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The Bends

5.11b, Trad, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 3.8 from 41 votes
FA: Scott Sills & Janice Harnak
Colorado > S Platte > Devil's Head > Radio Head
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Description

This is burly on both pitches, involving about every crack climbing technique.

P1 (100', 14 bolts to 2-bolt anchor, 5.11b).
Start at a bolted, flared chimney. Scott originally climbed this clean with gear, but this would have warranted an R/X rating with the scarcity of good protection available. After the chimney pinches down, the route veers to the left on thin crimps, then up to a comfortable belay just below the large bulge.

P2 (100', 2 bolts & gear to 4" to anchor, 5.10d).
Follow the hand to fist crack through the bulge. If you are uncomfortable with this grade, bring one #4 Camalot in addition to the standard rack. This route was most likely aid climbed by an unknown party before being discovered and cleaned by Scott Sills in 2003. Old gear was found hanging in the crack.

Location

This is the center route on the Main Wall, with pitch 2 ascending the beautiful splitter crack through the bulge.

Protection

Standard rack through 4". Good anchors at comfortable belays.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

2nd pitch.
[Hide Photo] 2nd pitch.
Second pitch can be seen to the right of center, splitter crack heading through the bulge.
[Hide Photo] Second pitch can be seen to the right of center, splitter crack heading through the bulge.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Dougald MacDonald
  5.11b
[Hide Comment] Four stars all the way: great rock, perfect protection, exposure, and, most of all, amazing variety. Bring at least two each gold and blue camalots or equivalents, plus one big piece and assorted smaller stuff, for the steep final crack. Oct 11, 2010
david goldstein
 
[Hide Comment] What Dougald said: great climb.

I'm not too dialed into the rating system these days, but pitch 1 seemed very soft for 11c. The crux entailed crystally tips jamming of the sort sometimes found at Lumpy Ridge. There are some similarities between the crux of P1 and Lumpy's Dead Boys Direct which is rated 11+ and is vastly harder than The Bends. Oct 11, 2010
Mike Willig
  5.11b
[Hide Comment] Fantastic route! Highly recommended. 0.4, #2 x 2, #3 x 2, #4 x 2. Sep 15, 2012
Alex Vidal
Durango, CO
 
[Hide Comment] Probably easier than 11c for crack-enthusiasts. Very well protected though I found the 2nd bolt very awkward to clip if you are using the easiest technique for upward progress. Jul 21, 2014
Bob Rotert
Broomfield
5.11-
[Hide Comment] Great route, but we didn't feel it was any where close to 11c. Might be 11-. We did Lady Fingers prior to doing this route, and it felt harder. Would say that route is underrated, and this one over. Bolts are a little awkward to clip in the groove. Nicely featured rock makes for good face climbing after the groove. Don't let the 5.11 grade keep you from getting on this one. Aug 3, 2014
Abel Jones
Bishop, CA
 
[Hide Comment] Another classic huge pitch! The crack is way higher quality than it looks from the ground. Smooth on the hands. Sep 22, 2014
Jim Hausmann
Richmond, TX
  5.11b
[Hide Comment] Edited from 11c to 11b. When Scott and I did this back in 2003, it was still pretty mank. Glad it cleaned up, the 2nd pitch is fantastic! Oct 21, 2014
ALuckyDuck
Boulder, CO
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] The first pitch felt like 11a, the second will probably take as many #2s and #3s as you throw at it. A #4 is helpful. Jul 10, 2016
Tony B
Around Boulder, CO
  5.11-
[Hide Comment] The crux of the route to me was the move left above the P1 seam and optional belay anchor there into the face section. Felt 11a. Jun 26, 2021