Trip Report
Bishop Jaggers, South Platte, 1985 (slightly belated TR!)
Friday April 29, 2011 12:04pm
I unearthed some slides recently and spent time getting them digitized and subsequently corrected. Here's the result of that project"

The climb, Bishop Jaggers, is truly a Colorado classic.

It's a Grade II, 5.9. Some think that it may deserve an "R" rating, but this is not justified any longer since ASCA replaced all the bolts. The old 1/4" rawl drive bolts were scary looking!

3/17/1985.

On the beautiful early morning approach:

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Dome Rock, on the approach.
Dome Rock, on the approach.
Credit: Brokedownclimber
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Gary Molzan, Anne Carrier, and I all had seen the photos in Dudley Chelton's book "Climb," and we were hot to do this very cool-looking route. We didn't have much beta...just the "Brown Book of Lies," the then-current guidebook to the South Platte. We were also aware that some of the routes were considered as "sandbags," and were mentally prepared to have a struggle.

I volunteered to lead the first pitch, described in the guidebook as 5.6:

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Rodger "Brokedownclimber" Raubach leading the 5.6 first pitch on Bisho...
Rodger "Brokedownclimber" Raubach leading the 5.6 first pitch on Bishop Jaggers.
Credit: Brokedownclimber
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There was another party ahead and I waited in a neat rest for the stance to clear out.

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Nice no-hands rest stance just below the belay station.
Nice no-hands rest stance just below the belay station.
Credit: Brokedownclimber
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Gary did the second lead, the 6-bolt ascending traverse, and belayed. I belayed Gary and no pictures suitable were recovered. I may have one later after re-scanning the slide.

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Gary Molzan at the second belay stance, after the wild face/friction a...
Gary Molzan at the second belay stance, after the wild face/friction ascending traverse.
Credit: Brokedownclimber
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Anne followed the pitch in fine style (as she always did). Note the de rigeur for the day white painter pants.

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Anne Carrier following pitch two, the 5.9 friction traverse. for many ...
Anne Carrier following pitch two, the 5.9 friction traverse. for many this is the real "business" pitch psychologically.
Credit: Brokedownclimber
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There are still some more slides I need to get re-scanned, since the first go round didn't fare well in some regards; these are 26 years old and some of the colors are getting funky.I'll add them in as an edit as more are finished.

  Trip Report Views: 2,816
Brokedownclimber
About the Author
Brokedownclimber is a trad climber from Douglas, WY.

Comments
Bowser

Social climber
Durango CO
  Apr 29, 2011 - 02:48pm PT
Thanks for the pics. I love the Platte. Sheepsnose, Malay Archipelago.. MMMmmmm.
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
  Apr 29, 2011 - 04:35pm PT

I wanna go, Rodger!!!
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Author's Reply  Apr 29, 2011 - 05:45pm PT
Steve-

When I'm a bit further along on my recovery curve....Yep! The South Platte is one of my all-time favorite areas. It'll be later in the season due to some Raptor closures. The Classic Dihedral on the Bucksnort Slabs makes a great starting point!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Apr 29, 2011 - 09:37pm PT
Awesome old Skool pics, is Anne wearing La Sportiva Krakulators?
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Author's Reply  Apr 29, 2011 - 09:50pm PT
We were all wearing La Sportiva Mariacher's. They were the best then available.
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
  Apr 29, 2011 - 11:57pm PT
If I lived in Colorado, I'd climb at the South Platte, it looks great.

Also, can you still get painter's pants? We got to bring them back.

Seriously, if I buy a pair of $60 gramicci's or $100 patagonias, you can't afford to wear those climbing.

Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Author's Reply  Apr 30, 2011 - 09:56am PT
I don't know about painter pants, but I generally climb in Carhart summerweight work pants that are either grey or heather green. They don't cost all that much and are pretty durable. Jes' sayin'.
Mike Bolte

Trad climber
Planet Earth
  Apr 30, 2011 - 11:27am PT
This is a great idea to post up old trip reports! Nice one.
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
  Apr 30, 2011 - 04:20pm PT
Isn't it great to recover vintage images and relive a great day?
"Bishop's Jaggers" was my first technical route in the Platte. I did it with Michael Gilbert and Wendel Ness(SP?) in the early 70's.We had EB's. It was just known in those days as "The Slab Route". I don't know who named it "Bishop's Jaggers". It was first done according to Peter Hubbel's guide in 1972 by Duncan Ferguson and Jim Walsh Pre-EB's.It is to this day one of the finest friction slab climbs in the Cathedral Spires area of the South Platte region. Of coarse the style was impeccable.The scourge of shameless rap-bolting down there didn't start until 1981.
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Author's Reply  May 1, 2011 - 09:43am PT
I really love the friction/face climbing on Dome Rock; it is very much like the Apron in the Valley...without the rockfall!

I'm really glad that ASCA has replaced all the bolts, making this a much safer route. Those old 1/4" rawl drive bolts didn't inspire much confidence.
Jan

Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
  May 1, 2011 - 11:49am PT
very much like the Apron in the Valley...without the rockfall!

That's music to my ears. I'll bet it's cooler in the summer too.
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Author's Reply  May 1, 2011 - 04:14pm PT
Here's another photo for the TR after having it re-scanned:

Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
  May 1, 2011 - 05:19pm PT
I don't remember it being much harder than about 5.7...?
Maybe I'm on the wrong route...?
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
Author's Reply  May 1, 2011 - 05:44pm PT
Pat-

Check Mountainproject.com; the "consensus" is II, 5.9.

F.A. by Duncan Ferguson and Chris Reveley.
gonzo chemist

climber
the east coast, for now.
  May 2, 2011 - 03:18am PT
Yeah! Bishop's Jaeggars! great climb. One of my first South Platte climbs. What a fantastic area. Cool photos!
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
  May 2, 2011 - 03:53am PT
philo

climber
  May 2, 2011 - 03:54am PT
TFPU Rodger. A nice trot down memory slab. I went to High School with Sanford. O-Man what ever became of he and his brother?
o-man

Social climber
Paia,Maui,HI
  May 2, 2011 - 04:27am PT
Philo,Eric was going to art school in NYC and I lost touch with him.
If I am not mistaken I saw Clay's name on the MP roster.The last time I ran into Clay was in a climbing gym in Denver about 15 years back he had been working on a degree and seemed to be really happy to be climbing again. Something leads me to believe he is still around Denver. So Philo, you must have gone to school with Robert Anderson as well. They were always hanging out
together. Robert turned out to quite the alpinest.
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