One of the best new routes at Devil's Head - an absolutely great line on impeccable stone.

Granite Rodeo starts out with nice 10+/11- moves until you reach the crux at about 40 feet.  Here, the route steepens and the holds all turn upside down! Work your way up three powerful underclings and through the 12b crux.  The climbing softens to 11- for awhile until you are forced out onto a giant rounded pillar on edges and knobs.The climbing gets steadily more difficult, culminating with some 11+ moves just under the anchors.  After burling through the crux down low, this section has seen many a desperate pumped climber fighting to hang on.

Granite Rodeo is in the center of the Crag Ranch, just right of

Meanwhile

(see the description of

Meanwhile

to find it).  Granite Rodeo starts from the big ledge which can be reached from

Meanwhile's

first pitch.  Alternately, there is a bolted 5.6 access pitch (6 bolts) to the south. It is probably easiest to get here by walking up into the alcove and looking back at the big red tower - this is your destination.  Then look down and you will see the access pitch.

Granite Rodeo

Back at the Ranch

Quickdraw Rustler

Life On The Ranch

The Sheep Buggerer

Meanwhile

High Plains Poser

The Grub Crack

North 40

Shoo Fly

Property Boundary

Candy Ass

Cross Cove Chimney

Snare Drum

Field of Opportunity

Greenhorn

Cow Bell

Throwin' the Shit Fit

Plain High Poser

Moon Boots and Mittens

Crag Rancher

Fenceline

Holey Mittens

Back Steps

Consolation Prize

Dusty Trail

Devil's Reality

Butterfly Effect

As a variation to the first pitch of "

Meanwhile

", you can do "Back At The Ranch".

The two routes share the first 3 to 4 bolts. After this,

Meanwhile

goes straight up, while Back At The Ranch breaks right for about 10 bolts of fun climbing.  The climbing is similar to

Meanwhile

, although stemming opportunities make the route somewhat less continuous than Meanwhile.

Don't think this one is easier, though - some thin moves up high with poor feet make Back At The Ranch just a tad more difficult.

It shares the same anchor as

Meanwhile

.

Quickdraw Rustler is the second route from the left viewed from Sun Deck Ledge. Scramble up to powerful opening moves on less than stellar rock. A continuous undercling sequence leads to a swath of perfect, fine-grained rock. A superb crux sequence off the obvious bucket and layback flake leads to several amazing holds on the bulge. Easier moves lead to the anchor.

If the rock in the upper region ran to the bottom, this route would be three stars.

This is the rightmost route on the slab area of the Crag Ranch, just right of Fenceline.  The first pitch tackles a block shaped bulge and then a surprisingly smooth slab, 5.10a.  The second pitch follows a sort of right facing flake system on much steeper rock with bigger holds.  Overall, a fun two pitch romp.

Gain access to Sun Deck Ledge (the broad ledge that yields access to the routes on the Northern sector of the Crag Ranch). SB is the third route from the left taking the unpleasant-looking left-facing corner.

Grunt your way up this awkward corner to a hands-off rest below a small bulge with excellent rock. Campus-style moves on nice door-jam edges comprise the brief crux to the anchors. Most of this route is less than pleasant, but the crux sequence at the top makes this route worth doing.

This route is located at the edge of the west and south faces of The Crag Ranch where the south face reaches its lowest point. This route is LONG so TIE A KNOT IN THE END OF YOUR ROPE BEFORE YOU START.  It is possible to do the whole thing in one continuous pitch from the ground, but you'll need a bucketload of draws.  The part up to the first set of anchors, call it the first pitch if you like, is ten bolts and about 5.11c following granite tufas and laybacks.  The next section is the business, trending right along a crystal band via underclings to a big reach & highstep (5.12c, about 12 more draws).  After that spot the route stays on the front of the buttress avoiding the crack for more 5.12 face climbing on crimps, flakes and scoops, not as hard as below but still pumpy.  There is a second station here, but you can't get all the way back to the ground with a 60m cord (a 70m will probably reach). It would be easy to lower from the second station to the first then pull the rope for the final lower with a 60m cord. The final bit goes up right through a roof, much easier, to the final anchor.  It is also possible to traverse into the upper 2/3 of this route from the sunny ledge at the base of

Granite Rodeo

and

Crag Rancher

and you can lower from the top and reach the ledge with a 60m cord.  This route has good stone, varied climbing, and lots of it, not exactly a two bolt wonder.  Have fun!

High Plains Poser begins just right of the obvious left-facing corner (Sheep Buggerer) and is the fourth route from the left accessed by Sun Deck Ledge. An exciting step over the void (formed by the back of the ledge) on interesting holds leads to a tricky 10c crux on the left arete. This is followed by moderate climbing on very featured rock to a semi-hanging belay in a groove. The second pitch heads out right and up steeper rock with good holds (easy 5.10). A nice section of South-Platte style, high-angle slab leads to a step left (blind side-pull) and exciting sequence up a high-angle groove (10c). Head up easier rock to a stunning belay perch at the top of the Crag Ranch.

Given the variety of climbing, rock quality, and views, this is an outstanding route. It should be included with Topaz as one of the best 5.10 routes at the Head (and therefore - perhaps arguably - in the top 20 or so 5.10 sport routes in the state).

From the furthest left bolted line at Crag Ranch,

Consolation Prize

, go 150 feet left, and search for a small inlet in the rock face.

In the back of the inlet are parallel cracks. Climb the left crack, using hand jams along with some stemming. Belay off gear at the top of the cracks which is at a small saddle. Downclimb (4th class) the other side the saddle, and walk around a rock buttress to return to the base.

North 40 is a wonderful little number that dances up the seam just right of the start of

High Planes Poser

. Begin a few feet right of

H.P.P.

. and climb up featured rock to a fun finger crack/ seam with excellent feet.  This is more a direct variation to

H.P.P.

than an independent pitch as it shares the last 7 bolts or so of the first pitch of

H.P.P.

.

For much added fun, round up as many draws as you can + a couple slings, and link North 40 into the 2nd pitch of

H.P.P.

for a 4 star 185 foot pitch!

The first bolt is just right of a splitter hand crack.

Work up the hand crack, do a mantel, and then climb some delicate slab to the anchor.

This is the furthest left route on the Crag Ranch, starting from the Sun Deck Ledge.  A short powerful route leads through overhangs to an anchor at the end of "the good stone", where the rock changes to that found more frequently throughout the South Platte.

This is the first route in the new Devil's Head Guidebook that is now available in about a dozen shops and gyms in Colorado Springs and Denver.

This route is actually a variation for the second pitch of Life At The Ranch, so you have to do the first pitch of that route to get to this one.  Clip the first three bolts of the second pitch of Life At The Ranch then step down and right to a burly undercling.  High tec flags, toe scums, and delicate weight shifts take you up the thin seam line to easier ground and eventually to the anchor.  Although not quite as good as Meanwhile just to the right, this line offers fun technical climbing.

This is the obvious squeeze chimney 100 feet left of

Consolation Prize

.

Pitch 1. Stem up to a bench and then enter the chimney. Easy climbing leads to a hidden cave/ledge. Belay here.

Pitch 2, Option 1. Climb up a vertical face in the back of the chimney, using any size crack from offwidth to fingers, until you can enter a squeeze chimney. Traverse, right, through the squeeze chimney and rappel off

Butterfly Effect's

anchors.

Pitch 2, Option 2. Climb up the vertical face with cracks and continue straight up the tower's face, 5.6 R, to the summit of Bullet Tower.

A single 70m rope rappel off the summit bolts will take you to the ground or if you only have a single 60m rope, use Butterfly Effect's anchors as an intermediate anchor.

Climb a great handcrack to a mantel. Then layback the wide crack for a bit. When it's opportune, enter the wide crack, hit the rock drum, and finish on easier terrain. Use the anchors off

Shoo Fly

.

Start at the Sun Deck Ledge, and walk right (south) over a boulder to a narrow sidewalk. Field of Opportunity starts at the bolt line across the chasm from the middle of the sidewalk. Tricky moves above the first bolt leads to some easier climbing.

The crux sequence begins with some delicate face climbing to a finger crack. Good locks and a decent rest lead to easier ground which will guide you to the anchor.

The furthest left route at The Crag Ranch, this route ascends a highly featured wall next to a leaning pillar through an overhang.  If you're a greenhorn, maybe you can make the reach past the overhang to the green horn.

Use the Cow Bell to complement the

Snare Drum

. Luckily most of the offwidth can be avoided with good stemming on the back wall. As you climb higher, the crack narrows from a squeeze chimney to fingers.

The crux is pulling around the block that guards the top of the crack. Use

Shoo Fly's

anchors.

This is the next route to the right of the bolted finger crack

North 40

.

P1. Climb out a burly roof into easier delicate climbing above (100').

P2. Continue up another small roof to a crux ending (100').

Begin in the left-facing dihedral (crux) shared with the shorter

The Sheep Buggerer

(5.12a). Move right onto a ledge, and follow the bolts up cool, featured rock.

Although short, it packs some burl like its neighbor. Climb the crack left of

Devil's Reality

. The crux is the OW section through pulling the roof. Belay on finger-sized pieces.

A super-fun and continuous line with all kinds of good movement.The crux section comes about halfway up, with a cool dyno (or a really long static reach) that leads to some good but slightly slopey holds.  Maneuvering off these holds onto positive crimps is probably the hardest part.  However, there are a couple sections of stout 5.11 above that keeps this climb going all the way to the anchors.

The anchors are at 100 feet, but there is also a second set of anchors at 130 feet, with a few bolts in between.  So if you have a couple of ropes, you can go to the higher anchor.  The extension is easier and less interesting  climbing, and probably isn't worth doing just as a second pitch.

Crag Rancher sits just right of

Granite Rodeo

(see the approach for

Granite Rodeo

or

Meanwhile

) and climbs up the right side of the big red tower.

A year ago, this route would probably only get 1 star due to suspect rock.  However, it has now seen enough traffic that the stone seems pretty sound. Everyone that has done this route seems to rave about the continuity - have fun!

Located just to the right of Dusty Trail this route generally follows a low angle blunt arete.  Although low angle, the arete is deceptively smooth in places.  Overall, the climbing is fairly continuous at a reasonable level on very good stone.  Be careful, this stretches a 60m rope!  This goes to the same anchor as Dusty Trail.  One minor runout at midheight can be minimized with a 3/4" cam.

This is a prominent offwidth/squeeze chimney just left of

Back Steps

.

A short squeeze chimney leads to a roof exit. A fun hand crack (left) guides you to the Front Porch Ledge. Use

Back Step's

anchors.

This is the furthest bolted line to the right at Crag Ranch. It's up the gully between Crag Ranch and  Hole in the Wall.

The climb starts in a  low angled, right-facing corner. Climb a wide, bush-filled crack; no real off-width technique is required. Near the top, cut left up a short, crack ridden face to a two bolt anchor on a ledge.

Begin stemming in a tapering dihedral, aiming for the second of two small bulges.  Take a deep breath and get ready to move.  Follow a technical sequence of sidepulls and gastons up a thinning seam.  As the feet get smaller and the moves harder, you are left with one final, desperate lunge for the horizontal clipping jug.

Currently the second route from the left at The Crag Ranch, this route starts in a short v-slot to an arete with 3 bolts, the crux, then easier climbing the rest of the way.  This route is a good warm up or suitable for those seeking more moderate climbing.  This route requires a 60m cord to lower off.  Good stone overall.  When someone at Tensleep Canyon asked me if I considered putting up easier routes at the climbing areas I frequent I felt guilty .......

Start in the corner of the alcove up the right crack. Shuffle up the overhang to a top out on the right side of the alcove.

To clean, you can lower off of a gear anchor, and walk around to clean the anchor.

The Butterfly Effect climbs the obvious crack/corner just left of

Consolation Prize

. If you don't like offwidths, do NOT do this climb.

Start up a 5.9 stem box (somewhat chossy) and pass a bush. Good hands on low angled terrain steepens to the crux where the rock quality improves. Fight the offwidth roof (11a) to an easier wide crack mixed with some face climbing. When you're able, do a fully body squeeze into the canyon behind the crack. Rappel from a bolted anchor. This is so wild, so good.

Description

Protection

Routes in The Crag Ranch