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Nazca Line

5.10a/b, Sport, 5 pitches,  Avg: 3 from 5 votes
FA: Hubbel
Colorado > S Platte > Goose Creek/Mol… > Sheeprock > Land That Time Forgot

Description

Nazca Line is follows kind of a strange and interesting line, and frankly one of my least favorite routes here. It has a pretty heady feel to it in spots, especially starting pitch 3. get ready for an adventure!

P1. Start at the Knossos two tier bivy spot on the right side of the north facing saddle routes. Nazca Line follows the black bolts right of Knossos. note that there is a point on pitch 2 that you can join up with the upper section of P2 of Knossos, via a straight traverse left.

The gold rock at the end of pitch one feels unusually slick.

Pitch two eases off a bit to end on a good ledge, where the anchors are hard to spot.

P3. traverse the ledge/ramp right and around the corner. the first bolt is a ways up there, and a scary second clip! 5.9+

P4-5. keep following your nose and bolts up the steep weakness. good pitch.

Protection

Bolts. Two ropes for rap. This route can be a nightmare to rap, unless you pay attention to some other rap stations. Probably best to rap Minoan Maze or Riders in the Sky.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking down 1st pitch. (Note that bivy ledge!)
[Hide Photo] Looking down 1st pitch. (Note that bivy ledge!)
Drew setting up the first belay.
[Hide Photo] Drew setting up the first belay.
Climber on P2 of NL.
[Hide Photo] Climber on P2 of NL.
Two climbers starting Nazca Line.
[Hide Photo] Two climbers starting Nazca Line.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

rob bauer
Golden, CO
 
[Hide Comment] This route starts right off the top of that wide, fallen flake at the right side of the two tiered ledge (what a spot!), bearing right. I skipped the bolt to the right of the exfoliating flake and went up to the next one (it may have been hollow, but it surely would add rope drag). It was about 160 ft to the sling belay anchor bolts.

From here, Tom clipped the first one or two bolts and followed bolts slightly left and up to the upper set of anchors on a perfect ledge at the base of Minoan Maze. Nazca Line apparently continues to the right. It seemed like the obvious way to Minoan Maze, and I wouldn't call it a traverse. Maybe this is the traverse Darren mentions or maybe not, but Nazca Line goes right after that 2nd bolt. We weren't going that way this time. Jul 30, 2007
[Hide Comment] I thought this was a rather fine route. I really enjoyed the headiness of the third pitch in contrast with many of the other pitches on this wall that are very comfortable. The bottom line is that you will not get hurt on this climb in a fall and climbing is both really good and not that runnout (compared to other South Platte slabs). Deserves more than a single star. Feb 27, 2008