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

Nexus

5.11a, Trad, 140 ft (42 m),  Avg: 2 from 6 votes
FA: Jim McMillan, Larry Bruce 1968 (5.8 A4). FFA: Ed Webster, Steve Mammen, Scott Woodruff, Brad Gilbert, 1975.
Colorado > Boulder > Eldorado Canyon SP > Bastille > Bastille - N Face
Warning Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closures - lifted DetailsDrop down

Description

This an odd, but very worthy, route on the left side of the North Face of the Bastille. I will describe the pitch the way we did it, joining the tail-end of Madame Guillotine.

Apparently you could continue further right, joining the Bastille Crack earlier and skipping the 11a section on MG, which would probably keep the pitch at 5.10. This would avoid what I thought to be the best climbing, though.

Start up Werk Supp, and follow that route for ~50'. Look for the prominent, undercling flake shooting up and right. Climb delicately out this flake with frequent and good cams (finger to thin-hands size), 5.10. After the flake ends, move right onto a subtle ledge system.

Here, one can apparently traverse into the Bastille Crack (?) or continue straight up past a bolt. You have now joined the upper part of Madame Guillotine. Continue past two more bolts (thin, balance-y crux, 5.11a), and then head up the easy face to join Bastille Crack at its second belay (fixed pin, 1-2" cams).

Both Rossiter's and Levin's guidebooks give this an "R" rating, but I can't see why. Great gear can be had the whole way. Maybe the R is a holdover from before MG was bolted and those bolts were added?

Either way, Nexus is a worthy outing for those who think they've climbed "everything" on the Bastille. It's enjoyable, well-protected easy 5.11 climbing on good (if a bit dirty) rock with great pro.

After joining the Bastille Crack, you have many options. There are no fixed anchors, and you're 140' feet up.

You could traverse down and left to the anchor on Werk Supp and make two single rope rappels down that route.

You could also continue up the Bastille Crack, or traverse further right to finish up Outer Space.

Location

NF of the Bastille, between Werk Supp and Bastille Crack.

Protection

Standard rack up to #1 Camalot for Nexus. Maybe doubles from #0.5-0.75. Plenty of long slings.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Blake leading Nexus.
[Hide Photo] Blake leading Nexus.
Nexus.
[Hide Photo] Nexus.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Scott Bennett
Western North America
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] This is a cool way to start a "barber pole" girdle traverse of the Bastille. From Bastille Crack P2, continue on the traverse to Outer Space, but instead of heading up the well-chalked dihedral, continue right on strata to join a dihedral on XM. Take this to the Outer Space ledge, and then continue around the ledge to the West Face and summit from there.

You could probably start further left still, somewhere on March of Dimes, for the longest traverse.

There's not too much shade in Eldo in the summer, we've got to maximize all the climbable surface on the Bastille! Sep 22, 2010