Third Flatiron via College Dropout (5.7S)
August 4, 2012
The Third Flatiron is known to many as home to the "best beginning multi-pitch climb in the universe" and it is common for the standard route to be swarmed with climbers. Not known to many, the crowds can be avoided completely by climbing one of the many different routes that criss-cross the formation. College Dropout is an infrequently climbed line that ascends the far right edge of the east face and parallels the large drop to the forest floor. There are not any fixed bolts and the crux pitch has an intimidating 80 feet of unprotected friction climbing that tops out at 5.7.
Approach: Follow the normal approach to the East Bench and start at the same place as the standard route.
Route:
P1 - 5.0-5.2 - Follow the easy face up, pass a tree and belay at a nice horizontal crack. 170'
P2 - 5.5 - Make a steep move into a unique finger/handcrack. Continue up the runout face and belay at a flake. 180'
P3 - 4th class - Make a short pitch up the easy face to belay at a small tree on a nice ledge right below the U. 60'
P4 - 5.7R - Move up and place several pieces in the thin crack not far above the belay. Angle up to the right of the U and run it out up the steepening face. The crux moves are the last few feet past the top of the U so make sure to stay calm as the angle increases to about 75 degrees and your last piece is
about 80 feet below you. Once past the U, step left to belay at a large right facing crack (#3 camalot). 180'
P5 - 5.5R - Move over the steep bulge and climb a neat, runout shallow bowl up to belay at the large notch where NW Passage tops out. 180'
P6 - 5.4R Continue up the runout face and ascend the right skyline to arrive dramatically on the summit. 100'
Thoughts: This is a remarkable variation to the standard east face. There is almost never another party on this line so even on the most crowded days you can have the Third to yourself. The crux pitch follows the thin space between the U and the edge and is very runout. It would be possible to avoid the hardest moves by traversing further left where the face is more textured.
The Third Flatiron is known to many as home to the "best beginning multi-pitch climb in the universe" and it is common for the standard route to be swarmed with climbers. Not known to many, the crowds can be avoided completely by climbing one of the many different routes that criss-cross the formation. College Dropout is an infrequently climbed line that ascends the far right edge of the east face and parallels the large drop to the forest floor. There are not any fixed bolts and the crux pitch has an intimidating 80 feet of unprotected friction climbing that tops out at 5.7.
Approach: Follow the normal approach to the East Bench and start at the same place as the standard route.
Route:
P1 - 5.0-5.2 - Follow the easy face up, pass a tree and belay at a nice horizontal crack. 170'
P2 - 5.5 - Make a steep move into a unique finger/handcrack. Continue up the runout face and belay at a flake. 180'
P3 - 4th class - Make a short pitch up the easy face to belay at a small tree on a nice ledge right below the U. 60'
P4 - 5.7R - Move up and place several pieces in the thin crack not far above the belay. Angle up to the right of the U and run it out up the steepening face. The crux moves are the last few feet past the top of the U so make sure to stay calm as the angle increases to about 75 degrees and your last piece is
about 80 feet below you. Once past the U, step left to belay at a large right facing crack (#3 camalot). 180'
P5 - 5.5R - Move over the steep bulge and climb a neat, runout shallow bowl up to belay at the large notch where NW Passage tops out. 180'
P6 - 5.4R Continue up the runout face and ascend the right skyline to arrive dramatically on the summit. 100'
Thoughts: This is a remarkable variation to the standard east face. There is almost never another party on this line so even on the most crowded days you can have the Third to yourself. The crux pitch follows the thin space between the U and the edge and is very runout. It would be possible to avoid the hardest moves by traversing further left where the face is more textured.