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Shades of Gray

5.13+, Sport, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 2.7 from 3 votes
FA: Mike Patz, 2018
Colorado > Durango > Cascade Canyon > Headbanger's Wall
Warning Access Issue: Private Property DetailsDrop down

Description

The name refers to the color of the rock and to the ethics used to establish the line. For full disclosure, there's a good bit of glue on this one to keep just enough holds on the wall to make in climbable. Nevertheless, the route climbs very well with multiple cruxes on cool angles of rock. Bolted in 2012, this route was an open project until Mike Patz sent in July of 2018.

Start a good bit right of the first bolt on some left-facing flakes, and climb up into and out of the dihedral to a conspicuous hole at bolt four. Make strange tension moves on non-holds out of the hole and into the first crux on the white face to establish below the steep prow. From the chockstone jug (you'll see what I mean), embark on a long stretch of difficult sidepulls and slopers out the prow, finishing with a Hail Mary deadpoint to a flat hold on the headwall. Continue up the headwall on better holds to the anchor.

This route requires very dry conditions as a key crimp in the first crux seeps most of the year. Otherwise, it is a proud and difficulty line.

Location

Shades of Gray begins about 30 feet left of the Track Team arete. The line is just left of the mungy project with a faded red tag and two draws in wet rock, but one begins climbing almost directly below the first bolt of that line.

Protection

11 bolts and anchors. There is a mandatory stick clip for the high first bolt. Several other bolts are placed in somewhat inconvenient locations to maximize rock quality, so pre-hung longer draws will help in spots. One will almost certainly skip at least one bolt on the upper prow.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Erik Durgin
Salt Lake City, UT
[Hide Comment] Choss limestone + glue = AWESOME!
This route looks so good, Chris! Can't wait to get spanked on it! Jun 23, 2012
[Hide Comment] I never said it was choss. In fact, most of the pitch is on really good vertical to radically steep rock. Certainly, there's a bit of dust and lichen that still need to be cleaned up, but most of the rock is quite solid. The glue, which is on exactly four holds, two of them small and two larger features, is only slightly obtrusive and somewhat ethically shady (hence the name). Jun 24, 2012
David Heerschap
Lander, WY
[Hide Comment] My Sika definitely brings all the boys to the yard (not mine on this though)...yee haw - can't wait to give this a burn! Thanks for bolting and cleaning this, Chris! Jun 25, 2012
Ben Griffin
Chattanooga, TN
[Hide Comment] Chris loves to glue choss together. That route looks sick. Cascade is awesome. Are you sure you don't want to rename the route shades of spank me? Jul 23, 2012
Mike Patz
  5.13c
[Hide Comment] I highly recommend going left to the blue rock at the low intro crux vs. easier choss to the right even though it doesn't change the route difficulty.

A left kneepad is useful.

Speculative grade - 13c+... could feel harder without left kneebars or casual with more kneebars. Jul 23, 2018
DES
Durango, CO
[Hide Comment] As per suggestions from multiple people, including the 1st ascentionist, I installed a midway anchor for lowering. I also added 2 bolts to the start. Now the "new" climb is a 5 bolt, 11+, that ends just below where the rock quality starts to degrade.

I hope everyone enjoys the route! It has some really cool, interesting moves. Jun 23, 2021