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Faith and Resurrection

5.10a PG13, Trad, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 2.5 from 8 votes
FA: Tony Bubb & Jason Haas, 2006
Colorado > Boulder > Flatirons > North > Green Mtn Pinnacle
Warning Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

This is a pretty good climb. Refer to the directions below to find it. In early morning, the sun is low enough that all but the top of the route is shaded by the more southern wall. By mid-day it is shaded only at the base. In afternoon, it is shaded in almost its entirety again. The lower part of this route is casual, ascending good stone at ~5.6 to reach the start of the crack. The crack is steeper than it looks, and the climbing instantly hits 5.8 or 5.9 as protection becomes available. Climb up and protect on good gear to reach the bulging handcrack up top. Plunk in perfect gear, and do the 5.10a crux to top out on the slab. Wander up a little way to the West and belay, than escape by continuing West to down-climb (5.4?) in a slot and slab to the West, to the South of the main summit of Green Mt. Pinnacle.

Location

Go up over the top or West end of the Green Mountain Pinnacle. From there, descend down to the South side, going East/South East into an "Alley" of sorts. This is 30 meters SE of the Green Sneak chimney.

The South border of this alley is a steep huecoed wall of soft stone. The North Wall, facing South, is solid, good stone and mostly clean. About 1/2 way down this alley you will see an obvious crack that starts thin, about 8 meters off of the deck, then ascends up and right to a final bulge (perfect handcrack) pulling over onto the East face. This is the climb, 'Faith and Resurrection.'

Protection

The route is runout on 5.6 climbing to reach the beginning of the crack. After that a few nuts, cams and slings will get you up it safely. The crux protects on ~2.5 inch cam in perfect rock overhead.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Faith and Resurrection.
[Hide Photo] Faith and Resurrection.
Mike Keegan nearing the crux.
[Hide Photo] Mike Keegan nearing the crux.
The correct line, as seen from inside the Gash/Alley. The business starts just after the fern in the base of the crack, and the fun crux is right at the top.
[Hide Photo] The correct line, as seen from inside the Gash/Alley. The business starts just after the fern in the base of the crack, and the fun crux is right at the top.
Pulling the upper crux hand crack. Photo by Kevin Gillest.
[Hide Photo] Pulling the upper crux hand crack. Photo by Kevin Gillest.
Here is a picture of Pilaf and Arc de Triumph. Pilaf follows the crack system on the left edge of the picture to reach the obvious, right-leaning crack at the top. Arc de Triomph follows the left leaning arch near the center of the picture before taking the face above the arch. Rossiter mentions a bolt on Pilaf (“Jester”in his guide), but we originally managed without it. Doesn't look like it's done often, in light of the poison ivy choking the approach crack! Bring gloves for this section.
[Hide Photo] Here is a picture of Pilaf and Arc de Triumph. Pilaf follows the crack system on the left edge of the picture to reach the obvious, right-leaning crack at the top. Arc de Triomph follows the left l…

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Rick A
[Hide Comment] I got an email asking if the route Tony mentions here is the route “Pilaf,” done in the days when the Flatirons were young. I went up and found that the route Tony describes is not “Pilaf”, a climb Eric Erickson and I did in 1982. Pilaf is mistakenly called “Jester” in Rossiter’s Bouder Climbs North guide.

If you walk uphill from Death and Transfiguration for about 20 yards, you reach a saddle that allows you to walk carefully down a fern-and- poison- ivy- filled gully to the south. This little valley separates the lower section of the Fourth Flatiron from the upper section. A short ways down this valley to the left is what Roach calls the Gash, and Tony calls the alley. The alley separates Green Mountain Pinnacle from the Fourth Flatiron. This is the location for Tony’s route which faces due South within the alley. Pilaf is reached by walking farther down the fern filled gully to the south, past the alley for 30 yards or so. Pilaf is on the west facing side of the lower Fourth Flatiron and the best landmark is to locate a green sling on horn that is protection on a climb called Arc de Triumph, that is to the right of Pilaf. Oct 26, 2007
Tony B
Around Boulder, CO
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Rick, Thanks for the info. Jason & I originally thought this to be an FA, and had named it 'Faith and Resurrection' but as you can see, we were uncertain as to where Pilaf was, and this climb bears some small-ish kinda-resemblances to the description Rossiter made for Pilaf, though it would be in the wrong place, we could not see where Pilaf would be.
And thanks for correcting the errors- it'll be listed independantly in the upcoming Haas book! Oct 27, 2007
Aaron Martinuzzi
  5.9
[Hide Comment] This is a really fun line and makes for an excellent lesson in committing to your handjams. It would, depending on your take on the difficulty, make a great first 5.10 lead.

Belaying in the crack above the lip of the wall requires several (or two, again, depending on how you roll) pieces in the #3/#4 (new) Camalot range. I used a #3.5 and #4 Friend, along with a creatively placed big-ass stopper. Aug 15, 2009
Chris Plesko
Westminster, CO
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] This climb is still dirty, but it shouldn't be as it's really fun and more people should do it. My partner and I thought the crux was the steep finger section (straight up) but the hand crack at the top is awesome, too. Anyone who can lead the top will have no issue getting to the first piece of pro IMO. Apr 22, 2011