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Lust

5.10c, Sport, 90 ft (27 m),  Avg: 3.4 from 628 votes
FA: Richard Rossiter and Bonnie Von Grebe, 2001
Colorado > Boulder > Boulder Canyon > Avalon > Second Tier > Tarot Wall
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Description

This was the third bolted line from the left (now it is likely the 5th or 6th from the left) on Tarot Wall (and the first bolt ine left of a corner). Start 15' right of the Devil at a face leading to an alcove.

Climb up the face to an alcove. Exit left, and continue up a steep face. Work left, and climb a slabby corner to the top.

This has an interesting variety of climbing. It is a long, sustained line with several cruxes requiring very different techniques to succeed.

Protection

12 bolts to a 2-bolt anchor. 60m rope required to rap or lower. There is a stray, hangerless bolt near the top.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Lust with the first few bolts marked
[Hide Photo] Lust with the first few bolts marked
Jason Shatek contemplating the exit from the alcove.  The airy crux moves are ahead.
[Hide Photo] Jason Shatek contemplating the exit from the alcove. The airy crux moves are ahead.
John past the crux! Really fun lead!
[Hide Photo] John past the crux! Really fun lead!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ron Olsen
Boulder, CO
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] My favorite route at Avalon. Climb up into a little alcove, then make an exciting traverse left onto the face. Work up the steep face (10b/c) and climb a corner/slab (10a) to the anchors. The route is 90' long. Oct 25, 2003
TBD
  5.10d
[Hide Comment] Ron, I always find it interesting that people can have such different experiences on routes, really one of the values of this site. I certainly thought this route was harder than Marquis de Sade, you found the opposite to be true. Something came to mind after climbing in Eldo yesterday, this route would probably compare to 9+ there. Oct 27, 2003
Scott Hudson
  5.10d
[Hide Comment] This is also my favorite line at Avalon. Thanks to Ron for the beta that helped me find this one. Climbed this between rain squalls on 7/5/04. The climbing is interesting and varied. It seems possible that you could climb this with half the bolts or perhaps without any bolts at all given the abundant cracks on the route. Jul 6, 2004
Mark Ferguson
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Good but not 10d. Aug 1, 2004
William McGehee
Choctaw, OK
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] I agree with Chad here. Climbing at the top is similar to the pin-ladder on Eldo's Yellow Spur. After I got back to the car, I kept saying "There's no WAY that's .10d!" By no means am I a ".10d climber" and I only hesitated once or twice on this route. I'd call it a .10b I think. If you're not a .10d climber, I wouldn't be afraid of this route. Many many bolts and the cruxes aren't that hard. At the top, follow the bolt line to the rings, don't wander right where the chalked ledges are.~Wm Jun 22, 2005
tooTALLtim
Vanlife
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] Fun route, quite a variety of moves. Aug 3, 2007
Caleb Phillips
Boulder, CO
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] Hangerless (mistake?) bolt just short of the the anchors? Cool climb. 10d seems too hard and 4 stars seems to many. But, then again, I don't like cracks :). Could easily lose some bolts and be a mixed route, but, whatever. May 18, 2009
Colin Kenneth
Fort Collins, co
5.10b
[Hide Comment] really fun climb. It's REALLY not 10d. no way. I led it in flip flops with only 2 falls and I'm not that bad ass. Jul 22, 2009
keith story
Castlegar
  5.10b/c
[Hide Comment] I loved this route. Definitely a great, well-protected line perfect for anyone trying to boost their leading skills into the 5.11 realm.

It is an entertaining, engaging route. It doesn't just "go up" but makes you think: Solid laybacks, fun footwork, and pumpy sections make this one a favorite in my book.

Would call it a 5.10b/c relative to the other stuff in Avalon. Jul 5, 2010
Andrew Locke
Louisville, CO
  5.10c/d
[Hide Comment] Loved every second of this route. I don't think there's any 10d moves on it, but it's pretty sustained, and being pumped going into the 10a corner at the top means it's really not over until you clip the chains. For me, the crux was just after traversing left out of the alcove right of the bolt line. I thought this was a good bit harder than Marquis de Sade down below.

On another note, I clipped the chains right as some nasty lightning came in. In a rush to get off, I left two alpine draws in the chains. If you find them in good condition, they're yours, though I'll give someone $5 bucks and beer to return them Jun 5, 2014
Matt Simon
Black Rock City
 
[Hide Comment] In my opinion, the definition of a classic sport route. It's long and sustained with great moves the whole way, though the real winning feature is how varied the climb is. From the face moves to the hand jams to the dihedral, it's pure goodness every step of the way.

Get on this.

Edit: Andrew, your draws were MIA, hope you got them back. Jun 22, 2014
Mauricio Herrera Cuadra
North Vancouver, BC
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] The lower section can be done with gear all the way till you reach the flared handcrack before the upper slab. Just take doubles from 0.4 to 0.75 and a few alpine draws. Gear is bomber! Aug 30, 2015
Jcburgart
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] Lots of varied moves, holds, and wall angles. Pretty fun. Apr 24, 2018
Kaz Hatfield
Firestone, CO
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] One of my favorite sport routes at 10c. It's got face, crack, an under-cling and committing moves. Coming out of the alcove was a little mental. We need more pictures of this route! Very fun lead! Going for a green point would be BA!

After the first crux and the crack crux, as you stand at the base of the dihedral with the last 3 bolts above the next few moves seem cruxy without that hidden jug just up and left of the good stance. Every time I do this climb I forget about that jug and I'm like, "How are you suppose to do this?" Then when I find it I'm like, "Oh, thank you!" Once you find that jug, the rest is pretty easy. Jul 12, 2018
Reuben Cousin
Salt Lake City
[Hide Comment] Amazing climb! Felt more like 10a/b. May 21, 2021
Daniel Kaye
Denver, CO
 
[Hide Comment] Did I do a hand-jam near a bolt? Is that legal? A lot of 5.10 all over this bad boy. Sep 13, 2021
Prav C
Arvada, CO
 
[Hide Comment] I was a few routes to the left and saw a party pull a large block off this today that missed the belayer by only a few feet. Did not see where the climber pulled the block, but it looked like they were about 3-4 bolts off the ground. Kinda surprised there's still loose stuff on this route given how popular it is. Try not to go off route, and be mindful of what you're yanking on. Aug 12, 2023