#88. West Ridge New Route

Information from Applicant

The FHRC has received the following information from the applicant:



Proposed New Route (5.11+), West Ridge



Hardware: 8 new bolts + new 2-bolt anchor (plus traditional gear)



Climbing length of pitch: about 135 feet from the ground, or 110 feet from an alternative belay ledge.



I propose a new route that climbs the knife-edged arete right of Inverted Vee (5.8) on the upper West Ridge. This is in the little-climbed area called The Rotten Wall in Rossiter's guide, but despite the name, this line is on perfect black and orange Eldo stone.



Inverted Vee climbs a huge V-shaped dihedral to a large roof, then escapes to the left and ends on a ledge system. The new route will begin on Inverted Vee. You climb it to a ledge 25 feet up, then continue up 5.8 cracks and about 8 feet of Inverted Vee's major corner (reaching a point about 50 feet above the ground).



From a wide stem, you reach right to a good crimp, pull onto the face, and clip the first bolt. (Good gear in the crack protects the climb to this point.) This bolt will be about 7 feet from the corner, and it will not be reachable by the few people who ever do Inverted Vee. Hard face moves lead to a good hold and the second bolt, about 11 feet right of the Inverted Vee corner. From here, the route moves right to the arete, and the bolts are successively farther from Inverted Vee.



The crux is a 12-foot stretch of liebacking off the sharp-edged arete, with tiny footholds on the black face, protected by two bolts. These two will be quite close_about 3 feet apart_because there are only two possible clipping stances on the arete, and the crux is at the end of this stretch. There is a fair-sized runout after this crux (about 12-13 feet between bolts 4 and 5), but the holds are much better then the rest of the route, and the runout is eased by a good stance on the arete. From this stance, it will be easy to clip the fifth bolt.



Above, somewhat easier climbing leads to hard moves at the base of a blunt prow (bolt), where you'll move around to the right. Here, you are very close to a chimney and crack system on the right, and you may stem briefly against the back wall. (No route climbs this ugly chimney.) The new route angles left of the chimney on a short narrow slab, passing the huge roof and two more bolts. It ends with a hard move at the very top.



The proposed anchor is about 100 feet above the ledge at the start of the climb, or 125 feet above the ground. Although there is an existing tree anchor about 20 feet left of the proposed anchor, this tree is very small, the anchor is poorly positioned for rappelling, and it cannot be used to toprope or lower from the new route. From the proposed anchor, climbers with full, uncut 60-meter ropes can rappel to the ledge 30 feet off the ground, or toprope the new route from this ledge if no directionals are clipped. However, a doubled 60-meter may not reach the ledge when all of the gear is clipped. Tying in both belayer and leader is recommended while toproping. A second rope is necessary to rap all the way to the ground.



I may add a second pitch (5.8-5.9) on the short, pretty prow above and right of the anchor, but this is not expected to require bolts. In fact, the second pitch will probably be done before the first-pitch application goes to the committee.



I have toproped the climb and determined the bolt positions. I will use 3-inch by 3/8-inch, 5-piece bolts and place Fixe ring hangers for the anchor and camouflaged hangers for the pro bolts. The leader must also carry a small rack for the first 50 feet of the climb.



The several cruxes are easy- to mid-5.11, but the overall rating for a lead will likely be 5.11+, because the first 35 feet of the new line is very sustained. The rock is extremely solid once you leave Inverted Vee. The route feels like Aerospace, though a bit harder and more on the arete.

Information from FHRC

The FHRC is required to offer information about the following factors of the proposed route.

Factors in Favor



- Independent Line. The proposed route traverses right from the dihedral containing the Inverted Vee route, and climbs the prominent arete to the right. The next route to the right is either Five Fang Overhang (the exact location of which is unknown), or Dr Michael Solar, which is at least 100 feet away.



- Direct Line. Once it leaves the Inverted Vee dihedral, the proposed route climbs a fairly direct line up the arete.



- Good Rock. Once it leaves the Inverted Vee dihedral, the proposed route is on good rock.



- Interesting Combination of Moves. The route involves some interesting layback moves on the arete.



- Safety. The proposed route is reasonably safe. The longest runout (13 ft.) has a clean fall.



- Location. The proposed route is located high on the West Ridge and is not very crowded.



- Aesthetic Position. The climb ascends a clean arete.



Factors Against



- Altered Routes. The proposed route has not been modified in any way.



- Distance. The proposed route traverses right from the dihedral containing the Inverted Vee route, and climbs the prominent arete to the right. The next route to the right is either Five Fang Overhang (the exact location of which is unknown), or Dr Michael Solar, which is at least 100 feet away.



- Rock Quality. The rock quality is good.



- Protection Reachable from Neighboring Routes. Climbers on the neighboring route (Inverted Vee) cannot reach the bolts on the proposed route without making a difficult traverse off route to the right.



- Natural Protection Possibilities. None. It is on a steep arete and can only be safely protected with bolts.



Neutral Factors



- Dangerous Routes. The proposed route is safe for a climber competent at the grade.



- Ability to toprope. The route cannot be toproped from existing anchors.



FHRC:recommended Park:approved Action:

Comments Received From the Climbing Community

12 In Favor, 10 Opposed

Looks like a good addition.
Is this the direction we really want to take in Eldo - that of Boulder Canyon or N. Table? Any climber could find 20 similar possible routes on any given wknd. They continue to relentlessly appear in the applications. A line needs to be drawn. Good routes may go unbolted, but preserving the character, scenery and spirit of the Canyon is worth far more, IMO.

- Nate


Nice looking arete. Leave it alone. Bolt Boulder Canyon, not Eldorado.
Looks great. A positive addition, one more option to absorb the masses. Gets my vote.
I'm ok with this route as long as anodized hangers are used so they blend in a bit.
Looks good. Saw this line about 1995. Wondered when someone else would submit the route.
I am not in favor of adding more sport climbs to Eldorado - "for the masses" notwithstanding.

I TR'd this line on two occasions (approx. 10 yrs ago, again 5 yrs ago). It is quite nice except that you have to start on a different (not-so-nice) route. I remember some large, precariously wedged blocks near the very end (in the chimney/roof), which is what kept me from pursuing a new route application. These blocks may not actually be loose, but they detracted from the quality of an otherwise fun line.
Looks like a great line.


given the sparsity of routes on this part of the wall, this one looks like an addition, not a detraction or a dropping of standards to create something that looks like Boulder Canyon. the line looks interesting! bolts would be necessary. i am not reflexively opposed to bolts in Eldo, if they result in a few more high quality routes.


there are enough bolted routes in eldo, and many are rarely climbed. bolting this route will NOT solve any crowding problems. no more sport climbs in eldo.
Having also looked at this line over the years,I think its probably going to be a good route.


Does this route add to the Eldo experience? IMHO seeing the unbolted line is more valuable that actually bolting it - leave it alone. Do we need another bolted 11d?

zac barr
Save the tree, add the anchors at the top. The route is icing on the cake. Yes, future climbers will indeed want more 11D bolted climbs in Eldo: a clean aesthetic line, solid anchors, well thought out.
Each side's arguements are well taken. In balance, it looks like the distinctive line and length justify the project. Vote against the next application for a less dramatic or interesting bolted arete if that's your sensitive spot; otherwise, take each application on its own merit, or your rubber-stamp veto voice will betray your overall unwillingness to allow any new bolting in Eldorado. That said, "absorbing the masses" is a concept that should NEVER warrant new fixed gear, anywhere. That's what bowling alleys and shopping malls are for.