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The Damage Done
5.11b,
Sport, TR, 30 ft (9 m),
Avg: 2.5 from 21
votes
FA: Stuemke and Hurst, 1990
Colorado
> Estes Park Valley
> CO Hwy 7 & Trib…
> Prospect Mountain
> Needle
Access Issue: Temporary trail closure & Thumb and Needle Closures - resolved with The Thumb Open Space creation
Details
Temporary trail closure at The Thumb Trailhead:
Beginning Jan. 19, 2024, and lasting no later than Feb. 9, 2024, the Town of Estes Park will be temporarily closing the trailhead access at the Thumb Open Space due to required construction activity. This area will be blocked off and not accessible during the closure period. There will no parking or public access from the trailhead.
Brian Berg
Park Supervisor
Town of Estes Park
The Thumb and Needle are prominent crags (previously on private property) that are now on The Thumb Open Space, established in 2022 by the Town of Ester Park. Access to the crags is gained from a signed trailhead and small parking lot on Peak View Drive just west of Curry Drive. Do not park on Curry Drive or access the crags from anywhere along Curry Drive. From the Peak View Drive trailhead, the trail is well marked and approximately 0.75 miles long with an elevation gain of about 400 feet. Expect about 20 to 30 minutes for the approach to reach the Thumb and the Needle.
The Town of Estes Park worked on purchasing the property with the Access Fund, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, GOCO, and The Estes Valley Land Trust. The goal is to keep this area public with climbing access, so please respect private property rights of adjacent landowners.
For any questions about The Thumb Open Space, please contact Brian Berg, Park Supervisor, Town of Estes Park, bberg@estes.org, (970) 577-3783.
During 2022, major efforts were expended by members of the Boulder Climbing Community and Estes Park volunteers to replace over 100 old protection bolts and anchors on many of the sport climbs on the Thumb and the Needle. Many of the routes now have clip and lower anchors, and there are also new rappel stations on top of both crags and also the Thimble.
Formerly: The Thumb and Needle were on private property and the gravel road part of Curry Dr. is a private road. There was no public access to the Thumb or Needle until the Thumb Open Space was created. The Town of Estes Park purchased the property with our partners the Access Fund, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, GOCO, and The Estes Valley Land Trust. The goal was to make this area public with climbing access...success.
Any questions? Please contact me directly.
Brian Berg
Town of Estes Park
Park Supervisor
bberg@estes.org
(970) 577-3783
Description
The Damage Done is a great, all-around route. It has two equally challenging but distinctly different types of climbing on it. The bottom half is requires balancy but powerful moves on pretty large holds for a 5.11. The second half is more face climbing on thin crimpy holds. It's a short, four (now 5) bolts to the anchor route, that can also be toproped, if desired. Trying to set up the top rope can be just a cruxy as the climb itself.
You can set up for a rappel from the main top rope anchors at the top of the rock that can be easily approached by the 5th class ramp. You will need to toss the rope towards the Northeast part of the climb, below a pine tree. You rappel down to the the actual Damage Done anchors, tie in and rethread, then rappel off. When rappeling down the the anchors, the rope drag can be bad. I have had to have my partners climb back up the ramp and help pull the rope several times.
Protection
4 (then 5, then now 6) bolts. It has good anchors. It is tricky for toprope setting.
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