PRINT: Rock Climb Malander's Passage, RMNP

Malander's Passage

5.9 R, Trad, Alpine, 500 ft (152 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 2.7 from 3 votes
FA: Malander
Colorado > Alpine Rock > RMNP - Rock > Long's Peak > Lower E Face

Access Issue: Closures Details

Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."

For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.

General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.

Description

This is a good alternative to Kor's Door or Stettner's Ledges if these routes are occupied. We did this following Kor's and a quick rap descent down Alexander's Chimney (see the Alexander's description for rap info). This would be a 3-star route if the third pitch wasn't junky. The first 2 pitches follow asthetic and continuous crack and face climbing on beautiful polished golden granite.

P1. About 30 feet down and to the right of the start of Kor's Door, look for a narrow ledge running to the right that peters out after about 30 feet and about 6 feet left of a shallow left facing dihedral crack. Traverse across the ledge and where it ends, drop down onto your hands and face climb right to the base of the dihedral -- 5.8+. This section is sporty with questionable pro and grim fall potential. Be solid at this grade. Climb the dihedral/crack and where it peters out, traverse right on face past an ancient quarter-inch bolt to another thin crack. Ascend the crack for 100 feet (5.8) with occasional forays onto face to the right. Eventually face climb slightly left of the crack to a small stance and belay.

P2. Continue up the crack system for 100 feet or more of superb finger locks (5.8). When the crack turns to 2.5 inch hand size, climb about another 40-50 feet to a good belay ledge at the base of a dirty right facing dihedral.

P3. Climb the dihedral (fixed pin) and continue up a series of dihedrals, flakes and cracks that generally trend to the left. After about 150 feet start to look for an unobvious traverse to the left to a long ledge system. Find a belay (we ran out all the rope). This is the ledge system that allows an easy traverse to the left (East) to the rappels of Alexander's. The best landmark for the start of this ledge is a stack of blocks pasted to the face. The alternative is to continue up Kor's or Stettner's to Broadway.

From the horror stories you read about the Broadway and Lamb's Slide descents, I would highly recommend the Alexander's rappels which were convenient and quick but very wet.

Protection

Pro to 3 inch with emphasis on finger size gear.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Every single route on the east face of Long's Peak. A full caption is in comments.

Mitchell Hodge on the hands section at the end of pitch 2.

Jesse cleaning some gear on the upper flakes of Malander's Passage, after several late September snow squalls coated the wall quite nicely in white stuff and wet.

A view of the route from across the cirque....<br>
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Kor's Door climbs the inset to the left.

A view of the route from across the cirque.... Kor's Door climbs the inset to the left.

Errett is just past the second face traverse on the first pitch, with the Diamond in the background. You can see a biner clipped to the old rusty bolt about 6-8 feet left of his feet.

Climbing the shallow corner and bomber handcrack on P2.

Cleaning gear out of the P1 finger crack.

Jesse working his way up the really nice finger crack on Malander's.

Looking down P1....

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

OldsCool
Longmont, CO

Despite having done this route "several" times over the past 33 years and twice in the past 2, the start, once again, was a sandbag. After my partner decline to lead the 1st pitch starting exactly as described here on MP, as I had assured him that was "the way", I second guessed myself and started more directly under a thin, curving crack/undercling (with a tiny tuft of grass growing from it). The initial foray resulted in an embarrassing fall (DOINK!) onto a small TCU in said crack. If YOUR TCU fails, you will likely break at least one ankle. The good news is the move(s) are short and "bouldery" as one goes for the fairly obvious good layback hold then into solid terrain.

The even more direct (start) thin cracks to the right would require a number of very small nuts/RPs and tiny cams to protect. It looks quite feasible but definately difficult; 10d or up.

A 4th option which (at least) looks good, is to climb a short, thin crack (several small TCUs, or RPs) which is between the start of the ledge of the original way and the blank face under my described thin, curving crack. Near the top of this crack one may be able make a long reach right combined with some slick footwork to a good knob which is actually the end point of the "drop down" off the ledge that "peters out" on the original start.

This seems like an info overdose for just 40 feet of climbing to get started, but wait 'til you get there. The next 200+ feet of climbing is excellent, too bad it ends so soon. Continue as describe on the 3rd pitch.

Traverse off left, past the "Dog Ears" flakes to Alexander's Chimney. One 60m rap from two stoppers and an old pin semi-hidden in a corner gets you to downclimbable terrain. If you are careful you can avoid getting your ropes wet.

Or contine up on more "old school" terrain to the Hornsby Direct, which I though was kind of fun, actually, and Broadway. Aug 22, 2009

Aaron Martinuzzi

5.9

This is a very worthwhile line. My partner and I got on it looking for Stettner's having realized we went too far up the 4th class approach ledges, and really enjoyed the climbing. We climbed the first pitch from the upper, non-grassy ledge 200 feet up to a belay notch at the base of a left-facing corner - a great, long, sustained pitch of enjoyable finger crack and face climbing that, for the most part, protected very well. Pitch two, then, ascended 50 feet of splitter handcrack that, though fairly easy (5.7, probably), was totally fun, especially after the more technical climbing on the first pitch. After the handcrack the quality of the climbing does drop off, but no more so than on Kor's Door, which similarly offers one long pitch of great climbing, 50 feet of fun 5.8, and then peters out on more broken terrain. Overall, Malander's passage is an enjoyable route on mostly excellent rock that, in my estimation, is almost as good as the climb to its left. Sep 22, 2009

Guy H.
Fort Collins CO

5.9 R

I thought the climbing on this line was just as good as Kor's Door, especially if you finish on Hornsby Direct. It would be a four star classic at Lumpy. The runout start is very memorable! Aug 8, 2011