PRINT: Rock Climb Two-Tone Dihedral, Eldorado Canyon State Park

Two-Tone Dihedral

5.8, Trad, 90 ft (27 m),

Avg: 1 from 7 votes
FA: Harrison and Stuberg
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > Petit Bastille

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

The Petit Bastille, Rossiter: "this is the long, low ridge, just south of the old railroad cut/Fowler Trail, behind The Bastille." Stand in front of the Lori J. Biehler bench, and look East at the Petit Bastille. From the highest point, you'll see 2 obvious lines, one on the left side and one on the right. The line on the right is Two-Tone Dihedral.

Climb the right-facing dihedral, going left over the roof.

It has good pro, some loose rock, so keep your belayer off to one side, and it is overall a fun, continuous line. I'm surprised it hasn't been written up.

Descent: do an easy walkoff to the east down the scree.

Protection

Standard rack to #3 Camalot using your bigger pieces for anchor. Brown tri-cam was good at the anchors, too.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Near the top of the dihedral.

Left wall is red, right wall is gray, hence the name. Left wall is rotten, too.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ivan Rezucha
Fort Collins, CO

5.8

...I thought this was pretty bad. There is NOT good pro for the first third of the dihedral. A doubtful nut protects the first move off the ledge, but that move is not too hard. Then no gear at all for about 10'. Then some fair cams in a rotten horizontal on the left. A couple more moves to good gear. Coupled with that, most of the positive holds are on the red rock on the left wall and are of dubious quality. At the top I went right, avoiding more loose-looking rock, glad to get out of the red zone. I was self-belaying, so that may have contributed to the bad vibes. On TR, cleaning the pitch, I had a bit more fun. Oct 19, 2004

Jay Eggleston
Denver

5.8

I did not think this was bad, but a new 5.8 leader might not like it very much. The difficult sections had good pro, but the pro on some of the easier sections was questionable. There is some loose rock on this, but if you test your holds, it is avoidable. Sep 28, 2012

Mathias
Loveland, CO

It's almost 12 years after this route description was submitted to MP.

The pro is no longer good. I placed four pieces (none in the roof crack, though I could have if I'd wanted to fiddle around and get pumped). All those placements were hard found, and at least two of them were marginal, in my eyes. I don't feel experienced enough to say what protection rating a route should get, but if this is PG-13, maybe I should take another look at sport climbing. Apr 11, 2015