Crackdown is the rightmost route in The Garden.  It climbs a tricky finger crack that's harder than it looks.

Start on the far right side of The Garden below the obvious finger crack.  Climb the crack, with some tricky moves, up to a bolt.  Clip the bolt and continue to a good ledge. Climb a short left-facing corner, then move left and up the right edge of a slab.  Pass the big pine tree on the left, and move up right to the anchor on a pedestal, about 10' above the tree.

Belay here if you're doing one of the upper wall routes (Showtime, Dutch Treat, Border Crossing, or The B Boys), or lower back down.

Crackdown

Showtime

Just Do It

Dutch Treat

Smooth Operator

Fine Fir

Before The Deluge

Storm Warning

The B Boys

Border Crossing

Before The Deluge is the only sport route in The Garden.  It starts near the right-center of the wall, by a bolt about 10' up.

Climb past the first bolt to a stance (crux).  This move can be done several different ways; climbing up the crack on the right and stepping left is easier (9); going straight up past the bolt is harder (10a). Angle left up a ramp past two more bolts to a ledge.  Climb the slab above past two more bolts.  Climbing straight up past the last bolt is harder (10a); moving left or right of the bolt is a lot easier.  Continue up and right to the anchor on a pedestal about 10' above a large pine tree.

Belay from here if you're doing one of the upper wall routes (Showtime, Dutch Treat, Border Crossing, or The B Boys), or else lower back down.

The first ascent was done the day of a big rain and hail storm in Boulder.  "I think it's going to rain", said Bob after we completed the pitch.  We packed up and got back to the car, just as the storm rolled in.

Showtime climbs the left side of the prominent pinnacle on the north face of Tonnere Tower. It is a great pitch, with face, cracks and exposed arete climbing on solid rock.  Excellent position, exposure, and a treat for the tourists at Boulder Falls.  Don't miss this pitch on your visit to The Garden!

P1: Start by climbing Fine Fir, Before The Deluge, or Crackdown to their common anchor, on a pedestal about 65' up.

P2: (Showtime): Start up the gully right of the anchor, place a green Camalot, and move right onto the wall. Climb up to a bulge, clip a bolt, and climb up and right onto the arete. Climb hand cracks to an alcove.

From here, the best climbing line stays to the left as much as possible.  Other variations can be done more to the right.

Step left and climb a crux hand crack (8+) to an intermediate 2-bolt rap anchor at 60'. The hand crack can be bypassed by climbing the wide slot to the right. Clip the anchor, but do not stop here to belay.  Instead, continue up to a stance.  Step left and climb a hand crack onto the arete. (You could also climb wide cracks to the right, but the hand crack is more fun). Continue up the arete to to the top of the pinnacle and a two-bolt anchor.  5.8+, 125'.

Wave at the tourists at Boulder Falls who were entertained by your ascent!

Descent: Rappel 95' down to the anchor on The B Boys, then  rappel 100' down to a gully above the start of Local Hero. Do an easy 20' downclimb to the bottom of the gully. Take a path to the left to get back to The Garden.

You can also rappel the route in 3 rappels, using the intermediate anchor halfway up the second pitch.

Just Do It is a mixed face and crack route on the far left side of The Garden.  Start about 10' left of the pine tree that's 15' up the wall (on the route Fine Fir) by a sloping ramp.

Climb up, clip a bolt, and move up to a ledge (5.8).  Continue straight up hand and finger cracks, move up left, clip a second bolt and step up to the anchor.  Lower off hooks.

Dutch Treat is a variation of Showtime.  It starts up Showtime, but then cuts right and climbs cracks in the middle of the pinnacle, instead of the arete on the left.

P1: Start by climbing Fine Fir, Before The Deluge, or Crackdown to their common anchor, on a pedestal about 65' up.

P2: (Dutch Treat): Start up the gully right of the anchor, place a green Camalot, and move right onto the wall. Climb up to a bulge, clip a bolt, and climb up and right onto an arete.  Climb a hand crack to an alcove.

At this point, Showtime works up cracks left of the alcove.  Dutch Treat climbs up the alcove to a slot.  Either climb up the slot, or traverse right below it, to a stance below a crack system in the middle of the pillar. Climb the cracks until they end at a slab.  Climb up the slab, aiming for a prominent chicken head.  You can get a small wired nut in cracks on the right side of the slab to protect the moves up to the chicken head.  Sling the chicken head, and stand up on it. From here, you can continue up and left to the Showtime anchor, or up and right to the Local Hero anchor. 5.8, 130'.

Descent: Rappel 95' down to the anchor on The B Boys, then rappel 100' down to a gully above the start of Local Hero. Do an easy 20' downclimb to the bottom of the gully. Take a path to the left to get back to The Garden.

Alternate descent: Rappel Showtime in 3 rappels, using the intermediate anchor halfway up Showtime.

Smooth Operator is the hardest route in The Garden. It is a variation to the last pitch of

The B Boys

, going up a hard face and merging with the last pitch of

Local Hero

, below its crux roof.

P1: start by climbing

Crackdown

,

Before The Deluge

, or

Fine Fir

to their common anchor on a pedestal about 65' up.

Crackdown

is the suggested start.

P2: (

The B Boys

): traverse right from the belay to a thin seam/crack...place thin gear and then clip a bolt. Make a hard move to a good edge/flake and then climb up and right to a two-bolt belay. 5.10+, 50'.

P3: (Smooth Operator): climb up and right on a steep smooth wall above the belay, making hard moves past two bolts. Angle right to the slab below the roof on the last pitch of

Local Hero

. Follow that route to the top of the pinnacle. 5.11+, 100'.

Descent: rappel 95' down to the anchor at the start of P3, then rappel 110' down a gully to the start of

Local Hero

. A 60m rope works with a bit of easy downclimbing. Go up a steep path to the left to get back to The Garden.

Alternate descent: you can angle the second rappel sharply to the left to reach The Garden after 95'.

Fine Fir is the second route from the left in The Garden. It is the easiest pitch in this area, and is identified by a good-sized pine tree growing out of the rock about 15' up the wall.

Climb up to the tree, and pass it on the right or left to a good ledge.  Clip a bolt and step up and right. Clip a second bolt and move up right to a finger crack next to a slab.  You can place a yellow Alien in a small pod up and left. Climb up the crack and step right at its top onto the slab.  Continue up and right to the anchor, on a pedestal about 10' above a large pine tree.

You can belay here if you're going to do one of the upper wall routes (Showtime, Dutch Treat, Border Crossing, or The B Boys), or else lower back down.

Storm Warning climbs the face between Fine Fir and Before The Deluge.  It is a toprope that can be done after climbing Fine Fir, Before The Deluge, or Crackdown.

Climb the face just right of Fine Fir up to the base of a slab.  The route merges with Before The Deluge here.  Climb the slab and angle up right to the anchor.

This route was first climbed the day of a big rain and hail storm in Boulder; we left the crag just in time to miss getting drenched.

Short crux sections on both pitches two and three.  The technical stemming on the last pitch is really fun!

P1: Start by climbing Crackdown, Before The Deluge, or Fine Fir to their common anchor on a pedestal about 65' up.  Crackdown is the suggested start.

P2: Traverse right from the belay to a thin seam/crack...place thin gear and then clip a bolt. Make a hard move to a good edge/flake, then climb up and right to a two-bolt belay. 5.10+, 50'.

P3: Climb up the shallow corner above the belay to a steep corner with three overhangs. Stem past three bolts, turn the final overhang, and reach the upper wall. Angle right and climb a moderate left-facing corner and cracks to a two-bolt anchor. 5.10+, 95'.

Descent: Rap 95' back to the anchor below the roof, then 110' down a gully to the start of Local Hero.  A 60m rope works with a bit of easy downclimbing. Go up a steep path to the left to get back to The Garden.

Alternate descent: You can angle the second rappel sharply to the left to reach The Garden after 95'.

Border Crossing is a variation that combines Showtime with the upper part of The B Boys.  It starts up Showtime, then cuts right and climbs the left-facing corner of The B Boys.  This corner is just right of the crack system on Dutch Treat.

P1: Start by climbing Fine Fir, Before The Deluge, or Crackdown to their common anchor, on a pedestal about 65' up.

P2: (Border Crossing): Start up the gully right of the anchor, place a green Camalot and move right onto the wall. Climb up to a bulge, clip a bolt, and climb up and right onto an arete. Climb a hand crack to an alcove.

At this point, Showtime works up cracks left of the alcove. Border Crossing climbs up the alcove to a slot. Either climb up the slot, or traverse right below it. Traverse right on a ledge, past the cracks of Dutch Treat, to a left-facing corner that is the top part of The B Boys.  Climb the corner and cracks to the top of the pinnacle, and a two-bolt anchor that is shared with The B Boys and Local Hero. 5.8, 135'.

Descent: Rappel 95' down to the anchor on The B Boys, then rappel 100' down to a gully above the start of Local Hero. Do an easy 20' downclimb to the bottom of the gully. Take a path to the left to get back to The Garden.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Garden