| Type: | Trad, 65 ft (20 m) |
| GPS: | 39.93203, -105.28849 |
| FA: | M. Brooks, L. Smith, 1981 |
| Page Views: | 863 total · 7/month |
| Shared By: | Tony B on Jan 3, 2016 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Crags on Eldorado Mountain, such as Mickey Mouse wall and Cryptic Crags, are outside of park boundaries and may still be subject to Boulder County closures.
Previously in 2023: per M. McHugh, ECSP: the upper loop of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, above the Crags Hotel Ruin, & the
Continental Divide Overlook, is closed effective immediately. This included Continental Crag.
These areas are closed to all activities, including rock climbing & hiking, through 7/15 or until further notice, to protect nesting golden eagles on the S side of the canyon.
Golden Eagles are protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under authority of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A conviction of nest disturbance can carry a fine to $5,000 & one year imprisonment.
See the map in the photo section for terrain closure.
Previous years: per Dustin Bergman, CO State Parks Officer #770, ECSP:
Seasonal Raptor Closures
Check Park site for current closures:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
For more info visit:
cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/…
Double check prior to venturing there. Thanks!
Description
Sundial is a good, clean route, for the most part, but it is marred by too much traversing on ledges.
This route is a good escape from Handcracker Direct's top pitch in the event of weather, crowds, time, etc... or anything else that makes you want to miss the best part of that superior route. That said, the completest must do everything, and so this route is included.
From the base of the top pitch of Handcracker Direct, traverse right past the bottom of Reckoning and into a short dihedral. Climb this briefly to a solid ledge with a handcrack at the back, and traverse into a second set of shallow corners, which ascends to the top.
A belay can be built on top with some cams behind less-than-ideal flakes and boulders.
From the top, downclimb over and down to the east (~5.4 if dry with no snow), and then traverse left (now to the South, with your back facing Redgarden Wall) to a shallow corner and down to a rap tree, the first of several in a list of options that will get you back to the base.
Scrambling North around the back of the buttress to reach the Handcracker Direct walkoff is an option, but that seemed to be more work.
Location
This ascends a rising traverse of ledges and corners to the right of Reckoning from the last pitch of Handcracker Direct.



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