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Smoldering Horse Flesh

5.12a, Sport, 60 ft (18 m),  Avg: 2.8 from 13 votes
FA: Darryl Roth, Mark Van Horn
Colorado > Canon City > Shelf Rd > Vault

Description

Smoldering Horse Flesh is your typical old-school Shelf Road sport climb: runout, burly & excellent. The climb is marred somewhat by the temptation to stem out right just above the crux, but if taken directly, this is one of the best lines at The Vault and worth every bit of the 12a grade.

Make moderate moves up the steep, dark slab, past a long runout to an easy stance in the obvious scoop. Get psyched for big, committing moves over the steep bulge. Thin pockets & sharp crimps head up the rounded prow, working left eventually to the anchor.

Location

Ascends a hidden, inset buttress about 30 feet right of "Illusions", on the far left end of The Vault.

Protection

6 bolts to 2 BA.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Smoldering Horse Flesh ascends the aesthetic prow.
[Hide Photo] Smoldering Horse Flesh ascends the aesthetic prow.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Just a historical comment... Mark and I put this up on an ass biting cold day. My hands were totally numb when I clipped the anchors. When they finally regained sensation, due to over-gripping, they were stinging like fire and really beat up.... Thus: "Smoldering Horse Flesh". Apr 8, 2010
Monomaniac
Morrison, CO
  5.12a
[Hide Comment] Great story, Darryl! I knew there had to be a good story behind a name like that. Apr 19, 2010