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South-Southwest Ridge

5.6 PG13, Trad, Alpine, 400 ft (121 m), 3 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 2.3 from 3 votes
FA: Regis Colasanti, Jack Dais, & John Petrarca, 2000
Colorado > Alpine Rock > San Juans > Twin Peaks

Description

Expect only the finest rock, and as mentioned, the climbing is “trying to climb a vertical mud pile.”

Pitch 1: start on the SSW side of the summit tower and look for a well-featured climb up volcanic tuff. Climb 90 feet into an alcove, 5.3.

Pitch 2: continue straight up from the alcove in a chossy crack system; then veer right to a series of mantels. The upper mantel is the crux and is protected by a fixed pin (more of a mental placement). Continue up the ridge on hollow spires to more solid rock, 5.6 PG-13.

Pitch 3: from the top of the 5.6 pitch, start down a class 3 ramp to a notch. Climb out of the notch, class 4, to the middle summit. The eastern summit is reached by crossing an exposed gap and then a short scramble to the summit, 180 feet, 5.0.

For the descent, use a slung boulder and solution pocket to rappel 80 feet off of the north side of the tower from the top of the second pitch.

Protection

- Single 60m rope.
- BD cams #0.75 - 6.
- 4-6 double length runners.

To sew it up, one could bring double #5. I used nothing smaller than a BD #2.
4-6 double length runners are also recommended for passive protection via horns and pillars.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Stepping across the exposed gap to the eastern summit.
[Hide Photo] Stepping across the exposed gap to the eastern summit.
Finishing up the first pitch into the alcove.
[Hide Photo] Finishing up the first pitch into the alcove.
Finishing up the crux mantle on the second pitch. Only the finest rock.
[Hide Photo] Finishing up the crux mantle on the second pitch. Only the finest rock.
Route topo for the first 2 pitches.
[Hide Photo] Route topo for the first 2 pitches.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Matthias Holladay
On the Road...Looking for a…
[Hide Comment] Way to go, you guys; this route looks great! Jul 11, 2014
Ryan Marsters
Golden, CO
[Hide Comment] Combined P1 and P2 up the ridge in a single 32m pitch. I slotted in a fairly bomber #6 cam in a constriction just after the spires. This was good as my follower blew out a hold and took a big pendulum swing into the chimney, with the piton holding that fall. Had I stopped at P1 suggested, I probably could have guided my second better along the traverse-y bit and avoided the pendulum mishap.

There are two registers on middle summit - a crappy CMC PVC register characteristically soaked through, plus a glass jar. It'd be good to take a level to figure out if the middle or east summit is higher. Most seem to stop at middle.

Placed a single set from #2 - 6 cams, but I agree a double would sew it up. Jul 6, 2023