This is the strikingly obvious crack system just around the corner to the right of "

Resolution

".  It is thinner, steeper, and more difficult than it looks.  While you can generally lace it up with thin gear, expect to develop a major pump.  Three stars for great movement, continuity, involved sequences, and good holds.  The VS rating comes from a pair of bowling ball sized blocks hanging in the crack at 2/3 height, and the 5' high detached flake precariously balanced on a 3" ledge at the top.  You don't need to touch these features, but you'll need to be very careful to avoid them.  30 seconds with a crowbar and a fixed anchor on top would make turn it into a user-friendly classic.

Jell-O Brand Napalm

Nouveau Reach aka Jeff's Third Climb aka Photo Art

Interstellar Overdrive

Sunset Arete

Big Rattler

Last Day of the Wurst Year Yet

Quayle Eats Bush

Fractions

Crawling Up Roseanne's Belly

A Quark for Quayle

Pseudo Bullet

The Dissolution

Cat's Meow

Pass The Tanning Butter

Brokendown Shanty

Driving Over Stella

Generica

Too Dumb to Sleep In

[Redacted]

Consolation

Dumb Politicians

Under The Wire

Anartichoke

Runt

Twinkletoes

Killian's Red

Pumcat

Rebel Yell

Tanning Butter

Unknown (G)

Leaning Pillar

Bush Loves Detroit

Dweeb

Silver Bullet

Thin Lizzie (Dodging Ions)

The Resolution

Whole Lot of Drunk

The Resolution was part of the early wave of climbing to hit North Table Mountain nearly ten years ago. The climbing begins 60 -75 feet to the right of the cluster of routes defined by

The Silver Bullet

and

An Artichoke

. To the right of the Leaning Pillar and in a small alcove/corner are two longish faces running parallel on the same face and converging on the same anchor. The Resolution is the right of the two.  Chase thin and perplexing finger tip liebacks for three clips to easier terrain and bigger holds. Things get a little spacey getting to the anchor, but the climbing is never difficult after the first half of the route. Excellent stone, complex sequences, and reasonable pro all add up to another fine addition from Ken and the bandits who joined him here.

First bolted line left of

Sunset Arete

and one of four new lines in this area, this un-named Alan Nelson route begs the question: "Why didn't we do this before?" Fire up a thin tips-seam for four bolts just adjacent to

Sunset Arete

. Pull into a corner system for a casual cruise to the top. The real crux lies in finding some feet for the seam at the start. I thought that a good strong lay back using soft slippers gave sufficient friction to make this not harder than 5.11b, perhaps easier if you are tall. There may be some edges on the left, but gag, where? Fine addition by Das Routemeister. Good stone, well protected, fun moves. All we need are the babes (this part was so much easier previously???).

Interstellar Overdrive starts in the corner system immediately left of

Pseudo Bullet

. A very tight and strenuous corner relents to fine face climbing with some exposure. This line was originally done on RPs with pins in the horizontal seams above, and one of those pins remains today. The climbing on Interstellar Overdrive was great, the stone excellent, and the pro as good as it gets. The old pin above seems solid; however, replacement with a 3/8" stainless steel bolt would ensure the longevity of this clip. This route was a gas, just don't give up the fight in the corner. Help is just-a-reach-away, and the corner does have some useful Gaston edges that crop up just when the feet seem the worse. If this route had been listed at 5.11c or d, I would have believed it.

What is it about Ken Trout? He always gets to a crag first, and he always picks the cherries. From Colorado and Wyoming to the Valley; Ken has been there, probably way ahead of the rest of us, and done the nicest lines. The Suset Arete is just another example of Ken's "been there, done that, and it's great". This route fires up the North-most route in the Winterfest area. It takes the obvious sharp arete up some lower angle stuff to start.  Way too short for full,  cigarette-toting, great-lay  satisfaction, the Sunset Arete commands both sides of the arete for several moves and a couple of clips. Jog a bit to the right for the anchor clip. The trick in the Sunset Arete is not in climbing the arete, but in getting started on the arete.  Really nice line, great fun, good stone. Typical Ken Trout contribution. Three stars for a Table Mountain line and three cheers for THE MAN.

Wander up the corner left of "

Whole Lotta Drunk

".  The fun comes at the top, with wide stemming past the overhang.  Look out for gravel and rubble on the ledges on top.  Walk off north.

At least it was a good one....

This is a super contrived toprope (what isn't at North Table anyway). It is fun though and independent enough. I am surprised I haven't seen it described anywhere. If someone has beta, I'm happy to update the route description.

Climb straight up the plumb line off the anchor of

Nouveau Reach

, eliminating most holds on that and

Cat's Meow

. A thin crux off a crimp and pocket to a gaston down low and a fun pull off an undercling and a finger lock midway comprise the cruxes. Finish straight up on easy blocks to the right of

Dweeb

.

This is a squeeze job, but it is fun if you're into ticking off all the routes.

The first 30' of this route deserves a bomb rating, but the upper part of the route is good and fun. At the start, the rock has a lot of lichen, and you have to climb through a bush. Above, you reach a ledge. From here, the climbing follows a crack and is fun. The crux is near the top where it is slightly overhanging and you must stem for a few moves. There is a little bit of hand jamming below, and there are several good rest ledges between difficult climbing.

Fractions, aka The Left Side of the Leaning Pillar, was named Fractions after the Curve tune of the same name in 1997. I think it is a better name than Left Side of the Leaning Pillar. Begin Fractions in a narrow slot to gain a ledge above one bolt. Get clipped in from the face on the left and make an interesting sequence of finger switches while traversing out to the arete on very marginal feet. A dicey sequence gains a jug on the arete and the last clip. Waltz up to the anchor used for the Leaning Pillar. This was originally given 5.10d, but running it March 2002 it seemed to be more 5.11 than 5.10.

This is located on the arete to the left of the

Bimbo in Limbo

face and to the right of the

Bush Loves Detroit

dihedral and about 50' right of the prominent Stella buttress.  This great route goes straight up the blunt arete surmounting a couple of bulges.  I would have given it 3 stars on a Table Mountain only scale.  You will immediately recognize the belly when you get there, I found it to be the crux but others find the upper bulge/roof to be the crux.  Sustained by Table standards, this is not a one move wonder.  Some finger-unfriendly holds, but overall one of my favorite routes in Golden.  (Route #15 in the Rolofson guide, #175 in Hubbel.)

So you're at N Table Mountain, but wish you were alpine climbing.  This fun little crack complete with lichen, kitty litter, and a couple loosies will serve to put a smile on your face.  Cool stemming, and a nice roof move at the top.  No bolts, no anchor, best to belay at top and walk off- going north works just fine.  This is just to the climbers left of the crack and face show. I give it an *= since the Hubbel book does, and it's a bit dirty, but the climbing is fun 5.8.

The sole 5.12 in the Winterfest Wall area.  Pseudo Bullet is a rare bolted FA by the consumate boulderer Dave Twinam. Turns out he can climb as well, and climb damn well to boot. Ditto Annette, his partner in this excellent route; she is also a brilliant climber whose name should always be somewhere near the tip of our climber's tongues. The climbing on Pseudo Bullet starts in the main Winterfest Wall area, several routes to the right of

Rebel Yell

. A thin fin-like structure on the right launches the climb. Pitch to the top of the fin and ace the first 5.12a move. A fair stretch of easy climbing on good edges takes you to a nice face and a tricky attack on the left hand arete and the second crux at 5.12a.  A quick little hop around to get established on the arete leads to a beautiful square cut jug, a couple of moves, and the anchor. A word of warning:  the anchor on Pseudo Bullet is badly in need of up-dating. It will suffice for raps, but if you top rope the route it would be a good idea to back clip a bolt below.  Repair of this anchor, the route's only flaw,  is on the docket for the spring of 2001.

The first clip is very hard off the ground and is routinely done by steming the face on the left. The first sequence of moves hits you with a thin fingery series past the first bolt and is sound 5.11 just getting to the second clip where another 5.11 series arises. A bit further another crux, just as difficult as the first, arises past clip four. This series goes without a stem (off route) at close to 5.11d but can be avoided to some extent by stepping left and stemming onto the adjacent wall.

Overall, The Dissolution has a bit more continuous climbing than on

The Resolution

, the stone is good, and the moves can really tax the finger-crimp strength. To keep the dissolution from catching up, make those feet work.

This is the easiest sport route in this section of cliff, so it should become popular.  Pull a bulge past the first bolt, then head for a jutting block.  Sneak right around the block (beware the perched stone on the back of the ledge), then back left into a corner.  It also goes on the left side of the block but with greater difficulty.  The corner ends on a ledge, where the route joins "

Twinkletoes

" for two more clips and a shared anchor.

This variation bypasses the awkward, .11d crux of

Tanning Butter

by coming in on an arching line from the left, protected by two bolts.

This is an awesome chimney! Surprisingly clean and very fun. There is some loose stuff near the anchor, but you don't have to use/touch it. The crux is turning from right to left side in where the chimney pinches down.

Per

J.Frost

: as of January 2020, the anchors are not safe. Plan to top out through 15-20 vertical feet of loose, unstable rock, and walk off or rap down a neighboring route.

This route is just to the right of

Rebel Yell

. The crux is half-way up--you diagonal up left over a bulge. The sequence is demanding and tricky but definitely worth the go. I layed back the right edge of the bulge, which allowed me to get my feet up to a ledge and push and grunt my way from there up to a better stance and the higher holds up left. (There looked to be an alternate route on the right up a slab on nasty crimpers.) This one could have been dubbed Rebel Yell as well--that's what I was doing as I forced my way through that section. It felt like one of the harder 11b's I've done....

Sandwiched in between the

Leaning Pillar

and

Anartichoke

are two interesting routes that fire up distinct faces and aretes. The right of these is Generica, and it starts in the obvious dihedral. Bear hug the blunt arete but do look around for the feet, it will feel a lot harder until all of the tricks are found. It seemed logical to shift a bit right near the top. Good interesting line.

This is the nice, wide crack right of

Sunset Arete

, just left of

Rebel Yell

.  It is short but fun.  If it's cold out, you probably should sleep in.  It doesn't get sun till late.

Follow the crack just to the right of

Bimbo in Limbo

.  Stay with the crack until the top, then break left to meet up with the

Bimbo in Limbo

anchors.

This is a fairly silly variation that avoids the best climbing on

Anartichoke

yet fails to skip the hardest moves.  However, if you feel the need to climb every single inch of this cliffline, don't miss this!

Begin as for

Anartichoke

.  At the big ledge mid-way up, stay right and jam up the decomposing crack.  While geographically this line is vurtually indistinct from

Anartichoke

, the character of the climb is quite different.

This climb is not very good but is something to do if you have a rack and want to climb as many routes at Table Mtn. as possible. The pro to the top of the large block at the start is not very good, but this section is easy climbing. As you continue up the crack above, you must pass through a bush. Above is the best climbing which is in an open book with a decent crack. This area is the crux.  What is bad here is that the rock contains a lot of lichen. The moves are fun, but it is too short really. You top out on a good ledge system, but the anchor possibilities are not great, and there is much loose gravel lying about. The climb is only worth doing if you are trying to tick a lot of routes in the area.

Immediately right of

Anartichoke

is a short crack leading to a blunt arete. Under the Wire has fun climbing on the arete but it is reachy and bit run out getting to the last clip. The stone is fine and the climbing interesting. Logic and the holds seem to dictate moving to the left after the last clip.

This is a fun line with a bouldery, technical start, and a sustained, pumpy finish, split by moderate climbing and a big ledge.

Stick clip the first bolt, then make easy moves to gain the prow. Work up along the thin crack, to a rattly block in the pod. Make a big move to a slopey ledge and mantel. Cruise up tiered ledges to reach the looming arete. Technical reaches and balancey high-steps work up the high quality arete to the anchor. For full value, avoid stemming to either corner adjacent to the arete.

Ascend the corner left of "

Pumcat

" to a ledge.  Sneak up the right side of a tottering pillar of loose blocks, then plug a crack until you can reach right and clip the anchors on "

Pumcat

".  Lead it if you want the "traditional" experience (and risk), or toprope it (with the belayer standing well to one side) if you don't feel like cheating death.

This is starting to sound repetitive, but this is another obvious line left untouched until now. This line is the third bolted route to the left of

Sunset Arete

.  Well protected, good stone, one brief difficulty with at least three solutions. Still, this needs a date with the brush after bolt three. This is a very fun crux, no matter how it is done. Most of the route is rather moderate compared to the the thin moves between bolts three and four. Good eye by the Ubermeister.

This route is in the center area of the Winterfest Wall area, just two climbs left of

Silver Bullet

. Start up broken rock at the beginning and aim for a blank face with two bolts in it. The crux of this route comes after clipping the first bolt on the face. Move right under a roof and grab a poor undercling with your right hand. Move your feet high and reach real high with the left for a jug. It's not a very obvious sequence. Above this, the face becomes slightly more low angle and is small but fun crimpers and edges to the top.

Bring your edging shoes and a hefty load of power for this improbable face exercise.  Moderate moves get you to the fourth clip, which topropes the crux.  Step back down, then right onto small but positive edges.  Pull up, lock off, reach, and high step (far easier said than done) to unlock the crux.  A fingery .11 crank leads to jugs and a ledge.  A fun, steep, juggy face finishes to the anchors.  This route is a memorial to Pumpkin Nelson, longtime feline companion of the author, who passed away Spring 2001.  Pumcat, we miss you.

Take the skyline arete right of the

Sunset Arete

. The finish can go either far left or via the face and arete (much better). Clean stone, cool moves.

Immediately right of

Killian's Red

is a boulder problem that leads into a climb. Wrap yourself around the bulge moving left from a good edge beneath the bulge. Swim over the bulge, staying left, on worsening feet. Above the bulge, step back right and enjoy the climb. There are still some good moves to be had, but nothing at the level of the opening sequence. Interesting and powerful.

This is in the dead center of the Winterfest Wall, on the face in the back of the alcove. This route is pretty good quality, following a crack on the right for much of the climb. It is a good warmup for other climbs in this area. The third clip is pretty tricky, but it is made much easier by stemming out to the opposite wall on the left.

This is a fun route if you have gear with you. You start like you are climbing

Too Dumb to Sleep In

, but you move to the left when you reach its large crack section. There is a short crack section and face holds before you reach a nice hand crack near the top. The crack is short but is fun to climb if you like hand cracks. There is another hand crack to the left which can also be utilized at the same time.

The Leaning Pillar has always seemed a bit goofy to me. Protected first by one bolt, then by two, the climbing has always seemed as though something was missing in the conceptualization. The route starts left of the

Dissolution

/

Resolution

face climbs by first starting up the corner. Traverse out left for a clip after 15 feet and head up on good edges to a crack system and a clip just before the cracks. The rational climber may elect to fire in a #3 Camalot above the second clip, or just grab the good jams and suck in a small amount of air. The anchor is over a ledge and out of sight. This is not a great route, but the stone is solid.

This is a great trad lead.  Immediately to the left of

Crawling up Roseanne's Belly

, (two climbs to the left of

Bimbo in Limbo

) is a great prominent crack which is a bit harder than it looks.  A variation starts to the right, 5.9- (directly under

Roseanne's Belly

.)

From

David House

, this dihedral is just left of the

Crawling Up Roseanne's Belly

arete, about 50' right of the prominent Stella buttress. Apparently there are two alternative starts, we started on the right. In either case the real prize is the upper dihedral. A beautiful crack eats medium cams and a few 5.8 stemming and/or lieback moves will get you to the anchors with hooks on top of

Roseanne

. An underated route on the quality scale in the guidebooks, this is the nicest crack/trad route of its grade I've done at Table. An excellent route for aspiring trad leaders. (It is route #177 in Hubbel's guide, #14 in Rolofson's guide.)

Eds. the description was combined to consolidate the database.

This originally trad route follows a right-angling crack system up about 30 feet, then it goes straight up a v-slot to the top.  Retrobolting allows a variation (

Cat's Meow

) straight up the bottom and out onto the face at the top.  There is an intermediate crux getting over the triangular bulge at bolt 4, and clipping the last bolt can be a bit balancy.

This route is on the right side of the main Winterfest Wall area. It is in the next alcove to the right of

Sunset Arete

. Start up easily identifiable thin cracks to the first bolt. The crux of this route comes about halfway up in a small, right-leaning slot. Wiggle up here, throw in a hip scum for a no hands rest, and clip the bolt out left. Work left out the top of the slot, and it's a jug haul to the anchors. Fun route.

This is a fun outing but it contains a lot of bird poop so I only give it one star.  The most recent guide book says it contains a nest but I did not see one.  You climb with chimney technique until you move to the right into a thin crack.  This avoids the roof near the top.  The crack is fun and contains the crux where fingers and hands won't fit.  There are face holds to use instead.  This would be a fun gear lead if not for all the bird excrement on some of the key holds.

Whole Lot of Drunk runs the easy looking face right of

The Resolution

and was originally given the ridiculous rating of 5.10.  Not! We must have been feeling frisky. Either stick clip the first bolt or work up to it very carefully. A very tricky sequence uses the arete on the left and an undercling crescent on the right with very intricate footwork. The top of the arete is followed by a big reach right to a jug, still on very marginal feet. The line then follows the face above without bailing out into the trough on the left, although this is commonly done. Good stone and a line that delivers the technical crux in the first 20 ft.

Description

Protection

Routes in Winterfest Wall