| Type: | Trad |
| GPS: | 40.40556, -105.53398 |
| FA: | unknown |
| Page Views: | 1,608 total · 7/month |
| Shared By: | Kurt Johnson on Oct 29, 2006 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.
Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.
Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Description
The Gillett guidebook describes this exit as a useful escape for climbers on J Crack, Femp, or Endless Crack, especially when the Cave exits are crowded. I first discovered it on a whim while trying to get off Pear Buttress before darkness set in (we got a late start).
From the spacious belay at the top of Pear Buttress's classic handcrack pitch, set your sights on that obvious chimney diagonally up and to the right. Cross a wide swath of low angle but runout terrain to vertical crack (groove?) that meets a small roof or flake (it's been a while) to the left of and at the same level with the start of the chimney. This is your first good piece of pro (a #1 Camalot, I think). Traverse straight right (10-15 feet) to the base of the chimney and head up it to the top. The runout slab is probably no harder than 5.6 friction and the chimney didn't feel harder than 5.6 (lots of good holds) as well, but the guidebook calls it 5.7.
Taking this exit from Pear Buttress allows you to climb the best parts of that route in 3 pitches if you're short on time.
Simply start on top of the leaning flake and go all the way to the belay ledge at the base of the classic crack. Climb the crack, and belay at the usual belay ledge. Then, with a 60m rope, do the diagonal traverse, and exit out the chimney all the way to the top.



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