The Stats: What list would be complete without them?
September 27, 2009 - October 16, 2011
Summits: 77
Routes: 69
Pitches: 373
Leads: 319
Car-to-Car time on the Third: 1hr. 12 min.
Partners: Jen, Mark, Shaun B., Shawn C., Noah, Dave M., Dave S., James, Glen, Adele, Jason, Rom, Jamie, A.J.
Summits: 77
Routes: 69
Pitches: 373
Leads: 319
Car-to-Car time on the Third: 1hr. 12 min.
Partners: Jen, Mark, Shaun B., Shawn C., Noah, Dave M., Dave S., James, Glen, Adele, Jason, Rom, Jamie, A.J.
Noah and I sporting some Colorado pride on the Seal.
| Date | Peak | Route | Partner(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/27/2009 | Third Flatiron | East Face Center | Mark |
| 10/2/2009 | Second Flatiron | Freeway | Solo |
| 11/6/2009 | First Flatiron | East Face Direct | Shaun |
| 11/7/2009 | Third Flatiron | East Face Center | Jen |
| 4/12/2010 | Green Mountain | From East Green Mountain | Solo |
| East Green Mountain | Tangen Tunnel | ||
| 4/15/2010 | Lower Tangen Tower | Standard | Jen |
| 4/18/2010 | The Morning After | East Face | Jen |
| 5/3/2010 | Second Flatiron | Dodgeblock | Solo |
| 5/14/2010 | The Spy | East Face | Shaun B. |
| 5/16/2010 | Lower Tangen Tower | Standard | Solo |
| 5/21/2010 | The Maiden | North Face | Shaun B. |
| 5/23/2010 | Fifth Flatiron | East Face South Side | Rom |
| 5/27/2010 | Dinosaur Mountain | Fumbledeedum | Jason |
| 5/28/2010 | Southern Dinosaur Egg | Hatch | Jen |
| 8/8/2010 | Third Flatiron | East Face Center | Shaun B. |
| Friday's Folly | |||
| 10/3/2010 | The Fatiron | East Face | Shawn C. |
| 10/9/2010 | Der Freischutz | South Ridge | Shawn C. |
| Backporch | East Face | ||
| 10/16/2010 | Hillbilly Rock | East Face South Side | Shaun B. |
| Hillbilly Flatironette | ... | ||
| 10/17/2010 | Oveture | East Face Center | Jen |
| Der Freischutz | Free Shot | ||
| 10/24/2010 | Seal Rock | East Face South Side | Shaun B. |
| 11/6/2010 | Ridge 3 | Angel's Way | Shaun B. |
| Ridge 1 | Stairway to Heaven | ||
| 1/26/2011 | Third Flatiron | East Face Left | Shaun |
| 2/19/2011 | First Flatiron | North Arete | Jen |
| 2/21/2011 | Frontporch | Tiptoe Slab | Jen |
| 2/23/2011 | Fi | Fi Fun | Mark, Shaun |
| Dinosaur Rock | East Face | ||
| 3/2/2011 | First Flatiron | Baker's Way | Dave M. |
| Second Flatiron | Freeway | ||
| 3/12/2011 | Green Mountain | From East Green | Noah, Shawn - Simul-Solo |
| East Green Mountain | From the Fist | ||
| The Fist aka Hippo's Head | East Face | ||
| Fifth Flatiron | East Face North Side | ||
| Royal Arch | East Face | ||
| The Regency | El Camino Royal | ||
| 3/24/2011 | Fo | Quadratic Equation | Mark |
| 4/9/2011 | Second Flatiron - South Block | South Ridge | Jamie |
| 4/16/2011 | Bear Peak | Fern Canyon to Green-Bear | Jen, Adele |
| 5/4/2011 | Northern Dinosaur Egg | Re-Hatch | Jamie, A.J. |
| Southern Dinosaur Egg | Hatch | ||
| 5/9/2011 | The Slab | Diagonals | Shaun |
| 5/16/2011 | Frontporch | Tiptoe Slab | Dave M. |
| 5/21/2011 | First Flatiron | Baker's Way to Slot Variation | Shaun |
| Second Flatiron | Freeway | ||
| 5/22/2011 | Second Flatiron | Freeway | Shaun, Owen (age 5) |
| 7/13/2011 | First Flatiron | Fandango - Roach's variation | James |
| 7/19/2011 | The Matron | North Face | Jen, Shaun |
| 7/21/2011 | The Hammerhead | Yodeling Moves | Shaun, James |
| Cavernous Sinus | Secret Entrance | ||
| Challenger | East Face | ||
| Green Mountain Pinnacle | Takin' Care of Business | ||
| 7/27/2011 | Pellaea | East Face | Jen |
| 8/4/2011 | Third Flatiron | East Face Standard | Jen, Adele |
| 8/17/2011 | First Pinnacle | Southeast Face | Jen |
| Gregory Amphitheater | The Slot | ||
| 8/19/2011 | Second Pinnacle | South Face | Shaun |
| Gregory Amphitheater | The Slot | ||
| 8/24/2011 | W.C. Field's Pinnacle | A Very Ament's Slab | Jamie |
| 8/27/2011 | Dreadnaut aka the Rainbow | Primal Rib | Jamie |
| The Achean Pronouncement | East Face | ||
| 9/10/2011 | Third Flatiron | Winky Woo (Direct Woo Variation) | Jen, Jamie |
| Queen Anne's Head | East Face | ||
| 9/11/2011 | First Flatiron | Kamikaze Roofs | Glen |
| Sunset Flatironette | Chase the Sun | ||
| 10/5/2011 | Third Flatiron | East Face Standard | Glen - Simul-Solo |
| Second Flatiron (not true summit) | Freeway | ||
| 10/7/2011 | Satan's Slab | East Face aka Purgatory | Shaun, Jamie |
| 10/13/2011 | First Flatiron | Baker's Way | Glen, Tim - Simul-Solo |
| Sunset Flatironette | Chase the Sun | ||
| 10/14/2011 | First Flatiron | Direct East Face | Glen - Simul-Solo |
| 10/15/2011 | South Shanahan Slab | Southeast Ridge | Dave S. |
| South Shanahan Slab | South Face | ||
| Tiny Tower | East Face | ||
| 10/16/2011 | The Matron | East Ridge | Jen **Official finisher** |
| 10/19/2011 | The Seal | East Face North Side | Noan, Shawn - Simul-Solo **Celebration!** |
| 10/21/2011 | Third Flatiron | East Face Standard | Speed Solo **Car-to-Car 1 hour 12 minutes** |
The day I became hooked.
An awkward step was all that stood between me
and the bolted anchor 10 feet above, but the fear had already started to creep
in. The thought of my last and only piece of protection resting
precariously 60 feet below my smeared feet was pressing on my mind and I
couldn't help but wonder if this was a good idea. After having
successfully climbed the Third Flatiron the week before, the Direct East Face
on the First Flatiron had seemed like a logical step. I was quickly
beginning to regret our assumption that we were ready for this and wished that
we knew what we were doing.
The air was crisp with the frosty chill of fall and the trees held onto the previous day's snow. The clouds were low and my breath billowed slowly out into the morning air. The first pitch had gone relatively smoothly and the bolts created a familiar illusion of safety. The second pitch had turned out to be harder than I anticipated due to the finicky pro. Focusing on my breathing, I attempted to push back the doubt and concentrate on the moves ahead. Just as I geared to attack, a barrage of ice and snow tumbled down the face and quickly carried any courage I had straight to the ground. Fear fueled the moves to the anchor and I scratched my way upward and clipped into the bolt. As I breathed a heavy sigh of relief I glanced down to see that my only piece of gear had fallen out and slid down the rope to rest on Shaun's harness. "I didn't have the heart to tell you." echoed up from below. As it started to snow I was barely able to hide my internal relief at having an excuse to bail. The rappels down the face went smoothly and I had never been happier to reach terra firma. As we hiked out I wondered if I would ever be back to the Flatirons.
The air was crisp with the frosty chill of fall and the trees held onto the previous day's snow. The clouds were low and my breath billowed slowly out into the morning air. The first pitch had gone relatively smoothly and the bolts created a familiar illusion of safety. The second pitch had turned out to be harder than I anticipated due to the finicky pro. Focusing on my breathing, I attempted to push back the doubt and concentrate on the moves ahead. Just as I geared to attack, a barrage of ice and snow tumbled down the face and quickly carried any courage I had straight to the ground. Fear fueled the moves to the anchor and I scratched my way upward and clipped into the bolt. As I breathed a heavy sigh of relief I glanced down to see that my only piece of gear had fallen out and slid down the rope to rest on Shaun's harness. "I didn't have the heart to tell you." echoed up from below. As it started to snow I was barely able to hide my internal relief at having an excuse to bail. The rappels down the face went smoothly and I had never been happier to reach terra firma. As we hiked out I wondered if I would ever be back to the Flatirons.
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Afternoon Fun
I got the idea to start spending afternoons scrambling in the Flatirons several years ago as I transitioned between my summer climbing schedule and school. Not being a high-caliber technical climber, I relished in the Flatiron's moderate slabs where I could practice scrambling and multi-pitch climbing long after the high country was snowed in. I could drive down after school and explore the slabs to my heart's content.
My first Flatiron hike was a stroll up to Royal Arch with my sister. I was overwhelmed at the sheer quantity of slabs that merely bordered the main trail. Royal Arch was dusty, hot, crowded and beautiful. Having a trail system like this so close to a large city is amazing. I was sold and knew I had to get to know the area better.
I got the idea to start spending afternoons scrambling in the Flatirons several years ago as I transitioned between my summer climbing schedule and school. Not being a high-caliber technical climber, I relished in the Flatiron's moderate slabs where I could practice scrambling and multi-pitch climbing long after the high country was snowed in. I could drive down after school and explore the slabs to my heart's content.
My first Flatiron hike was a stroll up to Royal Arch with my sister. I was overwhelmed at the sheer quantity of slabs that merely bordered the main trail. Royal Arch was dusty, hot, crowded and beautiful. Having a trail system like this so close to a large city is amazing. I was sold and knew I had to get to know the area better.
...
Death on the Hammerhead
It was shaping up to be another blistering hot day in the Flatirons. I was lacing up my climbing shoes at the base of the East Ridge on the Hammerhead. Being used to class 4 in the mountains I had been comfortable with my plan of soloing the route until I got to the base of it. It was low angled but longer and seemingly smooth up to the imposing summit block.
I did not anticipate there being a learning curve in reading Flatiron rock. As I headed up I found myself on rock harder than 4th class and realized I was off route. I was on the right side of the face and needed to be left. There was a small wall between me and the easier rock and I wasn't sure how to get across it. I was by a tree with some rappel slings where I'm sure someone else off route had bailed to the north. I stopped to snap a photo of Royal Arch and promptly dropped my camera. I watched helplessly as it bounced down the face, off the north side, and through the brush into the north gully. Bummed, I un-shouldered by pack, got out my scrambling rope and harnessed up. I rappelled of the side and drudged down to find my camera. Eventually I found it smashed in a bush about 300 feet down the gully. Fortunately I salvaged the photos and the hike by going up to Royal Arch and scrambling to the top. As I soaked up the view from the arch, I imagined myself tumbling down the steep rock that I had allowed myself to stray onto. I would be more prepared next time.
It was shaping up to be another blistering hot day in the Flatirons. I was lacing up my climbing shoes at the base of the East Ridge on the Hammerhead. Being used to class 4 in the mountains I had been comfortable with my plan of soloing the route until I got to the base of it. It was low angled but longer and seemingly smooth up to the imposing summit block.
I did not anticipate there being a learning curve in reading Flatiron rock. As I headed up I found myself on rock harder than 4th class and realized I was off route. I was on the right side of the face and needed to be left. There was a small wall between me and the easier rock and I wasn't sure how to get across it. I was by a tree with some rappel slings where I'm sure someone else off route had bailed to the north. I stopped to snap a photo of Royal Arch and promptly dropped my camera. I watched helplessly as it bounced down the face, off the north side, and through the brush into the north gully. Bummed, I un-shouldered by pack, got out my scrambling rope and harnessed up. I rappelled of the side and drudged down to find my camera. Eventually I found it smashed in a bush about 300 feet down the gully. Fortunately I salvaged the photos and the hike by going up to Royal Arch and scrambling to the top. As I soaked up the view from the arch, I imagined myself tumbling down the steep rock that I had allowed myself to stray onto. I would be more prepared next time.
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Late day on the Third
"Climb on".
I smiled and said "Thanks" as I stepped up onto the rock. This was my first roped climb in the Flatirons and I was ecstatic. It had been a beautiful day, and we were the only ones on the rock as the evening approached. As we quickly moved up the easy rock, I felt like we were chasing the sun. The shadow of the Third seemed to reach out of the shadow of Green Mountain as the darkness moved over Boulder.
The fresh air and solitude we had on this extremely popular rock was intoxicating. Our spirits and moved up as we did. As we topped out we enjoyed the sun that we had been trying to keep up with all along and we relished in the warmth. Casually surveying the surroundings I eyed the formations that could be hiding Cavernous Sinus. I knew it was there, but where?
As the sun met the horizon we left our solitary perch to return to the car and other commitments. It had been a great day and I felt that I was finally learning the formations and the rock.
"Climb on".
I smiled and said "Thanks" as I stepped up onto the rock. This was my first roped climb in the Flatirons and I was ecstatic. It had been a beautiful day, and we were the only ones on the rock as the evening approached. As we quickly moved up the easy rock, I felt like we were chasing the sun. The shadow of the Third seemed to reach out of the shadow of Green Mountain as the darkness moved over Boulder.
The fresh air and solitude we had on this extremely popular rock was intoxicating. Our spirits and moved up as we did. As we topped out we enjoyed the sun that we had been trying to keep up with all along and we relished in the warmth. Casually surveying the surroundings I eyed the formations that could be hiding Cavernous Sinus. I knew it was there, but where?
As the sun met the horizon we left our solitary perch to return to the car and other commitments. It had been a great day and I felt that I was finally learning the formations and the rock.
Chapter 2 - Quest for the Cave aka Cavernous Conundrum
This is taken from excerpts of my trip report on SP "Getting to Know Green Mountain".
I soon bought Gerry Roach's Flatiron Classics and flipped through it. My eye immediately stopped on his description of Cavernous Sinus. It was casually thrown in with his list of main trails in the area and was described as a cave hidden on the slopes of Green Mountain. There was no trail, no people, and that it "rivaled Mallory Cave in size". I had to find it!
I figured the best place to start would be to go and check out Mallory Cave. Although Cavernous Sinus was on Green Mountain, Mallory would give me an idea of what I was looking for. The bat roosting closure had recently been lifted, so some friends and I went to check it out. Just like Royal Arch, a solid trail led right to the scrambling ramp up to the cave. The strange path to the cave made it easy to imagine why Mallory Cave was lost for many years before being rediscovered. After happily soaking up the sun and the views we clipped back to the trailhead.
Instead of scouring the hills blindly for Cavernous Sinus, I decided the best way to go would be to climb. The better I got to know the slopes of Green Mountain, the sooner I could find it. Plus, the tops of the formations proved to be an excellent vantage point to scope out the slopes.
I soon found myself tying my shoes again at the base of the Hammerhead. Determined to stay on route and hold onto my camera I moved up the rock. Now familiar with Flatiron slabs, I enjoyed the feeling of the class 4 rock. Few people know that the east ridge of the Hammerhead is home to the longest arch above Boulder, and I felt my senses rise as I climbed right over it.
As I climbed more and more, the slopes became familiar. The tricky backcountry spots all seemed like home as I moved through the trail-less brush. The formations and routes blurred...
Success at last!
Two years after I started exploring the Flatirons, I had climbed an obscure formation on Green Mountain and finally decided where I thought the elusive cave was. I soon made way up from Chautauqua and onto the slopes. Casually moving through the scrubby terrain, I made right for where I thought Cavernous Sinus. To my surprise, I say a single set of recent footprints heading up the snow to where I thought the cave would be. I nosed around anything that could be an entrance. I found a tight passage that wormed up into the rock. It was too tight for me with my pack so I stashed it and worked my way into the hole.
After about 50 feet of horrible and dirty wiggling up, I saw some light. Pushing through the upper hole I came out simply higher from where I went in. No dice. I thought I had it all wrong.
As a last resort I tried one more place.
Trying not to get my hopes up I peered into the new entrance. I took off my pack and pushed it through the hole above me and crawled in. I had found it! It is a cozy little cave with a very different feeling than Mallory. The inner room is similar in size but shows no sign of human contact.
I soon bought Gerry Roach's Flatiron Classics and flipped through it. My eye immediately stopped on his description of Cavernous Sinus. It was casually thrown in with his list of main trails in the area and was described as a cave hidden on the slopes of Green Mountain. There was no trail, no people, and that it "rivaled Mallory Cave in size". I had to find it!
I figured the best place to start would be to go and check out Mallory Cave. Although Cavernous Sinus was on Green Mountain, Mallory would give me an idea of what I was looking for. The bat roosting closure had recently been lifted, so some friends and I went to check it out. Just like Royal Arch, a solid trail led right to the scrambling ramp up to the cave. The strange path to the cave made it easy to imagine why Mallory Cave was lost for many years before being rediscovered. After happily soaking up the sun and the views we clipped back to the trailhead.
Instead of scouring the hills blindly for Cavernous Sinus, I decided the best way to go would be to climb. The better I got to know the slopes of Green Mountain, the sooner I could find it. Plus, the tops of the formations proved to be an excellent vantage point to scope out the slopes.
I soon found myself tying my shoes again at the base of the Hammerhead. Determined to stay on route and hold onto my camera I moved up the rock. Now familiar with Flatiron slabs, I enjoyed the feeling of the class 4 rock. Few people know that the east ridge of the Hammerhead is home to the longest arch above Boulder, and I felt my senses rise as I climbed right over it.
As I climbed more and more, the slopes became familiar. The tricky backcountry spots all seemed like home as I moved through the trail-less brush. The formations and routes blurred...
Success at last!
Two years after I started exploring the Flatirons, I had climbed an obscure formation on Green Mountain and finally decided where I thought the elusive cave was. I soon made way up from Chautauqua and onto the slopes. Casually moving through the scrubby terrain, I made right for where I thought Cavernous Sinus. To my surprise, I say a single set of recent footprints heading up the snow to where I thought the cave would be. I nosed around anything that could be an entrance. I found a tight passage that wormed up into the rock. It was too tight for me with my pack so I stashed it and worked my way into the hole.
After about 50 feet of horrible and dirty wiggling up, I saw some light. Pushing through the upper hole I came out simply higher from where I went in. No dice. I thought I had it all wrong.
As a last resort I tried one more place.
Trying not to get my hopes up I peered into the new entrance. I took off my pack and pushed it through the hole above me and crawled in. I had found it! It is a cozy little cave with a very different feeling than Mallory. The inner room is similar in size but shows no sign of human contact.
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