PRINT: Rock Climb Lucky Time Piece (submitted as Primate Highway), Durango

Lucky Time Piece (submitted as Primate Highway)

5.11-, Trad, 250 ft (76 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 3 from 26 votes
FA: David Kozak and Steve Kolarik, 1985
Colorado > Durango > E Animas > I. Watch Crystal

Description

Start the same as Simians to the Sun, but about halfway up bust right at the roof and then go up to the belay of Simians. This has been said to be a little runout.

Per David Kozak: this route was originally climbed without fixed gear in 1985, two years prior to Bruce Lella bolting the route. On the day of the ascent, I originally attempted to climb this line on lead but chickened out and moved further right and up to a spot where I tried to place a bolt. I broke the bit (only one I had) and then tied it off and moved left along a rail to the Simian's hanging belay. Steve Kolarik and I called this Teen Town and rated it 10- X. We then rapped, and I cleaned and inspected the route (Primate Highway/Lucky Time Piece) and then lead it ground up without pre-placed gear. Due to its difficulty and dangerous nature, I rated the route an 11+ X.

Protection

East Animas rack and draws.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Bashie with angle iron hanger cleaned off Primate Highway, aka Lucky Timepiece (note the signature from Bruce Lella).

Tim monkeys his way up "Primate Highway". Start "Simians" crack, cut right over a roof clipping a bolt, place a small nut in a dihedral feature, and continue past more bolts to the hanging belay an…

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

chosspector
San Juans, CO

This route has steep moves on good rock with some interesting gear between good bolts. Makes a good direct start to Watch Crystal Crack or Simians. Nov 17, 2009

Dylan Weldin
Ramstein, DE

5.11b PG13

I wonder why Kozak "bombed" this route...?

The movement is similar and the climbing is as fun as Apes, Durangotan, Crime and Punishment, etc. Just a few pieces of gear recommended and otherwise enjoyable bolted climbing.

Gear:
-#6/7 BD nut (don't remember)
-(1) 0.75
-(1) 0.5
-(1) 0.4
-Green Alien. Mar 30, 2012

Ian Altman
Durango, CO

5.11-

We modernized this great route in 2007 and replaced the original bashies and angle iron hangers that Bruce Lella had placed in the '70s with 4" Rawl bolts and stainless hangers. If you happen to see this Bruce, I still have your hangers if you want them back. You can still make out your signature on them!

Also think this route makes for a great single pitch linkup to Simians to the Sun. It's direct, and with modern ropes, it makes for an outstanding long pitch! Dec 9, 2015

David Kozak
The Earth, Our Mother

This route, and the discussion here, is confusing to me. I thought that Steve Kolarik and I did the first ascent of it around 1984 or '85. Unless I am completely mistaken or I'm mixing this up with something else, there were no bolts on it when we did it. As I recall, I led this thing after preview and cleaning. The last decent gear I had was at the traverse from Simians, with marginal; placements thereafter. I recall thinking it was an "X" rated experience at the time. This is why I am confused about bolts on the route now that are attributed to Bruce. I am not saying he didn't place them or didn't do this route. It's just that my memory of the experience doesn't conform to the description here. Aug 21, 2021

David Kozak
The Earth, Our Mother

In untangling the first ascent story for Primate Highway, by asking other climbers, and searching the web, I found that Bruce Lella bolted the route in 1987, a good two years after I led the route without fixed gear. Lella's bolted ascent is documented in an article called "Style is Everything" by Tim Kuss as published in the Pine Needle Mountaineering publication called Basecamp Magazine and is found on page 10. Thus, my recollection was accurate that there were no bolts or other fixed gear on the route when I climbed it in 1985 or so. I found my copy of my original climbing guide to the Durango area that I published in 1985 and found my brief notes of what I called this and one other nearby route. I named the route Lucky Time Piece after the formation's name and how lucky I felt after not falling off it. Just prior to this ascent, I led a route to the right called Teen Town. It too was run out and is marked by the broken drill bit (still there I presume), my last piece of "gear" (I tied it off) before I ventured left on a rail over to the Simian's hanging belay. I then rap inspected and cleaned Lucky Time Piece before leading it. Steve, in a recent discussion, said in his understated fashion that "it was a bold day." Oct 12, 2021

Shane Martin Smith
United States

5.10d

This route is definitely an awesome way to join up with Simians or Watch Crystal and blast to the top in one pitch. My partner and I used an 80m, walked over to the anchor above Watch Crystal Crack, and were able to rap to the Apes/Durangotan ledge and blast to the summit again from there. For Primate Highway, I placed one gray DMM nut, 0.3 C4, and clipped the 2 bolts. Dec 5, 2021