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Pork Chop

5.9+ PG13, Trad, 150 ft (45 m),  Avg: 1.4 from 7 votes
FA: Wayne Crill and Kevin Gallagher, 2003
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > W Ridge > W Ridge - part A - Ve…
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Description

Pork Chop is a nice, long, and diverse pitch in the Alcove area of the W. Ridge. The route follows a left angling crack/break system ~40' R. of the start of Allosaur and ~20' left of the large corner dihedral start to Blind Mouse and Something Blue. This crack/break eventually turns into the obvious ramp leading to the tree belay atop p1 of of Allosaur. The route is obvious from the start if you look up, it follows face straight up to two 20' L. facing dihedrals then up the steep face to the L, topping out just above and R. of Allosaur. Climb the initial face ~15' to some pro and follow the hand crack left to where the new route, Ranger Danger intersects the break (~35' of climbing). Instead of following the break left, continue straight up the blocky face above. This face section is slightly run out and there is some suspect rock but its fun straight-forward climbing. Climb the face to the R. of two L. facing dihedrals with a 20' hand to OW crack in it. Climb this crack and move L. over a bulgy roof onto the steep face above. It would be easy to escape to 4th class terrain to the R. from here. Instead continue up the steep face to the now obvious L. leaning crack system. Follow this crack up and L. using face, fists, and off width techniques to the top of the summit ridge fin feature.

I think this is a fun, long, and intersting pitch with a diversity of climbing, similar in quality and grade to Allosaur. There is some loose rock in the middle of the route, though its very manageable and should clean up well with a little traffic.

Protection

Standard Eldo rack including a couple of large cams to ~4"

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO
  5.9 PG13
[Hide Comment] The top half of this sounds a lot like "The Farmer's Wife" (5.9, S, T.Bubb, C. Parks, 2/3/01) If a picture is available from your ascent or you are able to scan one in to post I'd love to get a chance to see it.The Farmer's Wife" was climbed from "Blind Mouse" but instead of turning up right into the dihedral after getting out from under than alcove, I headed up and left into the face and some wide crack, then up and left on some small cracks/corners/faces onto the "finger" of a roof over Allosaur. I have it sketched into the Rossiter Topo from Eldo Climbs on p.234 as cracks just right of the arete just right of the [Allosaur] top pitch. Does that sound like the same line? Jun 23, 2003
[Hide Comment] My take: if you bring enough gear, this pitch does not merit the R rating. Crux #1, right at the start, can be protected with a decent grey TCU (#00?) though without a piece in this range, you'll be bouldering these slippery moves. The runout ground mentioned by Wayne Crill is so much easier than the cruxy sections of the route that an R is not warranted here. The rest of the climb has decent pro. That said, without a double set of #2, #3 and #4 Camalots, the pitch could become runout as those pieces are needed both near the beginning and the end.

This pitch is worthwhile, with cruxes at the start and end, and would get better with some traffic. Jun 15, 2008
Richard Radcliffe
Erie, CO
 
[Hide Comment] A LOT of very suspect rock on this route. Oct 30, 2010
Justin Compton
Erie, CO
  5.10a PG13
[Hide Comment] Pulled off a dinner-sized plate near the top of the route.... Also nothing more confidence inspiring than footholds disintegrating beneath your feet. Despite of all this and a 20+ ft whipper, I was pretty stoked to top out. Nov 7, 2014