Type: | Trad, 4 pitches |
FA: | Dick Walker and Steve Gaskill, 1972 |
Page Views: | 4,371 total · 16/month |
Shared By: | Michael Komarnitsky on Apr 25, 2002 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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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.
Per Dustin Bergman, Eldorado Canyon State Park Officer: the upper third of the West Redgarden trail and Rewritten descent trail suffered significant damage during that storm that came through a few weeks ago. Please consider choosing alternates routes lower on the trail.
Beginning Feb. 1st each year, a seasonal wildlife closure will be in effect on Redgarden Wall in Eldorado Canyon State Park to protect nesting and roosting sites of the canyons falcons. The closure is in effect through July 31st unless lifted early due to early fledging or inactivity.
The closure includes the following climbing routes: The Naked Edge (last 3 pitches only), The Diving Board, Centaur, Redguard (last 3 pitches only), Red Ant, Semi-Wild, Anthill Direct (last 3 pitches only), and The Sidetrack.
For more info, visit dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/pre…
Beginning Feb. 1st each year, a seasonal wildlife closure will be in effect on Redgarden Wall in Eldorado Canyon State Park to protect nesting and roosting sites of the canyons falcons. The closure is in effect through July 31st unless lifted early due to early fledging or inactivity.
The closure includes the following climbing routes: The Naked Edge (last 3 pitches only), The Diving Board, Centaur, Redguard (last 3 pitches only), Red Ant, Semi-Wild, Anthill Direct (last 3 pitches only), and The Sidetrack.
For more info, visit dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/pre…
Update: as of 6/7/23 per Mike McHugh, ECSP: all closures have been lifted within Eldorado Canyon State Park, including Continental Crag.
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!
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
It's surprising that this multi-pitch 5.9 hasn't been added to the site yet. Perhaps it's the long walk up to the route.... regardless, this route sees very little traffic, and has a definite alpine flavor to it (it did rain/hail on us a couple of times during the route, which added to that feeling). Loose rock on most of the pitches, routefinding challenges, and some curious gear opportunities give this route an 's' rating.
About 50 yards past the Darkness 'til Dawn dihedral and just before a rotten band (home of choss-fest Outer Space) lies an obvious chimney/slot with two large chockstones 40 and 70 feet up. Immediately right of this chimney is a well-chalked crack that is Disappearing Act.
P1. Ascend the chimney, awkward 5.6. There is an optional belay on top of the second chockstone. It's better, however, to continue up the dihedral to it's exit, 150 feet high, to a tree with slings. Be careful for loose rocks on exit from the dihedral.
P2. Scramble up the easy dihedral for about 60 feet to another tree with slings and belay just under a bulge with a hand-sized chockstone.
P3. Here's where it got interesting. Our clear target is the ledge 20 feet to the right of the enormous tree on the face above you; however, chossy rock is between you and that belay ledge. We turned the bulge, hand-traversed out the wide crack, and then gingerly climbed up large, loose, licheny blocks before a final traverse back right to the ledge. Continuing up the dihedral from the belay and then coming back left *might* be a better strategy, but that looked pretty loose too. 50 feet.
P4. Ascend the fingers-size crack in a small ramp/right-facing dihedral that curls back to the right for 60 feet, before turning a roof. Again, this is where it got interesting, as above this roof the route and pro becomes indistinct. Kreighton Bieger was heard whining that he would "give his first-born for a good piece of pro" on lead in this area. Supposedly follow the line of least resistence; we moved left and up, back and right to sling a horn, and then traversed left on an airy and exciting ramp before heading up more loose rock for 25 feet to finish. 150 feet.
We're still unsure if we went the correct way; no chalk marks anywhere gave us hints. Regardless, this is a little-climbed route that probably deserves more ascents.
About 50 yards past the Darkness 'til Dawn dihedral and just before a rotten band (home of choss-fest Outer Space) lies an obvious chimney/slot with two large chockstones 40 and 70 feet up. Immediately right of this chimney is a well-chalked crack that is Disappearing Act.
P1. Ascend the chimney, awkward 5.6. There is an optional belay on top of the second chockstone. It's better, however, to continue up the dihedral to it's exit, 150 feet high, to a tree with slings. Be careful for loose rocks on exit from the dihedral.
P2. Scramble up the easy dihedral for about 60 feet to another tree with slings and belay just under a bulge with a hand-sized chockstone.
P3. Here's where it got interesting. Our clear target is the ledge 20 feet to the right of the enormous tree on the face above you; however, chossy rock is between you and that belay ledge. We turned the bulge, hand-traversed out the wide crack, and then gingerly climbed up large, loose, licheny blocks before a final traverse back right to the ledge. Continuing up the dihedral from the belay and then coming back left *might* be a better strategy, but that looked pretty loose too. 50 feet.
P4. Ascend the fingers-size crack in a small ramp/right-facing dihedral that curls back to the right for 60 feet, before turning a roof. Again, this is where it got interesting, as above this roof the route and pro becomes indistinct. Kreighton Bieger was heard whining that he would "give his first-born for a good piece of pro" on lead in this area. Supposedly follow the line of least resistence; we moved left and up, back and right to sling a horn, and then traversed left on an airy and exciting ramp before heading up more loose rock for 25 feet to finish. 150 feet.
We're still unsure if we went the correct way; no chalk marks anywhere gave us hints. Regardless, this is a little-climbed route that probably deserves more ascents.
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