The Joker and the Thief
5.11+ YDS 7a French 24 Ewbanks VIII UIAA 24 ZA E4 6a British R
Avg: 1 from 2 votes
Type: | Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches |
FA: | M. Rolofson & F. Stern, 1980 |
Page Views: | 684 total · 5/month |
Shared By: | Tony B on May 9, 2012 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: Seasonal Closures 2024 - Bitty Buttress, Blob (Eagle Rock & Security Risk now open!)
Details
FS (3/27/24): Eagle Rock & Security Risk are now open!
2/1/24: W. McCurry: to protect nesting golden eagles, U.S. FS annual area closures in Boulder Canyon beginning 2/1/24 - Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, Eagle Rock, Security Risk.
USFS lifted closures 7/26/23.
From W. McCurry: 2/10/23 Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk opened. Eagle Rock stayed closed - info: fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news….
W. McCurry, NFS, Arap./Roo. NF: USFS began annual area closures in BC 2/1/23. The closures were Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Through 7/31/23, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera will remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District with BCC monitors nesting progress & informs climbers about giving the eagles space to raise young.
Fed. & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting closures. Signs are posted at key access pts into the closed areas. Closure info: fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/eagles.
K. Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist, Nat'l Forest Service: as of 6/8/21: BC areas reopen after unsuccessful nesting.
K. Armstrong, NF Ranger 7/29/20:
Following a 5 mo. closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF has reopened Eagle Rock.
“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong & healthy eaglet this year,” wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, only 1 survived to fledge, which isn’t uncommon in birds of prey.”
Visits to the nest did not reveal the exact cause of death of the 2nd chick, but climber cooperation with closures are crucial to the eagles.
“Golden eagle pairs are most susceptible to disturbance when choosing a nest. These closures allow the birds to pick the best site for survival without impact of other factors, such as human presence. Once chosen, nest sites stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.
After the eagles’ site selection was made, unused areas opened in Apr.
The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Effective through 7/31/20, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving the eagles space to raise their young.
It is against federal & state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, & wildlife professionals under an agreement with the FS enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest & the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, & the public. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting all closures & leaving immediately if you should accidentally enter one.
For the most current closure information, check signs in the areas, call the Boulder Ranger District office @ 303-541-2500, or visit local climbing websites or fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
As of 4/21/20, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open. Eagle Rock stays closed until 7/31/2020 confirmed with Matt Henry, Rec Prog Mgr, FS.
From K. Armstrong, FS Pub Aff, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607: 3/20/19, Blob, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security are open. Eagle stays closed to climbing & other activities through 7/31/19.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress & to inform climbers.
See - fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
Perennial notice:
Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security will close 2/1 - 7/31 for nesting. Depending on updated information, the closure time can be shortened/lengthened.
Each year, BC raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting 2/1 through 7/31 at Eagle, Security, Blob, & Bitty Buttress. The area is monitored & closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the FS Boulder Ranger District, BCC, & Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. More info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/rec…
2/1/24: W. McCurry: to protect nesting golden eagles, U.S. FS annual area closures in Boulder Canyon beginning 2/1/24 - Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, Eagle Rock, Security Risk.
USFS lifted closures 7/26/23.
From W. McCurry: 2/10/23 Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk opened. Eagle Rock stayed closed - info: fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news….
W. McCurry, NFS, Arap./Roo. NF: USFS began annual area closures in BC 2/1/23. The closures were Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Through 7/31/23, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera will remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District with BCC monitors nesting progress & informs climbers about giving the eagles space to raise young.
Fed. & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting closures. Signs are posted at key access pts into the closed areas. Closure info: fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/eagles.
K. Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist, Nat'l Forest Service: as of 6/8/21: BC areas reopen after unsuccessful nesting.
K. Armstrong, NF Ranger 7/29/20:
Following a 5 mo. closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF has reopened Eagle Rock.
“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong & healthy eaglet this year,” wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, only 1 survived to fledge, which isn’t uncommon in birds of prey.”
Visits to the nest did not reveal the exact cause of death of the 2nd chick, but climber cooperation with closures are crucial to the eagles.
“Golden eagle pairs are most susceptible to disturbance when choosing a nest. These closures allow the birds to pick the best site for survival without impact of other factors, such as human presence. Once chosen, nest sites stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.
After the eagles’ site selection was made, unused areas opened in Apr.
The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Effective through 7/31/20, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving the eagles space to raise their young.
It is against federal & state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, & wildlife professionals under an agreement with the FS enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest & the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, & the public. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting all closures & leaving immediately if you should accidentally enter one.
For the most current closure information, check signs in the areas, call the Boulder Ranger District office @ 303-541-2500, or visit local climbing websites or fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
As of 4/21/20, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open. Eagle Rock stays closed until 7/31/2020 confirmed with Matt Henry, Rec Prog Mgr, FS.
From K. Armstrong, FS Pub Aff, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607: 3/20/19, Blob, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security are open. Eagle stays closed to climbing & other activities through 7/31/19.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress & to inform climbers.
See - fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
Perennial notice:
Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security will close 2/1 - 7/31 for nesting. Depending on updated information, the closure time can be shortened/lengthened.
Each year, BC raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting 2/1 through 7/31 at Eagle, Security, Blob, & Bitty Buttress. The area is monitored & closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the FS Boulder Ranger District, BCC, & Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. More info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/rec…
Description
One star reflects the state I left it in, not the state I found it in. When I climbed the thing, I brushed flakes and lichen off of every hold, good and bad, showering myself and my partner with junk. I commented: "I don't think this thing gets climbed very often" to which he replied: "I don't think it has seen a second ascent." This may be true.
P1. (5.11+, PG-13, 100'): Walk up to the rock and place a very good large stopper overhead at the base. Start climbing in from the right side, an awkward, leaning move or two to above the stopper. Place a green Camalot and step up into the undercling, perhaps using a second green Camalot to back up the first one (the undercling is a little flaring or uneven, and is a blind placement at that). If you blow it, you deck. Don't blow it. Move up and left up the undercling on poor feet to reach around the corner on slopers (crux) and over them to see a very hard to clip fixed pin. In the short term, this has been aggressively brushed down. In the long term, it might be lichen covered once again. Clip the pin with a long sling (difficult) or make a "Oh God!" move into a hand jam up and left and then clip it. This is the crux. Mantle up over the jam into the corner, place a cam where that was, and then climb moderate (5.7?) territory up and onto a shelf.
Belay a good way left on the shelf from cams (2-3.5") of our choosing in a good horizontal.
P2. (5.11, PG-13/R, 70'): This pitch has a short boulder problem right off of the ledge followed by more mellow terrain. Contrary to the Rossiter book, we did not find this to be the crux once we cleaned it. Place a few small cams overhead. We placed a purple and a green Camalot together very high and clipped the biner to the cam loop instead of the sling. This is important gear, as the crux to follow is dirty (chancy) and exposes you to a sideways fall to the ledge. Undercling and pull up into a pinched flake, past feet high and right and slap and pinch your way up the overhang and get established on dirty (formerly terribly dirty) slopers and bad feet over the roof. The end of the crux comes about when you have enough out to really hit the ledge hard - so an attentive belay is MUST. After the crux, the climbing is downright easy, and can be protected to the summit.
We cleaned this route as well as possible without a brush. It might be in the best shape it's been in in years right now, but it could use a good brushing yet. It was 0*'s as we found it, and 1* as we left it, but it could be 2* or more with some significant traffic, or a dedicated party taking up a brush. The moves are challenging, technical, and physical. The route can be protected, but needs to be very carefully so, and will still produce some anxiety unless you have perfect confidence in your belayer.
P1. (5.11+, PG-13, 100'): Walk up to the rock and place a very good large stopper overhead at the base. Start climbing in from the right side, an awkward, leaning move or two to above the stopper. Place a green Camalot and step up into the undercling, perhaps using a second green Camalot to back up the first one (the undercling is a little flaring or uneven, and is a blind placement at that). If you blow it, you deck. Don't blow it. Move up and left up the undercling on poor feet to reach around the corner on slopers (crux) and over them to see a very hard to clip fixed pin. In the short term, this has been aggressively brushed down. In the long term, it might be lichen covered once again. Clip the pin with a long sling (difficult) or make a "Oh God!" move into a hand jam up and left and then clip it. This is the crux. Mantle up over the jam into the corner, place a cam where that was, and then climb moderate (5.7?) territory up and onto a shelf.
Belay a good way left on the shelf from cams (2-3.5") of our choosing in a good horizontal.
P2. (5.11, PG-13/R, 70'): This pitch has a short boulder problem right off of the ledge followed by more mellow terrain. Contrary to the Rossiter book, we did not find this to be the crux once we cleaned it. Place a few small cams overhead. We placed a purple and a green Camalot together very high and clipped the biner to the cam loop instead of the sling. This is important gear, as the crux to follow is dirty (chancy) and exposes you to a sideways fall to the ledge. Undercling and pull up into a pinched flake, past feet high and right and slap and pinch your way up the overhang and get established on dirty (formerly terribly dirty) slopers and bad feet over the roof. The end of the crux comes about when you have enough out to really hit the ledge hard - so an attentive belay is MUST. After the crux, the climbing is downright easy, and can be protected to the summit.
We cleaned this route as well as possible without a brush. It might be in the best shape it's been in in years right now, but it could use a good brushing yet. It was 0*'s as we found it, and 1* as we left it, but it could be 2* or more with some significant traffic, or a dedicated party taking up a brush. The moves are challenging, technical, and physical. The route can be protected, but needs to be very carefully so, and will still produce some anxiety unless you have perfect confidence in your belayer.
Protection
A full set of cams to 3" and stoppers. Green Camalots are the crux protection on BOTH pitches and on P1, 2 of them is a good idea. While gear can be had at very reasonable distances apart, ledges are never far away, and each placement is critical. The belay above P1 consists of 2-4" cams. The belay above P2 is "whatever."
Walk off to the West, then South.
Walk off to the West, then South.
Photos
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