route. About 80' uphill to the left of The Potato Chip itself, you can see a crack that ascends to an outward-overhanging wide section. Start from a little corner on the ground (right facing alcove for the belay). Climb the first 15' of rock to get situated below the bomb-bay offwidth. Place a piece of gear, then make surprisingly easy moves to layback and under and around the crack, moving out and left. A few small but solid incuts up and left on the arete complement the reasonably good foot holds, and make this section pretty comfortable without much gear nearby.
Use some heal-toe lock, knee bars, arm bars or chicken wings in the crack while you fiddle in a #4 Camalot. Move up past the short OW section (6' at most of real OW) and then climb up 60' more of various cracks overhead, at a moderate grade.
All in all, this route felt very easy for it's given 5.9 grade. We believe it to be 5.8, unless it is your first offwidth.
Descend by walking around left (NW) past a single [summit] block, then down and left to the pine tree and down the ridge as described for Sour Cream and Ruffles Have Ridges.



0 Comments