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East Face

5.4 PG13, Trad, 230 ft (70 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 1.6 from 8 votes
FA: unknown
Colorado > Boulder > Flatirons > South > Penguin
Warning Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

This route is for those who like walking more than climbing. If you are planning a trip up the left side of Seal Rock and are an aficionado of obscure Flatirons, this might be worth a quick detour. The crux is near the bottom, nothing too hard, but the lack of traffic keeps it dirty and covered in pine needles. Once you reach the left-facing flake, there is plenty of gear if you want it. Higher on the face the easiest path is through a section of dark brown rock that is pretty loose and flakey. You can avoid it by staying left. With a 70m rope, you can easily make the top in one pitch. If not, there are a few good spots to belay from....

Location

Start on the lowest point of the East Face.

There are a couple of ways off the top:

1) Down-climb through a slot to the west. This is easier if you are tall. Harder than the route if short, but still doable.... It seems like there would be a nasty tumble if you blow it, but it's easier than it looks.

2) Down-climb a little ways down the east ridge until you can reach a ledge system that heads SW back into the hillside. (Roach and Rossiter both mention this way.) It looked easy, but we already went down the slot....

Protection

A few cams and nuts, or just solo.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

You can follow that left-facing flake system for most of the route....
[Hide Photo] You can follow that left-facing flake system for most of the route....
Once you reach this flake, the rest of the route is much cleaner and better protected....
[Hide Photo] Once you reach this flake, the rest of the route is much cleaner and better protected....
The last easy section to the top....  Great views even for a tiny Flatiron.
[Hide Photo] The last easy section to the top.... Great views even for a tiny Flatiron.
Starting up the East Face.
[Hide Photo] Starting up the East Face.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Holly Barnard
  5.5 R
[Hide Comment] My partner and I both found the crux to be just below the left edge of the first flake you get to with 2-3 committing and balance/smear moves before you can get pro in. These moves took more attention than most 5.4 Flatirons and with no pro options prior to the flake - blowing a move would be very bad. Perhaps it would have been easier to enter the flake further right and then use it to traverse left, I don't know. The downclimb off the back was pretty straightforward. I'm 5'6" and didn't have any problems. There is one sorta awkward section, but I just had to get turned the right way to lower myself down. The approach from the Seal Rock trail was easy, and there isn't any downed wood blocking it at this point. Jul 9, 2022