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Routes in Lost Highway Area
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Avalon World AKA Chong's Biway S 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c |
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Cheech and Choss S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b |
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Choss Boss T 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c R |
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Cross Your Mind S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a |
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Heavy Duty AKA Moss Highway T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Lost Highway S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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Lost Your Mind TR 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c |
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Orgasmatron S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Sleepwalkin' S 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c |
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Sweeping Beauty S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a |
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Wizard of Moss, The S 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
| Type: | Sport, 200 ft (61 m), 3 pitches |
| GPS: | 39.9969, -105.41707 |
| FA: | Richard Rossiter, Dianne Barrow, Vanessa Grittenda, 2000 |
| Page Views: | 2,581 total · 10/month |
| Shared By: | Ivan Rezucha on Aug 10, 2004 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: Seasonal Closures 2025 - Bitty Buttress, Blob, Security Risk reopened. Eagle Rock opened 5/19/25.
Details
2/3/25. Bitty Buttress, Blob, Eagle Rock &, Security Risk closed for raptor nesting.
FS (3/27/24): Eagle Rock & Security Risk are now open!
2/1/24: W. McCurry: USFS annual area closures in Boulder Canyon beginning 2/1/24 - Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, Eagle Rock, Security Risk.
From W. McCurry: 2/10/23 Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk opened. Eagle Rock is closed - info: fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news….
W. McCurry, NFS, Arap./Roo. NF: USFS began annual area closures in BC 2/1/23. The closures were Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Through 7/31/23, the closures protect golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera will remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District with BCC monitors nesting progress & informs climbers about giving eagles space to raise young.
Fed. & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting closures. Signs are posted at key access pts into the closed areas. Closure info: fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/eagles.
K. Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist, Nat'l Forest Service: as of 6/8/21: BC areas reopen after unsuccessful nesting.
K. Armstrong, NF Ranger 7/29/20:
Following a 5 mo. closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF has reopened Eagle Rock.
“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong & healthy eaglet this year,” wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, only 1 survived to fledge, which isn’t uncommon in birds of prey.”
Visits to the nest did not reveal the exact cause of death of the 2nd chick, but climber cooperation with closures are crucial to the eagles.
“Golden eagle pairs are most susceptible to disturbance when choosing a nest. These closures allow the birds to pick the best site for survival without impact of other factors, such as human presence. Once chosen, nest sites stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.
After the eagles’ site selection was made, unused areas opened in Apr.
The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Effective through 7/31/20, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving the eagles space to raise their young.
It is against federal & state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, & wildlife professionals under an agreement with the FS enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest & the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, & the public. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting all closures & leaving immediately if you should accidentally enter one.
For the most current closure information, check signs in the areas, call the Boulder Ranger District office @ 303-541-2500, or visit local climbing websites or fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
As of 4/21/20, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open. Eagle Rock stays closed until 7/31/2020 confirmed with Matt Henry, Rec Prog Mgr, FS.
From K. Armstrong, FS Pub Aff, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607: 3/20/19, Blob, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security are open. Eagle stays closed to climbing & other activities through 7/31/19.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress & to inform climbers.
See - fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
Perennial notice:
Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security will close 2/1 - 7/31 for nesting. Depending on updated information, the closure time can be shortened/lengthened.
Each year, BC raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting 2/1 through 7/31 at Eagle, Security, Blob, & Bitty Buttress. The area is monitored & closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the FS Boulder Ranger District, BCC, & Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. More info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/rec…
Description
Lost Highway is unusual in that you rappel in. It feels isolated on the right side of the crag, away from all the other climbs. I give this 1.5 stars. The rock is ugly in places, although solid, and the middle pitch is easy. Bonus points for the adventure factor.
Approach: See Mystic Mile for how to get to Ledge 2. Walk right on Ledge 2 past Mystic Mile. Rack up and leave your packs at either the second to last large tree (Eight Miles High) or at the last large tree (Arcanum). You will be rappelling down Arcanum. Walk further right to where the ledge ends, then scramble up about 20 feet to the top of a pillar. The rappel bolts are just right of the pillar on a small ledge. A single rope rappel brings you to a nice large grassy ledge with trees. You could, if necessary, rap from trees from here to the approach trail. The climb begins near the right edge of the ledge.
Alternate approaches: Rossiter describes a "West Approach" that involves crossing the creek at an island across from Easter Rock. I checked this out a couple of months ago, and the tree from the island to the far shore was gone. At low water, you could wade the creek. There is supposedly a trail marked with cairns to the top of the crag from which you can rappel the route in 3 single-rope raps or perhaps one double rope rap with 60m ropes. However, from the top of Lost Highway, I did not see any cairns, and it would be difficult to find the anchors at the top of the climb if you've never been there. It also looks possible to scramble up to the start of the route from below from near Beer Can.
It is possible to get to the base from the normal approach trail (before reaching the main wall) with 4th class scrambling up loose dirt and rotten rock, but not recommended.
Linking pitches: I self-belayed, and easily linked all 3 pitches with a 70m rope. There was lots of rope left over, so I'm pretty sure a 60m would work. If you link all 3 pitches, I recommended back cleaning the top 2 bolts on pitch 2 so that the rope runs up the inside corner to the left. You may have some rope drag at the very top when you move left out of the corner.
You should definitely link pitches 1 and 2. The belay at the top of pitch 1 is in an ugly place, and you can't see the good parts of either pitch 1 or pitch 2. The only reason to belay here is if you have a weaker member of your party that wants to lead pitch 2.
Pitch 1: 10a, 6 bolts. Climb over some bulges on positive holds into a small, right-facing corner. Fun stems up this lead past the crux at the 3rd bolt. Rossiter calls this 10a, but it may be 5.9. Solid stem rests after every move. Easier rock leads to a small ledge and the anchors below an ugly orange headwall. I recommend continuing and linking pitch 2.
Pitch 2: 5.7, 5 bolts. Pull over the headwall. There's a bolt that's a little hidden by the vegetation on your right. Continue up a white quartz dike to a vegetated ledge below a grungy, left-facing corner. Move right around the arête and climb a few nice slab moves to a good ledge and the anchors.
Pitch 3: 10c, 9 bolts. Pull over the headwall above the anchors to the base of a right-facing corner. Orgasmatron 11b moves left from here, underclinging a ceiling to gain a steep arête. Lost Highway continues up the corner. About half way up the difficulties begin. There are several tenuous moves at the last 2 bolts in the corner. I placed a nut between these 2 bolts. Swing left out of the corner onto a slab (avoiding the roofs above) and traverse left past 2 bolts at about 5.8 friction (Orgasmatron joins here) then back up and right to the top.
Descent: From the anchors at the top of pitch 3, walk back a short ways and then walk left a couple hundred feet staying near the top of the cliff face. Look for a gap in the trees that leads to a horizontal slab. There may be a cairn marking this. The rap bolts (with rings) are at the climber's left edge of the horizontal slab. This is the top of Arcanum. You can do one rap with double 60m ropes, or two single raps. Rap down the low angle slab and angle a bit right to the top of a vague, right-facing corner. The anchors are near the top of this corner at a small stance and are not visible until you are nearly there. Another rap gets you down to near your packs.
NOTE: Bob D'Antonio's guidebook has Lost Highway and Orgasmatron switched in the photo. On the third pitch, Orgasmatron is to the left of Lost Highway.
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