PRINT: Rock Climb Wes Bound, Estes Park Valley

Wes Bound

5.10a, Sport, 90 ft (27 m),

Avg: 2.4 from 53 votes
FA: Rick Thompson, Ron Kampas and Lawrence Stuemke
Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Big Thompson Ca… > Monastery > Vestibule

Access Issue: Storm Mt./Cedar Park road closed to non-locals Details

Per Hank C: the Storm Mt./Cedar Park area is closed to locals-only traffic for the time being due to wildfire concerns. We were turned away by a park ranger this morning (9/12/2020).

Description

This route was submitted twice in this database. The original submission by Dave Loring was under Outer Gates. Since, Gillett's current guidebook for the area lists this under Vestibule, this second listing will be retained and the descriptions combined.

This is the furthest right of the routes in the Inner Sanctum, on the south wall. 90' of sustained 5.8-5.9 slab and face climbing is broken by a few rests to give your toes a break. The bulge crux is more of the same, just a mite steeper. Primo route. 9 bolts. Use a 60m rope.

Thin climbing on superb knobs and interesting edges. Climb is 5.9 to the crux which comes at a bulge shortly after the 6th bolt. This route shares anchors with Inner Peace (climb located immediately to the right).

Location

On the west facing portion of the Inner Sanctum (left hand side if coming from the Vestibule proper) immediately around the corner from Abbey Arete on the Outer Gates.

Protection

9 or 10 bolts + anchor bolts.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Allen just starting up this sustained trip. Crux seemed to be 3/5 height.

Climber working up Wes Bound (background) and the Whine Cellar (foreground)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Joshua Lewis

For all those without any other guide info:

The Inner Sanctum is a narrow, shady corridor [between the Vestry & the Whine Cellar] about 4-6' wide that cuts straight back through the Outer Gates. --Very nice on a hot sunny day.

One side is pretty steep with a few hard looking lines, and the other is just under vertical and holds this route--which rocks, and another about 15' to its left, which is also good, but felt harder to me.

If you do the one to the left, make sure you don't climb past the last bolt because there aren't any anchors. You have to traverse about 8' right at the last bolt to get to the anchors of Wes Bound. It looks taller than it is--a 60m rope is fine. Jun 10, 2002

Nate Christiansen

From what I remember, this route is quite sustained. I remember feeling that this was pretty tough for a 10a sport route. Apr 19, 2003

Michael Kullman

Great route, definitely sustained, I just sort of plowed through it as fast as I could. Fortunately, there are good hands and feet pretty much everywhere. Aug 4, 2003

Rick Thompson
Mount Nebbiolo, CO

A tribute to the intoxicating guitar licks of jazz great Wes Montgomery, or reference to Thompson's westward move from the New River Gorge to Colorado in 1995? This was the first new route I established after moving here that summer, so probably both. Aug 3, 2009

Bruce Hildenbrand
Silicon Valley/Boulder

The route Inner Peace, just to the left, now has its own two-bolt anchor. Jun 7, 2014

Bruce Hildenbrand
Silicon Valley/Boulder

In June 2014, Dale Haas and I replaced the cold shut hangers on the anchor bolts with SS hangers. We added SS quicklinks and rings. The American Safe Climbing Association - ASCA (www.safeclimbing.org) provided the hardware. They appreciate your support. Jan 19, 2015

JF M
NoCo

Sustained 5.9 climbing with an slightly more difficult crux. Bolts may be a bit widely spaced for a leader breaking into the grade. Sep 20, 2015

Preston Due
Salt Lake City, UT

5.10b

Bolts definitely a bit widely spaced for the beginning leader but makes for the perfect amount of spice for a leader with a decent head. Pretty tough for a 10a (spot on for the Monastery), but no single move is too difficult. I found the crux to be around the 5th or 6th bolt near the small flakey bulge. Jul 20, 2019