Yesterday was the start of my "Return to Dominance" campaign (with apologies to Gary Barnett - new CU football coach). It was my first time roped climbing since my accident (cracked L2 vertebra in boneheaded rappelling fall). Homie and Hardly were good enough to take me climbing in the Flatirons and we knocked off a couple of Roach's Top Ten. We met at NCAR at 2 p.m. and hiked over to the Mesa Trail and then up the Mallory Cave Trail to the faint Porch Alley Trail which eventually got us to the Backporch (two pitches, 5.6). Hardly led up through the big overhang and belayed at an ant tree. While he was swatting like mad, I made my first tentative moves up the rock. Since this is predominantly slab climbing, I wasn't called upon to do any difficult moves. The only trouble was when a high-step was called for - this still isn't allowed by my back.
Once I got to the belay I was immediately forced into a leading situation! Hardly was quickly being eaten alive. I'd have to save his ass (much like I used to do with regularly while climbing with the Trashman - thanks for reminding me, Ken!). I led off across a precarious slab. Difficult? Indeed! It was at least F4, maybe F5. Don't know the F ratings? In that case, suffice to say "very difficult." I set up another belay and pulled Hardly to safety. Already thrust into a leadership role, I then belayed Homie up. I had saved the party.
Hardly led off again through an overhang via a fist crack and then up to a 10 foot (HO scale) finger crack. Following this pitch the fist crack gave me some trouble, but I was more amazed that some of the runners Hardly left behind seem to have somehow extended themselves to full length. I know Hardly would never do this for his love of rope drag is legendary in these parts. Maybe it was the ants...
Roach mentions a ten foot finger crack at the top of the tower. As Hardly said, "I guess he had nothing else to write about..." The 150 foot rappel off the back is quite exciting and free hanging for the last 70 feet. All three of us hoped that this was the worst of the Top Ten. It would be hard to imagine a worse route than this getting coveted "Top Ten" status. The route had a lot of lichen and some loose blocks. It might turn out to be a much better climb if it got a lot more traffic, but it isn't that great as it stands. Maybe Roach included it because he did the first ascent. Or maybe just because it is a big tower with a neat rappel and great views. Good enough for us.
We scrambled back down to our packs and reversed our path back down to the Mesa Trail. We then hiked south to the Fern Canyon Trail and climbed far up this trail until we reached a rock structure called the Pellaea (four pitches, 5.5). We geared up and once again Hardly took the point, with me safeguarded in the middle, and our Homie bringing up the rear. Homie has his sights set on out peak bagging Gerry Roach himself. Apparently he wants to climb every summit in North America. Or some such nonsense. I stopped listening after he said he wanted to climb every peak over 13,000 feet in the lower 48 states plus Hawaii. I was too tired just listening. This involves around 1000 peaks.
Hardly ended up leading the entire 470 foot route in one pitch and we simul-climbed the whole thing. These guys sure know how to ease a guy back into the climbing thing. This route is much better than the Backporch with some classic, runout friction climbing. I was definitely tenuous at the first crux, but Hardly practically pulled me up this section with his urge to reach the summit. The second friction crux is also thought provoking as the holds become very small and the angle increases a bit. The final section hangs right over the super steep south face and provides big exposure.
We did a single rope rappel off the tower and I almost got myself into trouble. Not big trouble, but I was facing a big swing into the notch before Hardly secured the rappel line to another sling. We scrambled down the backside and traversed over to the Fern Canyon Trail which led us back to our packs. We then had a leisurely hike back to the cars, which we arrived at just before 7 p.m.
The weather had been perfect all afternoon and the company couldn't have been better. Hardly climbs 5.11+ and no one really knows hard Homie can climb. Yet both of these friends jumped at the chance to take me up some 5.5/6 climbs. I know they would have rather been on the Naked Edge, but I couldn't follow them there. Thanks, guys!
Total stats:
3-6 pitches of climbing
depending how you count them
2800 vertical feet of total climbing
5-6 miles of hiking