PRINT: Rock Climb Firebird, Lumpy Ridge

Firebird

5.9 C2, Aid, 5 pitches,

Avg: 3.7 from 3 votes
FA: Larry Dalke and Cliff Jennings, 1967
Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Lumpy Ridge > Sundance Buttress

Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/28/23 Details

Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)

Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.

Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!

Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:

Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock

Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.

All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.

Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…

When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.

Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.

Access Issue: Sundance Buttress is seasonally closed for raptor nesting. Click for details. Details

2019 Seasonal closures are in place. Check with Backcountry Office (970-586-1242).

RMNP
6/12/15

K.Patterson 970-586-1363

Sundance Buttress Closure Added Other Closures Removed Or Continued
To Protect Nesting Raptors in RMNP

Each yr to protect raptor nesting sites, RMNP officials initiate temporary closures in the Lumpy Ridge & Sheep Mountain areas of the park. To enable wildlife managers to gather info and ensure that raptors can nest undisturbed, specific areas within the park are closed temporarily to public use during nesting season.

Due to raptor nesting activity, Sundance Buttress in the Lumpy Ridge area has been added to the closure areas. The following sites will remain temporarily closed until further notice - Alligator Rock, Twin Owls, Rock One, Sheep Mountain, & now Sundance Buttress. These closures include all climbing, approach and descent routes for the indicated formations on all sides of those formations.

The following closures have been lifted - Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Thunder Buttress, No Name and Parish. The National Park Service is committed to preserving birds of prey. The same cliffs that attract raptors also appeal to climbers. The cooperation of climbing organizations and individuals is essential to the successful nesting of raptors in the park.

Kyle Patterson
Public Information Officer/Management Specialist
RMNP
(970) 586-1363 nps.gov/romo facebook.com/RockyNPS

Description

Firebird is the classic aid line on Lumpy. It is five pitches long, three being airy aid climbing and the other two great freeclimbing.

P1. 5.9- start just left of The Nose. Undercling the burly, wide flake and jam the nice hand and finger crack all the way to a stance shared with The Nose, 180 feet.

P2. C2+ or C1+ - I skipped the next belay noted in guidebooks and made it to the anchors below the roof crack in 140 feet. Face climb left 5.6 and up the corner leading to the right side of the big roof. I'm not sure which way they went on the 1st ascent, but it seems that there are three ways to reach the anchors below the big roof: 1st choice - start aiding half way up the corner and continue out left under the roof. If you stick with the roof all the way to the anchors, it's around C2+ but only for the last 20 or 30 feet which felt a bit contrived. Var. 1 - it's also possible to traverse and pendulum left to the anchors C1+ without ever reaching the roof. Var. 2 - after the 5.6 traverse go a little higher until its possible to freeclimb out left (not obvious) on a unprotected dike 5.7? to Precipitation's thin crack leading straight up to the anchors 5.10- or C1. These anchors need replacement webbing and bring an extra orange TCU and a pink tricam to backup the old pin on the right.

P3. C2+ - make a hook move out right to clip the 1st of several fixed pins that lead out the roof (a clean ascent may rely on these old mank pins). When this crack ends, make a huge reach out right for another crack that shoots out right to the lip of the roof and the anchors. this last section is a tricky crux where a inverted cam hook and a tight 00 TCU came in mighty handy. the old anchors have been replaced with two modern bolts, 70 feet.

P4. C2+ - slab climb up and left to reach The Nose just after its crux moves. Continue up left on this nice TCU and RP crack C2 to a cut left and then a traverse back right C2 to the crack though the small roof C1. The Rossiter topo is more accurate for this pitch. Belay at a stance shortly after the roof, 120 feet.

P5. 5.7 - freeclimb up the nice corner to a big ledge system, 200 feet.

Rap The Nose rap route to the east or continue for one more pitch to the summit.

Protection

Bring doubles from 00-TCU to #3 Camalot and one #4 Camalot. One set of nuts, RPs, tricams, a #1 Loweball, one hook, two camhooks - one skinny one fat. A 60m rope is also nice.

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Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

rocksnmysocks
Louisville

How would this, or other aid routes on Sundance be to do aid solo? May 22, 2013

thomas.w
Denver, CO

5.9 C3

Interesting aid route, the description above supplemented with the topos in the Gillett book is a good guide. It goes cleanly (though stout) with pitch two and three (wild) as the two cruxes. Be sure to back up some of the old fixed gear on P3, we ripped a piton. Freeing the roof on P3 would be pretty difficult. Aug 20, 2013

rocksnmysocks
Louisville

Do you think it could go free? Aug 28, 2013