Mountain Project Logo
To save paper & ink, use the [Hide] controls next to photos and comments so you only print what you need.

Rapunzel

5.11b, Trad, 180 ft (55 m),  Avg: 3.5 from 11 votes
FA: Patrick Peddy, Lee Marsh, Rusty Kirkpatrick
Colorado > S Platte > Buffalo Creek > Castle

Description

This is the sustained, tight-hands crack located on the climbers' right side wall at the entrance of the mountaineer's gully. There is no real crux to this climb, but if you've gotten through the first hundred feet you're probably on your way to the send. There used to be a loose flake in the pod about 80 feet up, but last checked it wasn't there. Make sure you have finger and thin-hand-size gear left after the last roof as the climb keeps going although difficulty eases. Set up a belay at the obvious shelf with finger-size pro. The scramble off is obvious from the belay. A photo of the route can be viewed if you click on the pic of the Turret on the Castle web page.

Location

Locate the mountaineer's gully which is prominent thrashfest a few hundred feet right of the large open area where Throne Room and The Dungeon are located. At the entrance to the gully, the right wall has three cracks running through it. Rapunzal is the center, best-looking line. Scramble 10' up to a nice ledge and rope up there.

The crack to the right was done by Lou Bartell in early '90s and has long offwith stretches up high although you can do a short version and lower off some fixed slings rabbit runnered through a hole.

Protection

Wires, singles #0.3-0.5 Camalots, triples #0.75 Camalot, 4-5 #1 Camalot, 2-3 #2 Camalot, and 1 #3 Camalot.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Rapunzel, The Castle.
[Hide Photo] Rapunzel, The Castle.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

stevecurtis
Petaluma California
[Hide Comment] Per Pat's Beta, I did this about 1998. Excellent long thin hands route with pro opportunity green Alien to blue Camalot. Medium to large nuts. A bit marred by the gully close by. The decent was a steep bushwhack. Sep 18, 2009
Abel Jones
Bishop, CA
  5.11b
[Hide Comment] Burly. If you do this with just a double set... you're in for some puckering runouts between constrictions. This is quite rough on the hands too and would be less stars if it wasn't so sustained and long for a Colorado crack. Sep 2, 2015