Special Feature - Eldorado Canyon - Boulder Colorado
Eldorado Canyon offers some of the best rock-climbing anywhere. The steep, hard, red-hued sandstone conglomerate walls carved out over millions of years by what we now refer to as South Boulder Creek, rise out of the floor of the canyon to heights of 700 feet. “Eldo” has everything from the ultra classic Bastille Crack, a moderate, 5 pitch, 5.7 that may qualify as, if not the best, well then certainly the most popular 5.7 in the world, to the latest cutting edge 5.13+ sport test-pieces and horror show modern-traditional lines with spicy gear, big fall potential and big ratings.
Eldorado Canyon has something for everyone, and the best thing about it is that eager climbers can scale the walls year round. The Naked Edge, arguably one of the most famous and quality 5.11 traditional climbs on the planet can see as many ascents in August as it does on a sunny and mild Colorado December day. Just remember to bring a jacket if you climb it in December, oh and check the weather because it might be snowing, in which case grab your skis and head to the mountains…
Eldorado holds hundreds of climbs of every grade and style. Even locals who have climbed here for decades still have long tick lists filled with the rare classics, must-dos that round out a career as a true Eldo climber. A popular adage, often repeated by hardened Eldo aficionados is: “You’re not a true Eldo climber unless you’ve climbed the Rotwand.” The Rotwand being, well yes, a truly loose and Rotten band of rock hidden behind the much better quality Wind Tower that sees, for good reason, very few ascents. First time visitors to the canyon can look at the Rotwand for laughs but risk wasting their time and risking their lives climbing it. There are much better and safer adventures father up the canyon.
When one walks into Eldorado for the first time it takes a while to get beyond the sheer natural beauty of the place. Geology has done a better job than any landscape architect. To the southeast lies the 300 foot Bastille Tower, a 30 second walk from the park entrance and a good place to start for an aspiring visitor. Recommended routes are of course the Bastille Crack (5.7), Werks Up (5.8) Outer Space (5.10) Blind Faith (5.10) and for those after steep, sporty jug hauls the hilariously named Your Mother (5.12+). And of course after you send the latter route you get to brag to your friends “hey, I did Your Mother…”
Across the creek and over the bridge are obvious trails to the Wind Tower and Redgarden wall. The Wind Tower is a great place for well protected, multi-pitch moderates like The Wind Ridge (5.6), (5.6) Calypso, and Reggae (5.8). Redgarden Wall, on the other hand is home to classic, groundbreaking sport climbs and mixed routes like Desdicahdo (5.13+) and Genesis (5.12+), and long, sustained, adventurous traditional climbs like Jules Verne (5.11R), The Diving Board (5.11), the aforementioned Naked Edge (5.11), The Yellow Spur (5.10). Redgarden also offers classic long moderates such as The Bulge (5.7), Alice in Bucketland (5.8), Redguard 5.8 and Ruper 5.8.
A classic Redgarden route not to be missed is the 5.10+ Rosy Crucifixion. The route starts off the top of the lower ramp and offers up all that is great and horrifying about Eldo: funky committing moves, heart-thumping exposure, pump factor, and superb stone.
Eldorado is the kind of place where it’s easy to get in over one’s head. The common phrase recounting an Eldo epic is “man that was some Eldo-Funk.” Gear can be tricky and hard to place (get some Aliens), holds are too often facing the wrong direction and there are plenty of polished slopers and slippery edges. For the Eldo greenhorn who thinks 5.10 is easy reserve judgment until you go do classics like Darkness ‘til Dawn, Super Slab the Art’s Spar Route or Outer Space. These routes have moderate ratings of 5.10 or easier but are not cake walks humble the best aspirants.
The learning curve is slow, but fortunately, once accustomed to the funk, the headiness of the canyon and the curious gear placements you will start to find your groove and maybe actually start enjoying the climbing. There is a reason Eldorado has been considered one of the premiere areas from the birth of North American climbing to the present: it’s good. So pack the van, quit your job, fill out your rack with off-sets and aliens and drive to Boulder. Eldorado awaits. And when you get too scared you can always go be seen in the ubiquitous trendy coffee shops or clip bolts in Boulder Canyon.
Story and Photography Matt K Kelley
