Cynical Pinnacle

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: November 2, 2019 (Sat); Partner: Nate Arganbright

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Intro

This route is one of the more popular routes at Cathedral Spires, climbing three pitches of 5.9 crack. 5.9 crack climbing doesn't get much better than this.

This was the first route I ever climbed at Cathedral Spires. After rapping down Center Route, Nate and I climbed the stellar Wunsch's Dihedral just 30-50 feet left of Center Route. What a great day of climbing! I highly recommend doing both of these routes in a day.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Same as per Wunsch's Dihedral.

Hike 1200 feet up the hill and scramble up a steep corridor which leads to the base of the route.

(Trip report for Wunsch's Dihedral may have more photos of the approach.)

Pitch 1

5.9

Climb a short right-facing corner to a big ledge (this corner is the same as for the start of Wunsch's Dihedral), then move right to an obvious hand-crack splitter in a corner/flake. Climb up until you reach a nook with a slung belay.

Pitch 2

5.9+

Climb up into a short slot, surmount the roof, and climb up the crack in the corner. Belay in a small inset. This pitch is a bit more sustained than Pitch 1.

Pitch 3

5.9

Follow the hand crack inside the chimney. When the two cracks diverge significantly, step right into the main crack system and follow the hand/fist crack in a right-facing corner to the shoulder with two bolted anchors on it. (I have smaller hands, and I found this pitch to be the crux of the route for me.)

Descent

Rappel

Four rappels with a single 70 (a 60 probably works too) off bolted anchors (see overlay for locations).

(Trip report for Wunsch's Dihedral may have more photos of the descent.)

Previous and Next Adventures

Black Canyon (Journey Home & A Midsummer Night's Dream), CO

Cynical Pinnacle (Wunsch's Dihedral) (this page)

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: November 2, 2019 (Sat); Partner: Nate Arganbright
- Date: September 15, 2022 (Thu); Partner: Kishen Mangat

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Intro

This route takes on the awesome, striking crack and corner system which splits the south face of Cynical Pinnacle, going all the way to the summit in four pitches. The guidebook describes Wunsch's Dihedral as "the best route in the South Platte and is a strong contestant for the best 5.11 in the state." Pitches 2 and 3 (and Pitch 1 as well if you take the Breashear's Finger Crack option) are sustained at the 5.10+/5.11 grade, but eat up gear.

The first time I climbed Wunsch's Dihedral was in November 2019, with Nate Arganbright. This was each of our first visits to Cathedral Spires. Nate and I had climbed Center Route (just 30-50 feet right of Wunsch's Dihedral) just before. What a great day of climbing! I highly recommend doing both of these routes in a day.

The second time I climbed Wunsch's Dihedral was in September 2022, with Kishen Mangat. In an attempt to squeeze in a late-season alpine route, we headed for Mt. Evans, but snow at the trailhead and a cold forecast forced us to reconsider our plans. Our backup plan was Wunsch's Dihedral, just about an hour's drive from Mt. Evans. Kishen had climbed this route several times over the years but was down to climb it again. Neither of us had never climbed the excellent 5.11d Breashear's Finger Crack (a difficult Pitch 1 option), so we tacked that on for a nice cap to the day after climbing Wunsch's Dihedral. A fun day!

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Same as per Center Route.

Hike up the hill and scramble up a steep corridor which leads to the base of the route.

(Trip report for Center Route may have more photos of the approach.)

November 2019 photos

September 2022 photos

Pitch 1

5.8 or 5.10 or 5.11d

There are a few ways to climb this pitch: (1) 5.8: Climb a short right-facing corner to a big ledge. Then aim up through a series of large blocks aiming for the big ledge just below the Pitch 2 corner. (2) 5.10: Climb a short right-facing corner to a big ledge. Move up and left and join the upper half of Breashears Finger Crack. Follow this thin crack to a comfy ledge. (3) 5.11d: Climb the full Breasheares Finger Crack. Power through the crux start and jam up to a large ledge at the base of the Pitch 2 corner.

I have climbed all three options for Pitch 1. The first time I climbed Wunsch's Dihedral in November 2019, we climbed the 5.8 start. The second time I climbed Wunsch's Dihedral in September 2022, we climbed the 5.10 start involving the second half of Breasheares Finger Crack, but at the end of the day we decided to tack on a bonus pitch and climb the full Breasheares Finger Crack.

November 2019 photos

September 2022 photos

Pitch 2

5.11a

Climb the beautiful corner. Locker hand jams the entire way, with a cruxy section near the top. This is an enduro pitch, which means it is awesome sustained 5.10 the entire way with just a few rests. Triples in #1 and #2 were nice to have. I love this kind of enduro crack climbing.

November 2019 photos

September 2022 photos

Pitch 3

5.11b (crux)

Crux pitch. Pull through the chimney/roof into an enduro layback corner. The crux of the pitch is a few thin moves in the corner, rather than the roof. The upper section eases up for plug and chug jamming to a large comfy belay ledge.

November 2019 photos

September 2022 photos

Pitch 4

5.12b or 5.7 A0

Climb the 6-bolt ladder or attempt to free the 5.12 face. The final section above the last bolt is about 10-15 feet of 5.7 slab climbing to the summit....

November 2019 photos

September 2022 photos

Descent

Rappel

Five rappels with a single 70 (a 60 probably works too) off bolted anchors (see overlay for locations).

(Trip report for Center Route may have more photos of the descent.)

November 2019 photos

September 2022 photos

Previous and Next Adventures

Trip Report 1

Cynical Pinnacle (Center Route) (this page)

1st time cragging at Thunder Ridge, CO

Trip Report 2

Sundance Buttress (cragging), Lumpy Ridge, CO

1st time cragging at Poudre Canyon, CO

Sunshine Wall

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: November 17, 2019 (Sun); Partner: Erin DeMarco

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Intro

Awesome 200 foot splitter + linkup with another awesome splitter all the way to the top!

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hoof up to the base of Sunshine Wall and take a right. Stop when you see the 200-foot splitter with three toes. You can't miss it.

(Other trip reports for Sunshine Wall may have more photos of the approach.)

Pitch 1a

5.9-10b.

Turkey Foot Crack: 3 toes

Choose between the three toes. Or climb all three before moving on. There is a bolted anchor above the three toes.

Pitch 1b

5.10a/b

Turkey Foot Crack

Climb the wide hands to fists splitter to a bolted anchor. Combined with one of the toes, this makes for an awesome 200 foot enduro lead.

Pitch 2

5.8

Turkey Foot Crack

Head right from the top of Pitch 1, pass below a corner that peters onto a blank face, and climb cracks in a corner after this. The finish to this pitch is sort of adventurous (at least the way we did it).

Pitch 3

5.10a

Rip Van Winkle

Climb the splitter ripping through the east-facing wall, ending at a nice platform below a final summit block. Long and awesome pitch.

Pitch 4

5.8

Summit block

The actual top of the tower is about 30 feet above the ledge at the top of Rip Van Winkle. I couldn't find this pitch in the guidebook, but it looked climbable and getting to the top was too compelling to pass up. To get to the top, climb the thin hands/off fingers splitter to the right edge, boulder around to the right, and find a crack leading to the top of the tower. It felt about 5.8. There are no bolts up there (as of Nov 2019), and all I found was a piece of old tat for a west-side rappel, so I downclimbed the route back to the ledge at the top of Rip Van Winkle.

Descent

Rappel

There is a bolted rap anchor at the top of Rip Van Winkle for a north side rappel. We rappelled to a large ledge (single 60 or 70 gets you here), and not finding another rap anchor, we scrambled down somewhat-sketchy terrain to the gully below, and then took this easily back to the base of Turkey Foot Crack to pick up our packs and hike out to the car.

Previous and Next Adventures

Romulan Territory & Fat City (Lumpy Ridge), CO

The Rectory/Nuns (Where Have All the Wild Things Gone) + Wall Street Cragging, UT

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: February 15, 2020 (Sat); Partner: Michael Cantrell

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Intro

Fun 5.9 crack and chimney climbing with a little bit of ice to spice things up. We capped off the day by toproping the stellar lower pitches (5.10d, 5.10, 5.11a) of Standard Route on the descent. (I climbed the Standard Route Pitches 1-3, this time ground-up rather than toproping, in January 2022. Scroll to next trip report to see photos.)

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hoof up to the base of Sunshine Wall and take a right. About an hour from car to base of route.

(Other trip reports for Sunshine Wall may have more photos of the approach.)

Pitch 1

5.9

Begin in a chimney immediately right of Standard Route. Above the chimney, climb an enjoyable hand crack in a corner to a ledge.

Pitch 2

5.8 or 5.9+

Continue up to the left facing dihedral to a belay notch. A 5.9+ variation takes intermittent cracks to the left of the corner.

Pitch 3

5.9

Traverse left from the belay to reach a vertical crack. Continue up the crack to a small ledge.

Pitch 4

5.8

Climb the squeeze/flare/chimney to a ledge at the top. We had a #6 and found it quite nice to have (#3-sized gear fits further back in but this means you have to go further into the flare, and it is much more enjoyable to be able to stay in a wider part of the flare).

Descent

Rappel

Rap the Standard Route to climbers left of Gonzo's Lament. 5 raps with a single 70.

(Trip reports for Standard Route may have more photos of the descent.)

Bonus pitches

5.10d, 5.11a

Standard Route Pitches 1-3

(toproped on rappel descent)
Pitches 1&2: 5.10d, 130' (the guidebook lists this as one pitch, but mountainproject has this as two pitches, and there is an intermediate bolt anchor). Climb the obvious flake system, which starts with delicate moves and eases in the upper half of the pitch. Reach a two bolt anchor. From the anchor, layback, stem, and jam up the crack/corner, pulling over the final overhang to a large belay ledge with a two bolt anchor.
Pitch 3: 5.11a, 50'. Head up towards a large, downward-facing flake, and make bouldery moves through the overhang and onto the gigantic block.

Scroll down this page for more photos of the Standard Route from when I climbed Pitches 1-3 again in January 2022, this time ground up rather than toproped on rappel.

Hike out

2nd

Hike out the way you came. Probably easier on the way out.

(Other trip reports for Sunshine Wall may have more photos of the hike out.)

Previous and Next Adventures

Cragging at Shelf Road, CO

Kor's Flake & Hot Licks (Lumpy Ridge), CO

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: February 15, 2020 (Sat); Partner: Michael Cantrell (climbed via toprope on rappel descent)
- Date: January 12, 2022 (Wed); Partner: Will Starks (climbed via lead from below, Will led all pitches)

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Intro

The Standard Route is one of the gems of Sunshine Wall as well as the South Platte. I have only climbed the first 3 (of 5) pitches, but this is a worthy outing in itself. After climbing Gonzo's Lament, Michael and I capped off the day by toproping the stellar lower pitches (5.10d, 5.10, 5.11a) of Standard Route on the descent. Two years later, Will and I ascended the first three pitches, but turned around at Pitch 4 after neither one of us was super psyched about a section of steep 5.9+ with the next piece of gear about 15 feet up an old piton. The guidebook has this route as 4 pitches but the first pitch can be broken up into two pitches for a total of 5 pitches.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hoof up to the base of Sunshine Wall and take a right. About an hour from car to base of route.

(no photos - other trip reports for Sunshine Wall may have more photos of the approach)

Pitch 1

5.10d

Climb to the top of a large block directly under the obvious flake system. Make delicate face moves past two bolts, eventually using the flake to reach a two bolt anchor. Belay here or continue upwards to link with Pitch 2.

Pitch 2

5.10

Layback, stem, and jam your way up the excellent crack system pulling over a final overhang to a large belay ledge.

Pitch 3

5.11a PG-13 or 5.8

For the harder (and scarier) way, head right from the belay, then upwards towards a large, downward-facing flake. Face climb to reach the flake and make moves up and right, eventually pulling the challenging overhang and stepping left onto the gigantic block. For the easier way, instead of heading right from the initial flake, continue left and make your way onto the giant block.

Pitch 4

5.9+

From the belay, head far right to clip the first bolt. Continue straight up via steep face climbing, following the line of bolts and fixed pins.

Pitch 5

5.10b

Climb the crack system that eventually slants left and pulls a final difficult move to finish the pitch.

(no photos, didn't climb this pitch)

Descent

Rappel

Rap the Standard Route. 5 raps with a single 70.

(no photos - trip reports for Gonzo's Lament may have more photos of the descent)

Hike out

2nd

Hike out the way you came. Probably easier on the way out.

(Other trip reports for Sunshine Wall may have more photos of the hike out.)

Previous and Next Adventures

Cragging at Combat Rock (various routes), CO

Cragging at World's End, Palisade Mtn, CO

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: January 13, 2021 (Wed); Partner: Will Starks

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Intro

A fun 2-pitch route followed by a couple of single pitches on Sunshine Wall. I was just over 4 months since a ACL+meniscus surgery, so Will did all of the leading while I enjoyed following.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hoof up to the base of Sunshine Wall and take a left (for Buckshot) or right (for Fallen Angel & Deception Past). About an hour from car to base of route. We discovered a new approach trail was under development. This was a really nice trail, with the intent being to have one trailhead access for all of the spires in the area (Sunshine through Cynical). The trail was not quite finished as of January 2021. We actually found the new trail took a bit more time to get to Sunshine Wall than the old trail, but it was a more pleasant experience.

(Other trip reports for Sunshine Wall may have more photos of the approach.)

Pitch 1

5.10a+ 5.9

(This pitch is broken up into two pitches in the guidebook, but it makes sense to do as one ~140 foot pitch and have a nice belay spot.) Pitch 1a: 5.10a. Climb the left-facing dihedral. Reach a chockstone and bypass it on the left or right. Good climbing. Pitch 1b: 5.9. Continue up the crack to a small ledge.

Pitch 2

5.10b

Climb up the right-leaning corner/ramp to the vertical crack overhead. Good hands widen to sustained cupped hands, which eases off when the angle lessens. Eventually reach the top ad belay on gear.

Descent

Rappel

Two options: (1) Scramble up and right to access gully and scramble down gully and back around to base of route; or (2) Rappel Squish (if you can find the anchors). We could not located the top rappel station for Squish, so we walked off.

More pitches

5.10a & 5.10b

Fallen Angel & Deception Past

Two fun single pitch crack climbs at the base of Sunshine Wall. Rap back down from anchors at top of route.

Previous and Next Adventures

Winter Break trip to Cochise Stronghold, AZ

Cragging at Jewel of the Nile Wall & Horsehead Rock, Palisade Mtn, CO

Block Tower

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: January 20, 2020 (Mon); Partner: Erika Bannon

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Intro

I love a route where you need a #6 on every pitch! Thanks Erica for proposing this route and being an awesome partner. What a fun way to spend a sunny winter day.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hike up to base of Cynical Pinnacle, then cut hard left, and then semi-bushwhack due west to the base of Block Tower.

(Other trip reports for Block Tower may have more photos of the approach.)

Pitch 1a

5.9

Sex Dwarf Direct (bonus offwidth start)

By doing this start you can use the #5 and #6 on all three pitches of the route. Scramble up onto some blocks out and around to the left of the cave start of Dance of Chance. Climb a short #5- and #6-sized offwidth to a ledge. Turn left and take a short hand crack in a right-facing corner to the base of Hurt Dance. Easily link into first pitch of Hurt Dance.

Pitch 1b

5.9+

Layback a short but wide low-angled left-facing dihedral to a ledge. Jam a varied finger to hand crack to a small ledge with a pair of old bolts.

Pitch 2

5.10a

Continue up the crack, which widens from hands to a offwidth (a #6 is nice to scoot along with you and a #5 also fits further back). Gain a ledge with an old bolt, and climb up a hand and finger crack on the left wall. When the finger crack on the left wall ends, clip a bolt, move left on the face and up to a ledge and belay on gear.

Pitch 3

5.10a

Start up a nice hand crack that quickly widens into a full-blown squeeze chimney. You can scoot the #6 cam while you place hand-sized pieces at the back of the flare. Thrutch up the chimney, again protecting with hand-sized cams in a crack. A big cam (#5 or #6 or both) is nice to have near the exit. Pop out and then romp up easy 5th to the top and set a gear belay.

Top

Enjoy the view!

Descent

Rappel

Two options:
(1) Scramble off to the east, towards Cynical Pinnacle. (I went this way the following year after climbing Queer Bait.)
(2) Scramble off to the west, between Block Tower and Poe Buttress. (This is the way we went. I found it to be bit more unpleasant than option (1)).

(Other trip reports for Block Tower may have more photos of the descent.)

Previous and Next Adventures

Cragging at Thunder Ridge, CO

Sheep Nose (Lost in Space) & Cragging at Turkey Rocks, CO

Dates I've climbed this route:
- Date: January 23, 2021 (Sat) ; Partner: Nate Arganbright

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Intro

This is a fun route with some crack climbing, an offwidth, and a short bolt-protected slab crux. The rock quality is not as great as I would have expected for its 3-star rating, but I think it is a route worth doing. No crowds at Block Tower either. This was one of my more crack-intensive days since my ACL+meniscus surgery 4.5 months previous, and I was pleased to discover that the knee seemed to be quite okay with climbing cracks and even a bit of offwidth.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hike up to base of Block Tower. There is a new trail in development (as of Jan 2021) that stops just short of the tower but the bushwhacking is mild.

(no photos - other trip reports for Block Tower may have more photos of the approach)

Pitch 1

5.10a

Climb up and around a large flake, cross a slab, and head up a crack. For the best belay spot and a 200-foot pitch go all the way to the base of the wide crack of Pitch 2.

Pitch 2

5.9

Climb the wide crack.

Pitch 3

5.11a

Continue up. After a nice handcrack you reach the short slab bolt-protected crux. After this, continue up marginal quality rock to the top.

Descent

Rappel

Two options:
(1) Scramble off to the east, towards Cynical Pinnacle. (This is what we did, quite mellow.)
(2) Scramble off to the west, between Block Tower and Poe Buttress. (I went this way the previous year after climbing Hurt Dance. I found it a bit more unpleasant than option (1).

(Other trip reports for Block Tower may have more photos of the descent.)

Bonus pitches

5.9-5.10b.

Turkey Foot Crack: All 3 toes

On our hike out we passed underneath Turkey Foot Crack and couldn't help but do another pitch. Nate led up to the mid-way anchor and we proceeded to climb all three toes. We only had 1 #3 so opted out of continuing up the fist-crack above. (I had climbed Turkey Foot Crack in its entirety in 2019 and it is indeed excellent.)