Katana Ridge

Katana Ridge offers a fun adventure with a quick approach. The ledges for belaying are ample, and there are plenty of cracks to build anchors. The position of the arete, especially the last pitch, is really exciting. The cruxes are short, with good gear options, making it the friendliest of the Pike's Peak 5.10 routes

APPROACH: park at the mile 16 lot, and hike east to the high point of the ridge. Look for the gash in the south side, and spot The Blade.
You could hike down the Dinosaur Couloir and scramble up to the base; however, rappelling is less impactful on the area and the wildlife (give the sheep some room). The rap anchors are tucked in to a groove behind the topout. Another rap anchor is down and skier's right at 30m. Tie knots - it’s a rope stretcher with a 60m rope. After that, scramble down the gully and around to the base.

P1 (25m, 5.9) Start on the left side of the formation, and aim for a laser cut, fist crack. Traverse in from the right. The fist crack turns to finger and face holds, then take a right at a ledge, finishing on steep hand crack to another ledge below a wide crack.

P2 (25m, 5.10-)Stem up easy wide crack (optional 6”) for 15’, then lean out left, and change into the thin, left-facing corner to the left. Small cams (0.3x3) are what you need here. Change corners, then follow face holds above your gear to an easy crack, and continue up to a big ledge. You can bring this down to 5.9 if you stem the wide crack higher then move left to the finger crack, after making an awkward placement.

P3 (25m, 5.6) Aim up and right on easy terrain. Belay at a flat spot below big diving board.

P3.5. Move your belay to the base of The Blade, 50’, on an exposed third class ridge.

P4 (20m, 5.10-) Take the hand and finger crack until it dumps you onto a mantel on the left. Catch your breath, then venture out right of The Blade, and clip a bolt (placed on lead). Work the arete and crystals to top out.

Stoppers are nice and a rack of cams 0.1-4", triples of 0.3, and an optional 6. The wide crack is easily stemmed, and no offwidth technique is necessary.