PRINT: Rock Climb Die Heeda Rule, Eldorado Canyon State Park

Die Heeda Rule

5.11b, Trad,

Avg: 2.1 from 17 votes
FA: [Duncan Ferguson,unroped solo]
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > Hawk-Eagle Ridge

Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closures - lifted Details

Update: as of 6/7/23 per Mike McHugh, ECSP: all closures have been lifted within Eldorado Canyon State Park, including Continental Crag.

Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.

Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.

These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.

Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.

See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.

Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:

Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…

For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…

Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!

Access Issue: Turkey Vulture nesting closure - now lifted Details

Per Dustin Bergman, State Parks Officer, ECSP (1/30/21): the Hawk Eagle closures are lifted!

Attention: CLOSURE - the Eldorado Canyon SP staff has placed a closure for a confirmed turkey vulture nesting as of 7/3/20. This applies to Heart of Gold, Rush Buick, Emergency Brake, The Squeamish, and Nobody's Home.

As of 9/13/19, the turkey vulture closure was lifted. The nest is empty.

Attention: the Eldorado Canyon SP staff has informed us that Heart of Gold, Rush Buick, Emergency Brake, Nobody's Home, and The Squeamish are closed until further notice for turkey vulture nesting. Please respect this closure. This notice came out Aug. 22, 2019.

Description

Find Hawk Eagle Ridge by following the directions under the 'Rock' category. Walk up past the initial buttress, passing DOA and Cinch Crack. The rock becomes short and nondescript for a hundred yards or so, before returning to a single-pitch height of more vertical stone up the hill.

As you reach this tall area, you will see a series of 2 diamond shaped South faces that form right-facing dihedrals. After passing the second of these, you will be under and a massive overhang, where the trail runs parallel to a large, fallen, rotten tree.

Looking up from this point into the massive overhang/roof you will see a hand-to-fist splitter crack which runs through it, opening to a bomb-bay slot at the top. This is TOMBSTONE, a reference point for the other area climbs. Die Heeda Rule is up and left of TOMBSTONE by about 40 feet.

Die Heeda Rule is a flake and finger crack which becomes a left-facing dihedral about 15' off of the ground. This shares a start with Brother Jug, but runs left into the steep, clean dihedral in a thin crack instead of up and right onto the face. An even better variation (harder, and further above protection) pulls the prow of the roof to the right of the dihedral itself (5.11+)

Protection

Stoppers and double TCUs to 1" plus a few hand-sized cams. The gear is good, but can be strenuous to place.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Bill Wright

I think climbing the prow just [right] of the crack is the only way to make this route 11b. It does get you at least ten feet above gear on 5.11 climbing. I think the rating climbed this way is probably 11b. Climbing the crack straight-on seems like it would be more like 5.12. Much, much harder. So, I sort of how the ratings reversed to Tony. I've climbed it (or tried - I couldn't climb the crack) both ways. Sep 13, 2001

Anonymous Coward

5.11b my...! May 8, 2005

Jason Haas
Broomfield, CO

I lead this route today and felt that the grade for climbing the crack straight on was accurate. I think you just need the right beta for it, but the moves were not bad at all Jan 15, 2006

slim

5.11a

A very nice, short, steep route. Great rock quality. I climbed it jamming with my left and slapping up the arete with my right, and was able to have gear the entire time, felt 11a or so. My wife led it straight on and said it felt about 11a also.

Gear for it is from 0.3 (blue) Camalot to 0.5 Camalot. Basically finger-sized cams. Stoppers would be a little harder to place as the constrictions are subtle.

To descend, head to the right (downhill/south) when you get up to the gnarly juniper, and there is a tree to rap off of that will take you down the big chockstone chimney, pretty close to the base of the route. Oct 19, 2009