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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 20, 2008 - 02:30pm PT
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[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_R_v6k7xKves/SSWqt7dnhNI/AAAAAAAAByE/Xr9nmKAb2l0/s640/IMG_7578.jpg[img]
Cynical Pinnacle, South Platte, Colorado
Winter has failed to come to Boulder so far. For the last many days, it has been in the upper 60s and low 70s and sunny. Given this, we hopped in the car and drove to the South Platte area to climb. Dave loves this area and states that it holds the best crack climbing in Colorado.
Mountain Project describes the South Platte as "a vast granite playground to the south and west of Denver is known for its incredible crack climbs, strung out slabs and towering summits."
Further, the website notes that "to climb successfully in the South Platte it helps to be the adventurous type and like exploring. Many of [the climbs] are well hidden until you stumble upon them! The rock quality can vary widely from bullet proof fine grained granite to very coarse friable rock which can feel like climbing on ball bearings at times."
Our quarry for the day was in the Cathedral Spires area on a formation called Cynical Pinnacle. As stated on Rockclimbing.com, "Cynical Pinnacle is the beautiful obvious spire that is the centerpiece of the Cathedral Spires." The line we climbed is known as "Center Route with Wunsche's third pitch cutoff variation". By the book, this is a four pitch endeavor.
Looking up at the climb. You can see Wunsche’s here as well. The rope hanging was left by a party that was benighted the previous evening. It was retrieved during our rap.
More from Rockclimbing.com about Center Route: "This is sometimes called the best 5.9 in the state, though it is stout for the grade. To the right of the incredible dihedral (Wunsch's) is a perfect handcrack. Follow it for three pitches to a shoulder near the top of the spire." From here, we did the cut off over to Wunsche's Dihedral to move higher to the top of the Pinnacle.
I love this warning on Rockclimbing.com about Center Route: "Do NOT get on this route if you have no crack technique. It will seem stout to you if this is the case (even if you lead 10 in Eldo)." Haha! I should have seen this beforehand. You see, I have fantastic crack technique, but only for a very limited range of crack size. That would be a range of about 1/2".
Before getting to the climbing, one has to get to the Cynical Pinnacle formation. Rockclimbing.com calls the approach "a brutal one hour uphill approach", one that is "steep and long and will take a climber in good shape a solid hour."
I was mentally prepared for the steep approach so I was happy to think (when it was over) that it really wasn't so bad. The hike did not involve any repeated high steps a la Seneca Rocks – instead it was just a steep grade the whole way up.
View from the base of the climb
We finally arrived at the base and geared up. Dave linked the first two pitches which made for an interesting physical challenge. Aside from the demands of climbing, he encountered a decent amount of rope drag near the top. We used 60 meter ropes which required about 10' of simul-climbing.
Dave heading up the first pitch
Even with the drag and the added fun of linking two pitches, Dave climbed it like it was a walk in the park. You know, the usual.
There goes Dave!
The climb was a challenge for me. While the lower portion of the first 'real' pitch was a nice crack size for my hands, things quickly got wider and wider, until finally a flare was introduced. Mmmm flares. Combine this with my major suckage on most cracks and I arrived at the belay a puddle of ooze. I made sounds I didn't know I was capable of and for a moment thought I'd yack. I admit to using a knee to make the last move burrowing into the belay hole - Poor form!
Nearing the end of our first long pitch. Yummy flare and widish crack.
View from our first belay. (This is the top of the second pitch by the book).
Another view from this belay stance.
Looking up from this belay stance.
From this belay stance, one just had to chimney some, then work a slightly overhanging evil crack to reach a fun traverse section around the corner. This is where the cutoff to Wunsche’s occurs.
Dave going around the corner toward Wunsche’s
Once at the corner, the climbing is way easier. And the portion of the crack climbed on Wunsche’s was much easier than the lower section. Or course, Wunsche’ Dihedral is much more difficult in general. Before all this ‘easier’ section, I thought the climbing was hard. I got in touch with and battled with many dark and deep emotions during this period. At one point, I swore off climbing altogether. Happily there wasn't another person within miles to witness this – well except Dave and he couldn't hear or see me.
Topping the second pitch (third pitch by the book). Can you say Psyched?
I finally flopped over the top of this pitch and plopped down. The final pitch was an aid ladder. Aid? No problem! We climbed this portion to reach the summit. While here, we snacked, signed the register and enjoyed the views.
All that remained was to take some summit photos.
Standard summit photo.
More summit shots
Hey! Check out our car down there!
Hiking out
Once to the car, we headed toward a wacky little town called Pine and stopped at the local tavern to split a beer. I find many little towns have really confusing signage. This one was no exception.
Kooky bar in Pine
Confusing signage in Pine
After the beer, we headed home. Though it wasn't my best demonstration of climbing (yet again), it was a really fun day and nice to be out in the beautiful weather. We leave soon for Southern Utah and Las Vegas for some warm weather, steep, crimpy climbing. I'm really looking forward to this stuff since it will be more my style.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
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Nov 20, 2008 - 02:32pm PT
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Wow! Great pics always make a trip report so much more interesting!
Sorry... just being cynical!
For those who come later, there were no pics at the first post.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2008 - 02:35pm PT
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I struggle with Picassa! Photobucket is easier to link photos to I think - but these photos were already in Picassa so I've been battling to get these cursed things up. Grrrr.
Sorry you got to see the first version with all the little gray boxes only.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Nov 20, 2008 - 02:50pm PT
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great TR! Thanks. I liked these two lines:
"I got in touch with and battled with many dark and deep emotions during this period. At one point, I swore off climbing altogether."
Sure sign you had a good experience and pushed yourself.
This is a stellar climb. Did the first two pitches way back (your first pitch). Loved the fist section to finish up the second pitch. The (old) third pitch was bury: started, backed off, started, backed off (repeat...). Finally thank god a cloud appeared on the distant horizon and we had a good-enough excuse to rap off.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Nov 20, 2008 - 02:57pm PT
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Nice job, Crimpie and Dave.
Swear off climbing? That's blasphemy, Crimp, I'm glad you came back to your senses.
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
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Nov 20, 2008 - 03:07pm PT
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Crimpie - I am so happy that you met Dave, got the hell out of St Louis, and moved to CO.
Looks like you're living the life!
Rock on...
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 20, 2008 - 03:11pm PT
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Hooray for Callie and Dave!
Big time whoopee!
Callie, you're so darned good, admit it!
Nice report, as usual!
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Nov 20, 2008 - 04:56pm PT
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Callie,
Crack Climbing Rule #7: Knees are useful tools for climbing wide cracks.
Nothing bad form about that, especially if you lock it in, drop your hands and bust out a hands-down rest.
CP is ome of the finest crags in the state. Glad you made it there.
Mal
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Nov 20, 2008 - 06:06pm PT
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Paul Sibley and Bill Roos introduced me to the wonders of Cynical Pinnacle way
back when. We climbed 4 pitches up Turf Spreader then rapped off the backside
for an intentional bivy, leaving a fixed rope (it was considered a grade IV
at the time). But then it snowed hard all night on our bivy, so by the gray light
of dawn there was no thought of climbing. We still had to jumar up snow-coated
ropes to our high point to retrieve our gear. That's when I learned about icing jumars.
Looking back from a distance that was all a fine adventure, and my first contact
with S Platte climbing. Haven't been back there in decades, so your photos were
a welcome reminder of how cool the Cynical routes are.
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Nov 20, 2008 - 06:16pm PT
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Thanks for the pics!
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Nov 20, 2008 - 07:15pm PT
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Nice job kids. "At one point I thought I might yack."
Does it get any better than that?
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scuffy b
climber
On the dock in the dark
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Nov 20, 2008 - 07:35pm PT
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That looks beautiful. Enjoyable report.
Don't take that "bad form" crap from anyone, Crimpergirl.
Knees are not just for the wide, anymore.
I use my knees more than anyone I know, on face climbing of
all steepness (except that, admittedly, I can't climb the really
steep stuff) and cracks of all sizes.
Plenty of people who have seen me climb will say that using a
knee is bad form, but they generally can't bring themselves
around to saying I have bad form.
Celebrate the knee!!
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rich sims
Trad climber
co
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Nov 20, 2008 - 08:38pm PT
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Hey! Check out our car down there!
Crimpie
I thought you were pointing to one of my favorite late season river runs, Foxton area boulder garden. It is a really fun run in higher water with lots of rocks to boof .
Dome rock to the west has great routes as well. Also it is one of my favorite places to climb, South Platte.
I hope to meet you and Dave one of these times.
I will be skipping past RR to get to San Diego on Friday. Then back tracking to Idlewild , Jtree then if time allows RR.
Travel safe
Rich Sims
The Dome
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Lightgirl
climber
Mendocino, Ca
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Nov 20, 2008 - 08:58pm PT
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Great trip report!
Super photos!
Thank you.
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pc
climber
East of Seattle
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Nov 20, 2008 - 09:52pm PT
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Thanks for the TR Crimpie. Thanks for sharing the struggle with us.
I echo Knotty's thought...Just imagine how you'd feel if you were still stuck in SL. "The worst day on the rocks..."
Cheers,
pc
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Nov 20, 2008 - 09:58pm PT
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Nice TR, but "split a beer"? c'mon.
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goatboy smellz
climber
colorado
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Nov 20, 2008 - 10:14pm PT
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The south Platte is special.
So much untapped potential in those hills.
Sunshine Wall, Wall of Mirrors, Poe Buttress, Block Tower, & Cynical about the same time last year.
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jbar
Mountain climber
Inside my head
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Nov 20, 2008 - 10:35pm PT
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Awesome tr Crimpergirl! I always head north from Denver. Nice to see something else. I only get to climb anything really good maybe 2x a year so I'm always swearing off climbing. Kinda like college days drinking. I'm always saying "please God, if you just get me through this one last climb I swear I'll never do it again." "Well, I don't want to say I'll never do it again but I promise to be better prepared and think about it more the next time."
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Nov 20, 2008 - 10:38pm PT
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I really should thank you, Ms. Crimpie, for all the great photo TRs you posted since I've tuned in to ST.
But I'll wait till later.
Handsome couple, you and Dave!!
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 21, 2008 - 12:08am PT
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Haha! No worries about splitting the beer - we had to drive home. Once there we got good and liquored up. :)
It is a beautiful place. Great rock and no one is around. Dave really loves it and has been climbing there for almost 25 years.
While it's not the sort of rock I style on, it's still fun in it's own "climb 'til you barf" sort of way. Ha!
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