Checking out Combat Rock
The Big Thompson canyon has rock formations all along the way to Estes Park. Many are difficult to get to, unexplored and unpublished. After having fun tradding like mad the last few weekends, but getting tired of the crowds down south, we decided to check out a local favorite in the BTC: Combat Rock. There are a few more pics from the day in the gallery.
The southern exposure, short hike, and fine granite of the rock make it a great destination for a quick afternoon out in NoCo. But Mark and I found some great looking, very long and exposed, multi-pitch trad routes that are definitely worth going back for. On our Saturday at the rock, we were the second pair of climbers to arrive, and only saw four other people all day. Just the kind of quiet, quality tradding we were looking for.
Rambo Santa (5.7) – We had to start with the easiest but one of the longest single pitches on the rock. It got tricky in some places, interesting in others, and was lots of fun for the whole 140ft. At the anchors, Mark was cold, and I started taking pictures like mad. The scariest part, for me, was the long rap down using our new 8mm tag line. That little purple rope is thin and it wasn’t taking knots very well to begin with. We got it tied in and got down without any problems. I guess it’s just something else for my over-active imagination to obsess about.
Wonderin’ Where the Lions Are (5.9+) – We moved to the climb up and left of where we were for the next one. Mark was nervous on the very thin, but relatively well protected slab moves. I loved every minute of the climb. The thin ledges, crimps and scallops felt great, especially while climbing in near-freezing temps (ok, so, my fingers went really numb). Mark loved the first climb, I loved this second one.
Tree Ledge (5.8) – Mark ran up the easy bottom section of this climb and then checked out the big 5ft wide roof for a while. He sewed it up with gear, placing four pieces besides clipping the manky bolt under the roof. He triumphantly pulled the roof, strapped some gear to the chains around the tree and then came down. When I got up to the roof, I think I was too high on the wall. I actually couldn’t reach the edge! I fiddled around for a while in the muck seeping out of the roof before coming down. Mark climbed it again on TR and cleaned it. The climb seemed fun, but the slime flowing from bottom of the tree ledge made it really gross on Saturday.
It was a fun day out, and I’m looking forward to heading out that direction again. Just as soon as it stops snowing.
Let’s be clear about this. Kate *may* have represented this as a trad area to me when there really isn’t any crack climbing. It’s a mixed-gear sport area where the original route setters put bolts in only in the hard parts and slabs. The rest is protected with trad in the intersecting horizontal cracks. A sport only climber will encounter 50 foot run-outs in spots. Hey Doug, if you climb trad, it unlocks the other 90% of climbing areas…
And on the tree-roof, the book talks about putting a #3 at the base of the roof. Heck no! That was full of gooey animal droppings. I’m not getting toxo-plasmosis just to stick in a cam. I went with three smaller pieces in the roof cracks (dynamically equalized) instead of the book-recommended gooey disease-camalot.
Mark – this area does have some gear only climbs. IMHO, I think that the Diagonal is an incredible climb – five stars if it was 400? longer. The bottom of the first pitch is sooooooo much fun! And, if you run it to the base of that overhang (past the two sets of anchors) sooooo wonderfully long! And I think that I’ll stick to a grade of 9 as the crux is short down low. The opening of the second pitch (the traverse you show in the pic) is a little creepy as there is not a lot of gear between a fixed pin and where you exit the roof, but the moves are all there.
For another gear only climb, check out the first pitch of No More War (Beetle Bailey) – it’s a great introduction to the flaring cracks of Lumpy. Short, but it will make you think. Finish up the second pitch for a great 10a. There is also a 9 on the far right hand side (after GI Joe Does Barbie or whatever that climb is called). And you all did Tree Roof – a thoroughly worthless rated R climb, once again, in my opinion. Do it once and never return.
Anyway, sounds like you all had fun. Good to hear that you are still getting out and climbing.