Colorado Recommended Routes

Boulder Canyon

5.9+	Cosmosis	This Bell Buttress route climbs a nice technical corner (thin pro at the crux) and leads to more fun climbing above (1 pitch, trad). While you're there, do West Face (also 9+) right next door.

5.11d	Sherrif's Tariff	This cool route at Sherwood Forest has some interesting sloper moves and a pumpy roof crux.

5.12a	Empire of the Fenceless	A Boulder Canyon favorite, this Easter Rock route climbs an arete on mostly good holds, then moves back to the main face and tackles a long move off a poor hold. A great route for those looking to break into the 5.12 grade. Excellent photo opp, too.

5.12b	Tell-Tale Heart	Great moves on this Easter Rock classic -- crimps, slopers, and plenty of pump.

5.12b	Prince of Thieves	Don't drop your thinking cap for a minute on this great route at Sherwood Forest. The crux is getting past the 3rd bolt, but you'll find more perplexing moves above. My first 12b onsight!

5.12d	Evermore	A true one-move wonder, also at Easter Rock. Climb Elanor (11d, also a great route) to a small ledge. Sit cross-legged on the ledge, meditating and visualizing the move until your mind is ready. Traverse up to a dreadfully sloping ramp, set your feet, and dyno for a jug. Just like bouldering! Starting with Tell-Tale Heart bumps the grade to 13a.

Clear Creek Canyon

5.10a	Mirthmobile	Jugs appear just when you want them on this interesting route at the Primo Wall. The rock itself is very cool, too.

5.10d	The Nordwand	A great warmup, this Little Eiger route takes a technical start and pulls through a bulge on good holds at the crux. Very similar to its next-door neighbor, Too, also 10d.

5.12b	Anarchy Rules	Begin this Anarchy Wall route with a difficult dyno, then pull technical moves on rather poor holds. You're faced with a slopey mantle right when the pump feels the worst.

5.12c	Sucking My Will To Live	This Primo Wall route can be difficult to figure out, but the moves seem much more reasonable after you've worked out your sequences. Lots of good climbing on this one.

5.12c	Mother Nature (a.k.a. Pizza Dick)	An impossibly slopey start leads to mega pump factor all the way to the anchors on this Nomad Cave route. Interesting bit of trivia: this is one of the few all-natural routes at the Nomad Cave. Pete Zoller, who was responsible for drilling and chipping many of the manufactured holds in the Nomad Cave, inspired the first ascensionist to name this natural route Pizza Dick ("Pete's a Dick").

5.12d	Anarchitect	One of my all time favorite routes I've ever done, this Anarchy Wall route is a true classic. Beautiful, bullet-proof rock, unrelenting moves, and three hard cruxes. And talk about SLOPERS! Major slopage happening on this route. If you want beta on the 2nd crux "windmill" move, just email me (it makes that move easy, believe me).

Eldorado Canyon

5.6	Calypso	Easy access (on the Wind Tower), moderate grade, and fun climbing make this a very popular route. I took my three new-to-climbing brothers up it on Christmas Eve, 1999...great fun.

5.7	Bastille Crack	I'd be remiss if I left this one off my list. The Bastille Crack was the first route Alli and I ever climbed in Colorado. Start on the road (literally) and climb four pitches of classic Eldo cracks.

5.8 (or 5.6)	Wind Ridge	This is one of my favorite Eldo routes, and I'm obviously not alone. You're likely to see lines on it any given day of the year. A perfect route to introduce someone special to the joys of climbing.

5.8+	Touch and Go	This Redgarden Wall classic makes for a perfect after work treat on a summer evening. Two pitches of highly aesthetic climbing. Often used as a start to the legendary Naked Edge (5.11).

5.10b	The Yellow Spur	The Yellow Spur can always be found near the top of anyone's "Best of Boulder" list. Seven pitches capped by a well-protected crux and lots of exposure. An enduring classic.

5.10b	Hand Crack	Despite its name, the crux of this West Ridge route is actually a finger crack. But there is plenty of fun hand jamming to come after that.

5.11a	T2	I've only done the first pitch of this route, but it was superb. A powerful 11a start leads to gorgeous 5.9 face climbing.

5.11c (R/X)	Sidewall	Don't even think about leading the 1st pitch of this West Ridge route unless you are a talented climber and know how to dink around with gear. My friend Tom Englebock led it, allowing me to experience the truly great moves without fear of death. The 2nd pitch is a well protected and beautiful 11a stemming corner.

Rifle

5.11b	80 Feet of Meat	This route gets climbed more frequently than any other route in Rifle, and (dare I say it), perhaps even in the whole state. I am convinced that 80 Feet of Meat is the best warmup route in the entire world. Two or three burns on it, and I've shaken off that morning daze, my muscles feel primed, and I'm ready to crank.

5.11b	Feline	This popular route ascends an aesthetic series of flakes on the upper Ice Cave Walls. The bolting style is, well, adventurous, but safe.

5.11d	Defenseless Betty	This route on the Project Wall offers a little bit of everything, from steep burly climbing to mystifying cruxes. Definitely sandbagged!

5.12a	Ricochet	This route is long, technical, and exciting. Being just about dead-on vertical, it feels almost more like Shelf Road than Rifle. You'll encounter numerous cruxes along the way, but none are *too* tough.

5.12a	Cardinal Sin	This is one of Alli's favorite 12a's at Rifle. I hold a grudge against it because I missed a crucial pocket on my onsight attempt, but I must admit that it's still a great route.

5.12b	Street Knowledge	The holds are amazingly good on this popular Ruckman Cave route. Work out some good foot beta on the polished rock so you won't have to pull too hard on the crux mono pocket (don't worry, it's sinker). If you finish direct to the anchors it's 12c, otherwise jog out right on great pockets.

5.12b	Pinchfest	Right next door to Street Knowledge sits this great test of forearm power. You'll find several classic Rifle pinches on this one. There's a great butt-cheek rest on a big horn 15-feet up -- too bad you're not pumped yet when you get there. Be prepared for a good whipper at the crux.

5.12b	Easy Skankin'	Local fixture Maury loves this route on the Anti-Phil Wall so much, he does it 5 or 6 times a day as part of his warmup. The distinct crux arrives (conveniently) right after a no-hands kneebar rest. Lots of climbing on this one, and all of it's good.

5.12c	Fully Automatic	In the beautiful Winchester Cave, this gem throws all kinds of tricks at you. You'll need technique, power, and plenty of endurance to make it to the anchors. I saw one guy onsight through all the cruxes, then fall on the "easy" 5.11 climbing near the top. This was my first 12c redpoint, and boy was I psyched!

5.12c	Movement of Fear	The crux of this classic comes in the first 15 desperate feet, but it gets its true character on the technical climbing above. I just love the texture on those big slopey holds!

5.12d	Philibuster	Two words sum up this beauty of a route on the Anti-Phil wall: 1. Technical, and 2. Pumpy. If you're pretty good at #1, you'll notice less of #2. I found several no-hands stem rests in the V-groove (but, sadly, none on the lower half of the route). The clips aren't nearly as bad as the guidebook says.

5.13a	Poetic Justice	You'll love this route better each time you caress its sensous curves, its tight crimpers, each time you fondle and pinch its...oh, sorry. Maybe I'm so enamored just because this was my first 13a. Well, it is a great route, and I don't think you'll disagree. It's got three distinctive sections: first, a powerful start that includes a hard move off a thumb-undercling-crimper and a technical V-groove. Next, launch into 40 feet of easier climbing (Alli says 5.11, I say no way, it's more like 12a) to a bomber horizontal where you can rest on jams as long as you want. Finish by pawing improbable slopers through a final crux. Some opt to skip the last hard-to-clip bolt and take a 40-foot ride. Awesome!

Shelf Road

5.8	Mystery Crack	Come to the Dark Side and you'll enjoy aesthetic moves on this well-protected romp. Great fun for climbers of all abilities.

5.10a	B.C.	This route at The Bank was my introduction to Shelf Road. Afterwards, I remember thinking, if this is what Shelf is like, this is going to be fun! Well, it's quite a bit juggier than the rest of Shelf, but there's no doubt it's fun.

5.10b	Crack of Dawn	Probably the most finger-friendly route at Shelf, I ran laps on this climb at The Gym area for a couple of weekends when I was otherwise out of commission with a tendon injury. Yes, it's a crack; yes, it's bolted; yes, it's tons of fun.

5.10b	Suburbia	This Sand Gulch route is long, interesting, and perhaps a bit thrilling if you're leading at your limit.

5.11b	Silverado	At the Sand Gulch, this long route just keeps rewarding you with quality moves through all 10 bolts. Dig those hand-made bolt hangers painted with smiley faces, targets, and cute little phrases like, "Right On!"

5.11c	Rodao	Another Sand Gulch prize. Rodao offers great climbing up to a fun and juggy roof -- a bit runout but fantastic nonetheless.

5.11c	Thunder Tactics	A classic route at The Bank. Pull the picture-perfect bulge on sinker pockets, then be prepared for continuous climbing all the way to the anchors.

5.11d	Metropolis	The start of this Sand Gulch route will force you to put on your thinking cap. If you make it through the crux boulder problem start, just hang in there...it gets easier, but not by much.

5.11d /12a	The Function	This route at Heaven has absolutely perfect rock quality with unusual formations and interesting, technical moves. For an easier variation, try The Form (11a/b) instead -- they share the first 6 bolts.

5.12a	Freeform	Every route on the Freeform Wall is excellent, but this is the best. The first half requires good technique, and the second half of the route ascends a beautiful bulge capped by a small roof. Love those pockets!

5.12a	Heavy Weather	This climb at The Bank is one of my favorites at Shelf. Continuous, high quality movement. It's not very cruxy, so it would make a good first 12a route.

5.12b	The Gym Arete	This beautiful route shares a start with Crack of Dawn, then traverses up and left on pockets. It then ascends bullet-proof rock to a difficult crux and pumpy finish.

Miscellaneous Colorado Routes

5.4	Standard East Face Route, Third Flatiron	This route qualifies as a Boulder institution in and of itself. Alli and I climbed it on New Year's Day, 1998, in 65-degree temps.

5.8	Culp-Bossier Route, Hallett Peak	The rock on Hallett Peak is unusually featured, making for excellent face climbing. Make sure to bring your route-finding skills!

5.9+ (or 5.8)	The Petit Grepon, South Face	The only thing I didn't like about this route was its popularity! Rob and I had plenty of time to contemplate the brewing storm clouds as we waited on parties above us. Good thing there are great belay ledges on most of the route, and good thing the storm never materialized. (Trip Report)

5.10a	The Casual Route, the Diamond of Long's Peak	Rob and I were lucky to tick off a Diamond route on our first try, even if it was the easiest one on the face. A great adventure even if nothing goes wrong. (Trip Report)

= "The Best of the Best"