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Muscle Beach
5.11a,
Sport, 80 ft (24 m),
Avg: 3.5 from 584
votes
FA: Bob D'Antonio and Vaino Kodas, 2001
Colorado
> Canon City
> Shelf Rd
> Cactus Cliff
> B. Cactus Cliff Left…
Description
This route share the first two bolts and moves as Afterburner. Climb up a short crack and then angle to the right up into a steep shallow corner. Follow the line of bolts up through the corner and steep face to the anchor. Great climbing on good holds and rock.
[Hide Comment] I am no Shelf Road veteran, but the only climb in the 11 range on this section has to be Muscle Beach. It has its own start in an irregular crack just left of Afterburner. Once through the crack it works straight up on smoother rock on some steep holds and then angles right on the slightly overhanging bulge. It is an excellent route, but rather than 11b/c it felt more like 11a.
Feb 27, 2004
[Hide Comment] Let's at least stick to the guide book ratings here. Definitely .11a. if this route was at old Shelf (Contest, Freeform, Gallery, etc.) it probably would be .10d.
Dec 17, 2006
[Hide Comment] Like the book says, "Not a single move of 5.11..." what this climb lacks in technical difficulty it only delivers on the pump factor. It's a route I'll get on everytime I go back. Easily the best of the grade at Cactus Cliff.
Mar 23, 2008
[Hide Comment] Stellar route, but much harder than any 11a's I've done lately, including enduro routes like this one. Harder than Free Willie in Bocan, Fuzzy Undercling at the Red, Reefer Madness in Clear Creek, etc., just to name a few.
[Hide Comment] I also noticed that the person who called this 10b/c (what?!) 'cleaned it on TR' and at least one person who called it 11a one-hung on it. Dude. It's an endurance route.
Nov 21, 2010
[Hide Comment] There were sure awfully good rests on it. I did it fresh off of a pretty severe injury (just got the splint off of my broken wrist a few weeks ago) that made the other 10s around give me pause... but this one, no. Didn't get pumped, didn't struggle. And I was hanging the draws OS. I'm not trying to brag, I'm just saying that the 5.10 rating is an available opinion to more than just people who hung on it or followed it. I'd endorse that.
Dec 30, 2010
[Hide Comment] The 4/5th bolt is loose. I don't remember exactly which one. I tightened it as much as I could with my hands. Still climbable just thought I'd share.
Jul 14, 2011
[Hide Comment] I have done many many routes from 5.10 to 5.13 at Shelf and this is among one of my favorite climbs at any grade. Regardless of the debatable grade (I thought it was roughly 5.9c), it's very enjoyable climbing and can serve as a great warmup for some of the harder routes at Cactus. Do it!!!
Jan 11, 2012
[Hide Comment] Sweet OS this afternoon. Agree the 11 a/b rating is perhaps just a tad soft. Also agree that it is totally classic. True that there is not really any technical crux, but in the upper half is a section that was interesting and had to be worked out without a great rest. Stays on ya most of the upper half. Very well protected, solid modern gear after the fourth bolt. Gave it four stars.
Dec 2, 2012
[Hide Comment] I thought this route, Blackman's Burden, and Misalignment all felt about the same difficulty, 10+ range. Sustained but lots of big holds and good feet to keep the pump at bay. Great route.
Mar 23, 2014
[Hide Comment] The individual moves are all in the 5.10 range, but I thought this was fairly pumpy, so I think 5.11a is a fair grade for this.
I'm not sure how Tony didn't get pumped at all, but I sure as hell did. I was also leading it OS hanging draws, and I whipped off at the second to last bolt purely out of being pumped.
Mar 21, 2017
[Hide Comment] I hope you've been ARC'ing this winter, 'cause this route gives you a straight-up endurofest. There aren't any 11 moves on it, and if you take the rests, it's not bad. I felt it was soft, and it was my first 5.11 OS. Seemed technically easier than any other 11s I've attempted. Get on it!
Mar 24, 2019
[Hide Comment] Meh.... I don’t really see what the hype is with this route. Didn’t really leave an impression on me, other than it’s polished as hell (felt like I was at Morrison in the Black Hole, on a 95 degree summer day). Wasn’t hard at all, just kinda pumpy. To be honest, there are way better 11a’s, hell even 10d’s at Shelf, on better stone.
Apr 30, 2020
[Hide Comment] Halfway up you get to this sweet section that reminds you of Nervous in Suburbia in Moab, if you've been there, done that. Then you get into the business, mildly overhanging 5.10a climbing, on positive holds, creating a pleasant pump just before the anchors. Loved this route!
Mar 31, 2022
Avg: 3.5 from 584
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Or maybe I just suck. Nov 21, 2010
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I'm not trying to brag, I'm just saying that the 5.10 rating is an available opinion to more than just people who hung on it or followed it. I'd endorse that. Dec 30, 2010
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I'm not sure how Tony didn't get pumped at all, but I sure as hell did. I was also leading it OS hanging draws, and I whipped off at the second to last bolt purely out of being pumped. Mar 21, 2017
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