This has a very cryptic crux, even for Rifle. It is still awaiting a second ascent!

Killer Inside Me

7 P.M. Show

Kill For a Thrill

Mr. Sniff

Guns 'n Posers

Truth or Lies

Bite the Bullet

Puppy Love

Lung Biscuit

Ricochet

Fully Automatic

Quick Draws

American Prayer

This is a very powerful boulder problem at the very start of the route. You barely have get your feet off the ground, and you're already in the business. Most people have started with the first two clipped. Depending on what beta you use, it could be anywhere between V9 and V11. Heel hook? Drop knee? Your choice. After the first jug at the third bolt, it is probably 5.11+ to the anchors. The top has some loose sections but will clean up nice with traffic!

This is a bouldery and slightly technical route in the middle of the Winchester Cave. It follows a grey-streaked line out a series of small roofs.

This is the blocky featured section just right of

7 P.M. Show

. It is bizarre, technical, and powerful to the lip. This is easier above, but you could fall if you're tired.

This is a fun but slightly squeezed new route, just right of "

Quick Draws

". Pull a tricky roof move off the ground, and head up and left into the thin crux at the fourth bolt. Pull another roof and catch a good rest before the upper crux in the cool, left-facing corner and arete.

Right of the cave and up a small slope are two interesting lines with cruxy starts leading to technical and vertical face climbing. Guns 'n Posers is the right of the two. A tricky start leads to a sharp vertical face. It is a good warm up on largely sound rock.

This is kind of funky getting off the ground.  It involves a kneebar down low - to some good stems - to a rest before the crux bulge halfway up.  It is kind of run out to the finish.  A long draw out the dihedral overhang helps.

**Do not head right onto the death flake after the last bolt.  It is hollow and flexes really bad.  Head left and lieback - it's easy and safe.***

This is an atypically bouldery route for Rifle and has been called stout for the grade.

You can stick clip the first bolt to protect the opening moves, though they aren't super hard. Increasingly steep climbing on those big old Rifle pinches leads to a cryptic crux. More hard business awaits on the headwall above.

This is the route immediately right of the mega-classic

Ricochet

on the tall, vertical wall above the talus field as you approach the Winchester Cave. It's not as good as

Richochet

and doesn't see much traffic; nevertheless, it's a cool, vertical excursion on varied stone.

Start in the overhanging, obtuse corner and fire bouldery moves past a pair of hard clips to gain the vertical face above. Most of the serious-type climbing is up on this face, with the occasional run-out on 5.10 territory and the potential for some ledgy falls should you blow it. Beware of loose holds and a coating of lichen/dust on the rock, as this route runs seasonally with water.

Just left of the

7 P.M. Show

, this bouldery route follows large, flat sidepulls to a crux, which revolves around a huge drop knee, and finishes with a thought provoking slab.  It deserves more attention than it receives.

Ricochet. This must be one of my favorite climbs at Rifle and is a brilliant addition that gives even gumbies like myself something to climb. A bit uphill from the cave proper and on the left is a vertical wall with grey to blue stone. The left of two routes is Ricochet (Noto bene: the FA data were incorrectly attributed in Hassan's guide. Mark Tarrant put up this terrific climb during the start up years at Rifle.).  Big reaches to crisp edges with intricate footwork and sustained climbing can be expected. There are a couple of small overlaps to negotiate, but these are not the real cruxes - these arise with the tricky occasional cross-throughs. Ricochet is great line by any standard for the excellent quality rock, intricate moves,  and relentless continuity. Bring some finger strength.

Fully Automatic is a great route just left of

Quick Draws

. It has good holds at the start and goes to a tricky crux up a corner. Keep it together on sustained but easier climbing to the anchors. This is a Rifle classic for the grade.

The second route from the right and just on the edge of the cave, Quick Draws provides a powerful entry to the harder routes coming out of the cave. "Blocky and weird, to a slab" are what my notes read from 1994, and this feeling has not changed significantly in nearly eight years. However, the stone is very solid, the moves good, and they are well protected.  "Blocky" refers to the occasional open hand grip (not a personal favorite), and "weird" refers to the need for some body English - like absolutely every other route in Rifle. The vertical head wall is a gas at 5.11 and climbs mostly on good edges. In fact, Quick Draws is a very commendable route and certainly worth the effort - albeit the easiest route in the cave sector.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Winchester Cave