One passes directly underneath the unimpressive west face of The Abbey on the way to worthwhile rock climbing in The Vestibule.  However, a short and absurd challenge lurks temptingly close for those seeking something a little . . . different. To face this challenge, ascend the vertical crack in the middle of the steep, 40-foot wall adjacent to the trail.  Pass two bushes along the way (the second bush feels cruxy), and finish with an awkward move around the final bulge.  Belay from gear on the summit.  To descend, scramble north down an easy slab, then downclimb 10 feet of steep jugs to the ground.

Flail Mary

Like the Good Ol' Daze

Third Millennium

Chateau Vert

Stolen Land

Lancet

Wes Bound

Thunderbolt

Grand Ol' Opry

Inner Peace

Jagermeister

Windwalker

Liquid Crystal Display

Doctors, Lawyers, and Indian Chiefs

Stand Up Comedy

Tilted Tower

Sunday School

Aurora

The Quickening

Dreamcatcher

Arch Crack

Brasserie

Grand Cru

Suspended Animation

Hallowed Rawl

Tabula Rasa

Altar Boy

Cinq Cents

Name of the Rose

Psychatomic

The Shortening

Hyperdrive

Mystery Route (right of The Altar)

This is found on the left side of the Vestibule after the second corridor (NW face of the Chapel) on a short face, the right of two bolted routes (the left route is

Sunday School

- 10c). The moves to the first bolt are a bit bouldery, a stickclip is recommended. It is a little more sustained than the neighboring route, but it is still short and bouldery - fun, one and a half stars.

Take me back to the good ol' what?  Commence crimpin' a short distance left of

Grand Cru

(and a few paces right of

Cinq Cents

) and follow three bolts past a slab, then fire through a bulge with tough clips and float up the excitingly airy, blunt prow to a pair of ring anchors.

A groundbreaking ascent in its day (1996), this route remains as one the Front Range's proudest test-pieces and perhaps one of the best of the grade in the country. Begin matched in an undercling and immediately fire into the hardest single moves of the climb, involving a series of crimps and a couple tight pockets. Above the fourth bolt, fire directly into the routes redpoint crux by continuing straight up through an engaging maze of gastons with worsening feet to the fifth bolt. Many-a-hard men and women have been thwarted by this evil tick-tacking. A newer option at the fourth bolt has also emerged that trends hard right to a rest and a considerably easier sequence to the fifth bolt.

Either path you shall choose, above the fifth bolt you will find relative relief amongst larger holds- however, a final compression crux guards the chains, which can (and has) broken the hearts of the pumped and weary!!!

The jaw-dropping aesthetics, interesting movement and long history of this climb are hard to beat. Like I mentioned before, I would undoubtedly rank Third Millennium amongst the best of the grade in the country.

Just to the right of the mega-classic

Psychatomic

there is a right-angling crack that eventually fades to blocky, enjoyable face climbing. Start by clipping a single bolt from a large boulder and fire through a series of laybacks and a few hand-jams with good gear options. Place a couple great pieces at the end of the crack and then run for the chains through a puzzling section of face climbing. Mantle a mini ledge to awkwardly clip the chains. This sustained and aesthetic route is well worth bringing in your rack for.

This is the right line on the Altar, the beautiful pinnacle on the right side of the Vestibule.

Clip the 1st bolt and boulder out the crux moves, a thin crank.  From here, the climb follows incipent seams for five more bolts on pretty continous 10 climbing.  Remember a #5 Rock or equivalent for the last moves unless you are comfortable running it out, or escaping left to the top of

Tabula Rasa

.

You might consider this a three star if you like bouldery routes, obviously I prefer continous lines. It is stellar nonetheless.

Lancet is a good route on the left side of The Balcony (the third corridor on the left side of the Vestibule) between

Altar Boy

on the left and

Suspended Animation

on the right. Climb on thin edges, crystals, and knobs. Balancy moves between the 1st and 2nd bolts lead to a thin, sharp crux at the 4th bolt. I give it one and a half stars.

This route was submitted twice in this database.  The original submission by

Dave Loring

was under Outer Gates.  Since, Gillett's current guidebook for the area lists this under Vestibule, this second listing will be retained and the descriptions combined.

This is the furthest right of the routes in the Inner Sanctum, on the south wall. 90' of sustained 5.8-5.9 slab and face climbing is broken by a few rests to give your toes a break. The bulge crux is more of the same, just a mite steeper. Primo route. 9 bolts. Use a 60m rope.

Thin climbing on superb knobs and interesting edges.  Climb is 5.9 to the crux which comes at a bulge shortly after the 6th bolt.  This route shares anchors with Inner Peace (climb located immediately to the right).

Thunderbolt is a decent route with a very hard first twenty feet. Big deadpoints and shit feet make up this very bouldery sequence. Pull onto a decent ledge, catch your breath, then pull over the roof at easy 11, and finish with a few more tricky moves to the anchors.

Perhaps the best single pitch of metamorphic face climbing in the country,

Grand Ol' Opry

ranks among the premier elite sport climbs in the United States.  With flawless stone, outstanding position, and unforgetable movement on natural holds, this line has few rivals in the genre of thin face climbing.  In addition to impeccable footwork, beastly crimping power, and leather fingertips, this route demands an uncommon amount of core and compression strength for a wall that is just over vertical.  When you throw in the cryptic sequences, spicy crux, alpine weather, and thin air, it becomes easy to understand how this beautiful streaked wall has managed to repel so many accomplished climbers.

The route begins from a precarious ledge at the bottom of a narrow gorge on the east side of the Vestibule.  Stem across the chasm, then crank out a difficult boulder problem to gain the wall.  A set of vertical pods leads to a gnarly but sinker mono, followed by a series of shouldery gastons to reach a bomber finger lock and a quick shake.  More strenuous gastons work along the diagonal rail up and right to a dubious rest at a sloping tower.  The next crux climbs desperately past the "razor crimp" to reach an excellent rest just below the baffling redpoint crux.  Execute a burly sequence along a shallow seam to reach an awful pinch at the lower tip of the "Africa Plate".  As the runout grows, mad slaps up either side of the plate culminate in an all out dyno with a 30-foot whipper in the balance.  From the break, pumpy, off-balance liebacks follow the left fissure of an exquisite magenta panel to one last shake before the tricky exit moves that guard the summit.

This is the route just left of

Wes Bound

.  More pebble pinching at the Monastery, the twist here is that it is pretty darn steep at the start and at bolts 6-8 (the crux).  Rappel 95' from the anchors.

Climb past two bolts on the right side of the arete before making a delicate traverse around to the left side of the arete (crux). At the third bolt, climb back onto the right side of the arete, and follow that to the top.

The route is named in honor of Evan Jager who won a silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Don't be surprised to leave some blood on this one, especially if you don't finish it off quick.  Located on the right side of the Balcony, left of Psychatomic and right of 911. Thin and reasonable through the third bolt, then a relentless sequence of thin moves leads past the fifth bolt. A toprope, pre-hung draws and taping the tips (rippin' them off after the painful moves) have been my tricks at trying to work this route out. Highly recommended :)

This route is the rightmost route in the corridor across the way from the Inner Sanctum.  Not as steep as Brasserie, but the same type of holds (crimpy, steep) and same body English (not typical) are the key to this climb.  Great climb, tough texture, still shedding.

A thin route on the right side of the Balcony (the third corridor on the left side of the Vestibule). This is the second route on this side of the Balcony. Windwalker (12d) is just left of Psychatomic and starts off a small rock, 911 is the next to the left. A continous route with thin technical moves, perhaps a bit of a sandbag at 11c or even 11d.

Stand Up Comedy ascends the uphill corner of the Hallowed Hall and is listed as 42 in the Gillett guide. Start in the slot and face climb 40 feet or so to a complex series of foot transitions that trend right, toward but not on the arete. Frankly, this not a route we are ever likely to repeat. The rock was often friable and crumbling away, the moves had no pleasing kinesthetic character at all. If contrasted to routes of a similar grade on Devil's Head, the most reasonable comparable rock and elevation, this line does not fare well. While I liked the concept of the route a lot, I did not enjoy the climbing. Furthermore, the best plan, if you intend to do Stand Up Comedy, is to bring the second up to the belay and rap to the ground. Lowering off will just about trash a rope.

One of the first routes encountered at the Monastery, this easy route is right on the main trail and can be added to the day's tally without hardship; a solid star just for the view of climbers on

Tabula Rasa

below with Long's Peak as a backdrop.

As you approach the Monastery from the main trail you will pass the Guardian, a pair of obvious, steep bolts routes on your left, and then enter the Vestibule proper where the rock walls narrow and the slope drops away. The Altar (

Tabula Rasa

) comes into view as you descend - begin to look for the Tilted Tower. On the right, a section of the wall will form a wide pillar (the Tilted Tower) that appears to lean back up the hill. The Tilted Tower route follows the left arete of this pillar.

Climb 20' of easy rock along a well featured arete to the first bolt, then follow buckets past three more bolts. The "crux" is above the fourth bolt.

This is a short route with an even shorter crux, but still a fun one.

Find this route on the left side (NW Face of the Abbey) after the second corridor while travelling down the Vestibule.  This is the left route on this short face, the right route is

Doctors, Lawyers and Indian Chiefs

(5.11a). The short crux felt reachy and bouldery for the grade.

Gillets RMNP guidebook puts this at 5.12a R. I will politely disagree. Unless a hold has broken off since Stuemkes F.A., Aurora is considerably above this rating (though one could divide it into two boulder problems, roughly V4 followed by a V6/7 respectively). The protection feels fine, and must have had a bolt added since then as well.

An aesthetic bouldery start pulls past two bolts and deposits you in front of the third and onto a standing rest. From here, reach up, clip the fourth, and begin the bulgy crux which includes heel-hooking, slapping, crimping, and a desperate final toss before one can secure the fifth clip. Short but sweet.

This route starts just left of the Tommy Caldwell route "

Third Millenium

" (5.13d). Similar in nature to "

Third Millenium

" but with much better rests. Very hard at the bottom and hard at the top. Little grips so bring strong fingers and advil.

This often overlooked route features some hard boulder problems and an interesting challenge alongside the other incredible climbs on the Vestibule. Begin with the same heinous start as you would for '

Grand Ol Opry

', but continue trending right up a crack system. The middle section of this climb is the easiest climbing on the entire wall, but the end packs a punch- and a sporting runout.

At any other crag, this awesome route would be covered with chalk, but neighboring such stellar routes has unfortunately left this pitch very infrequently done. It's well worth it!

The [second] bolted line up hill from the The Altar starts on a small platform. Arch Crack follows an arching crack for 40 feet and then dumps out onto a short, thin headwall for 20 more feet. This line kicked up interesting moves in the crack at 5.9/5.10 and then switched gears entirely pulling out of the crack (5.11a). Largely very good stone, although quite thin at the top, coupled with interesting climbing make Arch Crack a very worthy endeavour. Its grade was closer to 5.11a than 11b.

This route is right across the corridor from the Inner Sanctum and is the farthest route to the left when facing the wall.  Steep and some really funky moves make this route a great one.  Get ready for some drop knees and strange body position as well as a crimpfest.  The rock is a little loose, but for the most part the handsholds will stay.

Begin just left of Inner Peace and fire off the tenuous start to gain an easier slab. Pull the bulge with attention getting clips and continue past a robust finish to the anchors. Attention belayer: a 50 meter rope will just get you back to the ground.

The third route (right of the arete) on the left side of the Balcony (third corridor on the left in the Vestibule). A good route, more sustained than it's neighbors to the left. Interesting moves to the anchors on crystals and edges.

When looking into the Hallowed Hall from the Vestibule, the route Stand Up Comedy is on the corner to your right. Walk into the Hallowed Hall and look for the first bolt of this route on the right wall about 30 feet in from Stand Up Comedy and on the same side of the hall. Follow 5 bolts to a 2 bolt-with-rings anchor. The crux is getting to and passing the first bolt. Both risk and difficulty can be reduced by chimney/stem to clip the [first] bolt.

Photogenic and amazing. Climbs the left side of the Altar, a clean detached spire of rock halfway down the right side of the Vestibule. Perfect photo op, have a friend hike back up the Vestibule and snap profile pics with Long's in the background. The climb is nicer than the view. It is thin, balancy and continous. Thank you Lawrence.

One of the easier routes inside the Vestibule, this one climbs near the arete (the one between the left side of the Balcony and the Vestibule) opposite Psychatomic. This is the first of three routes on the left side of the Balcony. It has a thin crux past the first bolt on small crystals and knobs.

This route is the farthest route on the left side in the Inner Sanctum.  It starts up and easy slab (5.5) with one bolt to 4 bolts of unrelenting 5.11c/5.11d.  The crux may be tougher (possibly 5.12ish) for shorter climbers.  The bulge has great holds, but they are lengthy.

This route lies within the Hallowed Hall on the south (north facing) side. It can be found about 50 feet from the route Stand Up Comedy and about 20 feet from the route Hallowed Rawl. Clip up 5 bolts and then share the 2 bolt anchor of Hallowed Rawl. The crux is getting to the first bolt. The section above the 4th bolt is run out but lower angle and easier than below.

Spectacular. This is located just past the third corridor (The Balcony) on the left (southeast) heading into the Vestibule. It runs a line of bolts just right of the arete (formed by meeting between the right side of the Balcony and the Vestibule proper) up a steadily overhanging wall. Reach across from the large boulder and preclip the first bolt then head back down to the deck. Climb past the first bolt (bouldery) and up into the first pumpy crux. Look for rests before tackling the final thin and technical moves.

This is a shorter, easier variation of

The Quickening

which allows you to skip the skin shredding boulder problem start and enjoy the stellar moves and perfect rock at the top.

Standing on the boulders to the left of

The Quickening

, grab a small left hand edge, make a couple of moves to a jug, and continue to the top of

The Quickening

.

This is bit harder than

Psychatomic

but way more approachable than the rest of the lines on the Vestibule.

This is a punchy, thrilling and super enjoyable new route in the Vestibule. Begin with a tough move off a right hand tooth with poor feet. Climb to the arete for a sequential and powerful section on sidepulls, crimps, and pinches to gain an okay rest at the fourth bolt. From here, turn left onto the immaculate face where you will deliberate your options: A) punch it (read: jump!) off the crimps to the ledge above, B) smear your feet on some awful little edges and static it, C) yell TAKE and go cry to your moms. Finish with some techy-ness on really cool slopers and crimps to the anchor.

This is the leftmost (downhill-most) bolted route on the Balcony Wall and is located at the margin of this rock-panel, just adjacent to the Altar, the formation that holds

Tabula Rasa

.

Step off the medium boulder (or don't), and follow three bolts before trending right and up again to bolted anchors with rings.

Getting established onto the route as well as doing the few-move traverse to the right are the tricky sections.

It has mostly solid rock.

Description

Protection

Routes in The Vestibule