This route starts from the top of the wicked triangular flake in the middle of Old Ironsides Slab, straight up to and over the arch to the 1st. belay of

E. Boy

. Face and friction.

Der Kinder

Excitable Boy

Walk on the Wild Side

Do You Smell Something Burning

Keelhauled

Ski Boot Slab

Mama Knows Best

Back to Earth

IMPORTANT

1. This boulder is located at an elevation of about 13,000 feet, right before the summit of Pike's Peak in Colorado. Conditions can be hazardous, however, access to the Peak -- and thus this boulder -- is open year-round. Venture at your own risk, and be cautious. I went for Labor Day Weekend, and it was around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. There was already a bit of snow around here and a lot more at the summit.

2. Based on the holds on this route, I actually thought it would be a good warm-up boulder, but I was surprised at how intensely out of breath I was, and it took me a second to recover fully (I like to think I'm in fairly good shape). The air is very, very thin. So be sure to take the time to become acclimated to such conditions as best as you can to avoid feeling ill.

3. The rock is red granite. The boulders in this particular area feel a lot like the ones at Joshua Tree, actually, but that means they could also be pretty sharp. I was also able to climb this with no chalk at all, so it'd be best to leave the chalk behind to keep the rock as pure and untouched as possible.

Beta:

To start, match hands on a sloper with a jug on the right side, at the bottom right of the rock. There's a small step right under it that could be used as a starting foothold. Creep up on the right jug a bit more to get higher before making the move left. Step up with both feet. Then, you can reach your left hand into a vertical crack in the middle of the boulder. Match feet on a small, vertical slab facing you to the left. Creep your right hand up high until you reach another jug behind a mossy sloper (the moss is in specks, it's not bad at all).

Step up with your left foot onto a slopey incut, and your right foot onto the starting sloper. Bump your left hand up the crack a few times.

-- the vertical crack meets another to make a beautiful, upside down 90 degree angle --

Crimp onto a small hold just underneath the another crack right in front of your face. Traverse to the middle of the crack using the jugs inside the crack, **but the top side of the crack also makes for a crazy, slopey undercling move if you really wanted to up the ante (didn't try it).

At the middle, directly above you will be two slopers one on top of the other. The top one has a small crimp in the middle you can hold before reaching up with your...left hand up to a jug at the top-left part of the boulder.

The crux:

Step up with your right foot. Then with your left hand on the jug and right hand on the crimp, press hard on your right foot to reach up high over the lip that's directly above the main face of the boulder. Get your left foot up directly under you and your right foot somewhat flagged out right to stabilize. Reach up again with your left hand for another jug that's over a hump in the rock. It was far enough for my forearm and bicep to be touching the rock as I went for the hold. Continue stepping up to mantle at the top.

The crux is a mantle-type move 15 or so ft.above the last bolt (1/4"Stardrive)on the 2nd pitch. The climbing is sustained and run-out face and friction. Belays are drilled bolts (2 Stardrives apiece).

This is an amazingly splitter hand/fist crack line up the pinnacle. I am keeping details short here to keep it adventurous - I'd recommend checking out Phil Wortmann's excellent guidebook for the beta. The grades are as per our experience.

P1: 5.10c. Climb a thin finger crack/layback into splitter hands to a stance.

P2. 10c. Go up to the roof, and traverse hard left under it on wide hands/fists. Pop around onto the wild side, and move up and to a ledge.

P3: 10b. Traverse further left and slightly down into the next splitter system, and take this hand/fist crack with a move of offwidth through two steep roofs to a ledge.

P4: 9/10+. Go up the obvious hand crack (9) or the thin crack to the right (10+)into a V-slot, then finish up easier ground to boulders.

Descent: rap from slings at the boulders, squeeze south through the gap behind the main pinnacle, then two bolted raps to the ground (a single 60m rope is ok).

This route begin at the first belay of

E. Boy

, and angles right past the bolt, continues pretty much straight up to the belay/rappel anchor shared with

E. Boy

.

All climbing grades are subjective. This must be done in ski boots. Climb the right side of boulder while ascending. It is on the clear slab with one seam up the middle.

This is a fun, little project with a sweet, sloper crux. It is not a huge problem, but it is very fun.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Pike's Peak