Type: | Trad, TR, 50 ft (15 m) |
FA: | [FA: Eric Goukas and Mark Sheppard, 1980] |
Page Views: | 1,380 total · 5/month |
Shared By: | Tony B on Nov 9, 2002 |
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
"Walking on Thin Ice" - that about sums it up.
Find this route by locating Long John Wall. Look just to the left of the broken, right-facing corner at the base of LJW. The arete on the left of this is the route.
There is a clean arete with a few tiny seams in it, 15' up off the ground, a short finger lock section, and then flakes. Climb in from either side (5.9) to establish yourself on the left side of the arete on a reasonable set of footholds. Try in vain to get a RP placement you trust around the right hand side, which is a blind placement from the good stance. Give up, and climb a few more feet up and left onto the left side, checking out the nasty 20' landing you'd get. Look at the seam at the left hand, and decide again that nothing good goes in there. Quit fooling around, and make a few 5.9 moves to a 10-inch section of "finger crack" where you can place a TCU or Alien. Clip it, make a crux move (9+), and then run for the ledge on easy moves. Don't fall. Place a piece or two near the ledge for a directional. Climb up and left to a tree with slings that can be backed up by nuts up and right above. (no rap rings here) or go up and right to join Long John Wall.
In any case, when you come down, ask yourself if that was really S (given grade) or VS. At least the rock is nice solid stone!
Protection
A few VERY TINY nuts and a 0.4-0.75" cam placement (TCU, Alien, or something narrow) are about all you can get. The nuts will be about as good as they are big. The cam will be OK but not great.from the top of "the business" of the route. You will need a #3-4 BD or equivalent for a directional before finishing to the left or right. You might TR the route from an anchor on the face well above + a directional a the top of the arete (small nuts + long sling).
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