The Achaean Pronouncement via East Face (5.8)
Dreadnaught via Primal Rib (5.5)
August 27, 2011
With 10 routes to go I'm finally closing in on the elusive title of Dr. Flatiron. It was finally time to climb the seldom visited and challenging Achaean Pronouncement. In addition to being the oddest name in the Flatirons, it is a tricky route that is a culmination of the Flatiron experience. Scruffy approach, tricky slabs, unprotectable cracks, cruxy hanging poison ivy plants, runout hand traverses, and hard face climbing all add up in this formation. Also, there is so little beta on this route that it is hard to know entirely what to expect. Knowing that only folks who love the Flatirons would even be remotely interested in this, I immediately called up my buddy Jamie. We decided to add the beautiful Dreadnaught to our agenda for the day and met at NCAR at 8am. The approach up Skunk Canyon is very brushy this time of year and the annual crop of poison ivy is in full force. After tip-toeing through the canyon we soon stood at the base of Achaean. Here is how we pitched it out...
P1 5.7 (30') - Although the start is tricky slab climbing, it is short and takes a small cam halfway up. A large ledge with several sappy trees offers a comfy belay.
P2 5.4 (180') - A nice hand crack leads up the slab above. This would be a classic Flatiron pitch except for the large patch of poison ivy living in it halfway up. I managed to keep the rope out of it by making a friction traverse right and placing a micro cam in a thin flake then traversing back to the crack. This worked well. The crack widens as you approach a large tree and the final 50 feet is too wide to take all but the largest gear.
P3 5.4 (90') - The crack leads up under a large flakes and a few awkward moves deposit you right on the edge of the upper ridge.
P4 5.2S (100') - Step back onto the face and traverse up and across the unprotected and licheny ridge. A pseudo-sketchy tunnel provides a belay.
P5 5.0 (150') - Continue across ridge to comfy spot at NE corner of summit block.
P6 5.0 (50') - Move under the east face of the summit block and set up belay below SE corner. Roach says to move under south face but that would be in hiking territory (i.e. the ground) and we couldn't find a 4th class way over.
P7 5.8 (70') - Ascend easy slabs up toward the SE face. Pull a short bulge then straight up the featured SE face. It is very steep and a fall would land you on the ledge below so be careful. A large stopper can be jimmied in above you but it's doubtful at best. Run it out as it eases to the summit.
After soaking in the views and watching a large party slowly move their way up Angel's Way, we rapped south and walked to the start of the Primal Rib on Dreadnaught. Se decided soloing would be the best option since supposedly "protection and belays are difficult". The ridge was fabulous and the thick lichen made the solo pretty exciting in spots. The rib is one of the best knife-edges I've been on and we really enjoyed it. The hike down was uneventful and I was excited to have only 8 "classic" routes left.
With 10 routes to go I'm finally closing in on the elusive title of Dr. Flatiron. It was finally time to climb the seldom visited and challenging Achaean Pronouncement. In addition to being the oddest name in the Flatirons, it is a tricky route that is a culmination of the Flatiron experience. Scruffy approach, tricky slabs, unprotectable cracks, cruxy hanging poison ivy plants, runout hand traverses, and hard face climbing all add up in this formation. Also, there is so little beta on this route that it is hard to know entirely what to expect. Knowing that only folks who love the Flatirons would even be remotely interested in this, I immediately called up my buddy Jamie. We decided to add the beautiful Dreadnaught to our agenda for the day and met at NCAR at 8am. The approach up Skunk Canyon is very brushy this time of year and the annual crop of poison ivy is in full force. After tip-toeing through the canyon we soon stood at the base of Achaean. Here is how we pitched it out...
P1 5.7 (30') - Although the start is tricky slab climbing, it is short and takes a small cam halfway up. A large ledge with several sappy trees offers a comfy belay.
P2 5.4 (180') - A nice hand crack leads up the slab above. This would be a classic Flatiron pitch except for the large patch of poison ivy living in it halfway up. I managed to keep the rope out of it by making a friction traverse right and placing a micro cam in a thin flake then traversing back to the crack. This worked well. The crack widens as you approach a large tree and the final 50 feet is too wide to take all but the largest gear.
P3 5.4 (90') - The crack leads up under a large flakes and a few awkward moves deposit you right on the edge of the upper ridge.
P4 5.2S (100') - Step back onto the face and traverse up and across the unprotected and licheny ridge. A pseudo-sketchy tunnel provides a belay.
P5 5.0 (150') - Continue across ridge to comfy spot at NE corner of summit block.
P6 5.0 (50') - Move under the east face of the summit block and set up belay below SE corner. Roach says to move under south face but that would be in hiking territory (i.e. the ground) and we couldn't find a 4th class way over.
P7 5.8 (70') - Ascend easy slabs up toward the SE face. Pull a short bulge then straight up the featured SE face. It is very steep and a fall would land you on the ledge below so be careful. A large stopper can be jimmied in above you but it's doubtful at best. Run it out as it eases to the summit.
After soaking in the views and watching a large party slowly move their way up Angel's Way, we rapped south and walked to the start of the Primal Rib on Dreadnaught. Se decided soloing would be the best option since supposedly "protection and belays are difficult". The ridge was fabulous and the thick lichen made the solo pretty exciting in spots. The rib is one of the best knife-edges I've been on and we really enjoyed it. The hike down was uneventful and I was excited to have only 8 "classic" routes left.
