rock climbing is inherently dangerous in all of its forms. even with substantial experience, climbing can result in severe injury, paralysis, and even death. castlewood canyon involves even greater danger than other rock climbing areas as it is riddled with rattlesnakes in the warm months and its conglomerate rock can shatter, break, crumble, and explode at any time, without warning, on even well-traveled climbs.

this guide is intended for mere reference by experienced climbers only, who have substantial personal knowledge in climbing safety, equipment, and technique, and who understand and fully accept the extreme risks inherent in this sport. in no way should this reference be confused as an instruction manual and those who do not have substantial experience with all of the safety and technical aspects of rock climbing should seek professional instruction, which can often be arranged through local climbing gyms. be safe!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Font Area - GROCERY STORE WALL

























1. cobbler's delight* [v5ish?] – start sitting, establish, and slap around the left of the short arête to gain an obvious pocket and top out.

2. Pocket Full of Hate*** [v6ish] – a classic by area standards and Adam McKenzie’s redemption for the Corridor Arete problem! Start matched on a small ledge like hold at chest height under a shallow roof section, gain shallow pockets on the upper headwall and lunge for the ledge above, mantle and walk off to the right, or more awkwardly, to the right. Presumably a sit start on the large low features would not add anything, but you decide.

3. Pie in the Sky** [v0ish] – …start to top rope climb, left of bulge. Finish on ledge, exit left or right.

4. Bulge Direct** [v6/7ish] – start standing with hands at an obvious seam/break in the bulge at about chest height, lock off your choice of sloping crimps up the bulge to the ledge above without using the large, incut layback hold around the right of the bulge. Sit Start* [v7/8ish] – start sitting on steep, chossy terrain using a very low left hand oblong cobble and a right hand sloping sidepull feature with crystal texture, establish and grab higher, well chalked holds, move to a juggy pocket, and continue through the standard line. Try to climb as directly from the sds as possible, though it is certainly possible to throw left or lock off right form the start for slightly easier encounters [var.].

5. Bulge Standard** [v4ish] – start standing on the right side of the belly/bulge, establish, and gain an incut, right-facing, layback flake to gain the upper ledge without using the seam in the right-more dihedral or anything right of that [this is the downclimb]. Sit Start** [v7ish] – sit start as for Bulge Direct, but use a bomber right heelhook to perform a powerful lockoff to some sharp pockets before joining the stand start.

6. Strawberry Jam** [vBish] – climb the dihedral, which is the beginning of a top rope line, then downclimb it. heh. This is also the downclimb for the bulge problems.

7. Gorilla Milk Direct**** [v0ish] – scamper up the jugs to the right of the bulge problems before embarking on a journey up the center of the clean pocketed face on the pinnacle that visually separates from the main cliff line as it rises. This is an established toprope route that deserves respect despite its moderate grade. We found it helpful to top out at the right side of the main face. [The meandering photo of this ‘direct’ line is the best we could decipher at its guidebook grade of 5.9… a true direct start to this wall would be significantly more difficult].

2 comments:

chuffer said...

good stuff ... keep it up.

Unknown said...

Great guide... Working my way through these... Question on cobblers delight: Is the big juggy dish the start? I started there and then used it as a toe hook to get the undercut right hand crimp and move to the pocket jug.