All Locations > Colorado > S Platte > Cathedral Spire… > Angle Iron Slabs

Schwanensee

Name: Schwanensee
Rating: 1.0

5.9 YDS 5c French 17 Ewbanks VI UIAA 17 ZA HVS 5a British

Routes in Angle Iron Slabs

L › R R › L A › Z

	It Matters Not T,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
	Leftraction S,TR 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b X
	Purgatory TR 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R
	Roadkill T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
	Roadside Attraction S,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Schvondelagunst T,TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Schwanensee T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Trifle Dicey T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a

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Type:	Trad, 145 ft (44 m)
GPS:	39.413, -105.2673
FA:	unknown
Page Views:	381 total · 6/month
Shared By:	George Bracksieck on Apr 6, 2021
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Explore this route in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closure - at least until Aug. 15, 2025 Details

Per Josh: for the first time in at least 5 years, it appears we have nestlings at the peregrine falcon eyrie at Cathedral Spires! The breeding pair has been present and made attempts at nesting all those years but have not gotten this close to fledging a nest in that time.

Ornithologists across the Front Range have noted that migration and the onset of the avian breeding season seemed to be delayed by around 7-10 days this year, possibly because of the timing and amount of spring precipitation. The peregrines at Cathedral laid eggs later than usual. Because of that, their nestlings may not be ready to leave the nest by the time our usual seasonal closure would end, after July 31. As such, the closure this year will remain until at least August 15 (an opening of August 16). This should give the nestlings the time they need to finish development and leave the nest area.

2023 info: jeffco.us/1531/Alerts-Closures

The Cathedral Spires area, including Block Tower, Cynical Pinnacle, Snake Buttress, the Dome, Hall of Mirrors, Sunshine Wall, and Poe Buttress, are closed annually starting March 1 for raptor nesting. After careful monitoring of nest sites, Jefferson County Open Space opens certain areas of Cathedral Spires and maintain spot closures for active nests through July 31st. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates: jeffco.us/open-space/parks/…

Note, JeffCo Open Space has notified us that access to The Bishop and Poop Point (along with all the Cathedral Spires Area) currently goes across JeffCo OS land. Despite information in some guidebooks (published or soon-to-be-published), the entire Cathedral Spires area is subject raptor nesting closures. Please be aware of the hefty fines associated with failure to observe these regulations.

Description

This route follows cracks and a chimney, which are completely to the right of Schvondelagunst, joining that route for the last 20 feet. It is really the antithesis of a ballet, such as “Swan Lake.” The initial crack is the burly crux, which I ignominiously dry-humped, fighting to get my right toe into the severely undercut crack. The face to the left has zero useful texture; the uniform roughness just crumbled away as so many ball bearings. With my stomach high-centered on the bulge and my rack stuck against my right hip, long reaches with my right hand struggled for handjams and fistjams. I placed a old-style #3.5 Friend, a #9 Trango Flexcam (equivalent to 3.5 Camalot), and then a #2 Camalot.

Atop the short chimney is a crumbling mushroom cap, which I slung. I continued up lower-angle cracks in decent rock. The exit is shared with that of the route to the left. I belayed from its two-bolt anchor and brought up Grant.