Mountain Project Logo

Red Scare

5.11d, Trad, Sport, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 2 from 1 vote
FA: P1: B. Gillett, K. Young, P2: T. Bubb, P. Foster, B. Gillett, all 2005.
Colorado > Lyons > St Vrain Canyons > S Fork of St Vr… > Area 51
Warning Access Issue: MM 23-29.5 - now ended daily CO 7 highway closure/delays DetailsDrop down

Description

A good climb on good rock with mixed gear on P1 and trad gear on P2. The best and hardest climbing (11d) is near the top of P1, and is protected by bolts.

P1: (5.11d, 90') Climb which ever of the initial corners looks good to you (right gets wider, at 4") and follow one of them to the merge into a singular crack shared with 'Government Conspiracy'(5.9, trad gear) then up to a large hanging arete. Here the route diverges from Government Conspiracy, which continues up the moderate, right-facing, trad corner on the right of the arete. Instead of following that line, pull left around and over a bulge to the left of the arete and climb face protected by 4 bolts, with a crux section up high to arrive on a ledge at about 90'. You can rap from a fixed anchor or continue up P2 to the top.

P2: (5.10a, 110') Climb up and left through mixed features on trad gear (moderate) to access a vertical crack with some nut placements, and follow that through the P2 crux. You will arrive at a ledge below an uninviting, crumbing roof (what we had intended to climb). Escape around to the right, so your last few pieces should be on long slings. Turn the corner and climb a lower-angled crack to the summit and belay.

Location

Just above the lower section of the wall on the North Face, the elevation at the base starts to climb as you curve more westwardly. Just downhill of the bolted crack "Alien Hot Rod" there is a pair of corners at the ground, facing each other, that merge into a single crack a few body-lengths from the ground. This is the start of 'Red Scare' and 'Government Conspiracy.'

Protection

A standard rack will protect both pitches.