Devils's Head Climbing 2022-present

Routes:

- Revelation Route (5.11a/b, 7p, sport)
- Other routes

Region: Colorado

Elev: ~9,000 ft

Rock type: Granite

Type:

Trip Report 1:

Revelation Route (5.11a/b, 7p, sport)

Date(s): October 22, 2022 (Sat)

Partner(s): Nate Arganbright

Trip Report 2:

Various other routes

Date(s): Sept 2023(x4 days)

Partner(s): Nate Arganbright

Devil's Head is a serene climbing area on the slopes of Devil's Head Mountain in the South Platte. The crags face south, west, or east and overlook Pike's Peak with all the rest of the Rampart Range hills spread out in unbroken splendor as far as the eye can see. The rock is a fine-grain granite, featured with roofs, cracks, edges, and flakes, offering a high density of excellent, exciting face climbing. Most of the routes are bolt-protected sport climbing, although there are a scattering crack climbs. The emphasis in climbing is largely on the upper 5.11 and 5.12 range, but there are also more moderate and more difficult routes.

The first time I climbed at Devil's Head was on a nice fall weekend in October 2021, when Nate and I enjoyed a weekend of climbing and camping. On this trip we climbed one of the longer routes at Devil's Head: Revelation Route, a 5.11, 7-pitch, fully-bolted climb on Devil's Head Rock. We really liked the area and have plans to return for more weekend cragging and camping.

On this page, I give photos from climbing at Devil's Head, organized by date. I've also included my trip report for Revelation Route at the top of the page. At the bottom of the page, I keep a list of the climbs I've done at Devil's Head.

Pitch-by-Pitch Trip Report for Revelation Route

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Route Overlay

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Intro

This is one of the longest routes at Devil's head, featuring 7 fully-bolted pitches of varied climbing.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

~20 minutes from parking on Jackson Creek Road. Jackson Creek Road is off Rampart Range Road.

Pitch 1

5.8, 5 bolts

Climb the 3-foot wide chimney.

Pitch 2

5.9, 11 bolts

From the anchors, trend up and left with a short crux soon after the anchors and another crux lay backing higher up the pitch.

Pitch 3

5.10+, 12 bolts

Climb up an easy slab to the base of the 200 foot tall headwall. Mantel to get yourself established below the crux. Traverse slightly left and up for more continuous, excellent face climbing to a semi-hanging belay.

Pitch 4

5.9, 11 bolts

Climb up through more crimps, sidepulls, and balancy moves to get to an airy traverse to the right.

Pitch 5

5.11a/b, 12 bolts

This is the crux of the route! Powerful, elegant, varied, airy, and continuous. Climb straight up from the anchor and up through incuts, underclings, laybacks, and overhanging crimps.

Pitch 6

5.5, 4 bolts

Climb up to the ledge past a big tree, and then climb up and right up easy terrain to the next set of anchors. It is possible to continue and link with the next pitch.

Pitch 7

5.6, 7 bolts

Climb up a short wall trending to the left. Climb the arete to the summit. This pitch is easily linked with Pitch 6.

Descent

Rappel + Scramble + Rappel

From the top of the route, make one rappel to the west, then scramble back down along the base of Recovery Wall. From the top of Pitch 5, rappel the route with a single rope.

More Photos

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM OTHER DAYS OF CRAGGING AT DEVIL'S HEAD

More climbing fun!

Date: October 22, 2022 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Devil's Head Rock, Recovery Wall

Routes:
• Safety Meeting 5.10a, 1p, sport
• Revelation Route 5.11a/b, 7p, sport

For the weekend, Nate and I decided to check out Devil's Head. On Saturday, we climbed Revelation Route, a 7-pitch, fully-bolted, 5.11 route on Devil's Head Rock. We had planned to climb at The Starcastle on Sunday, but the 40mph gusts caused us to abort our plans. I spent my Sunday doing errands.

More climbing fun!

Dates: September 16&17, 2023 (Sat&Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: The Arena, Crag Ranch, Starcastle

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Pax 5.9+, 1p, sport
• Ceres 5.10a, 1p, sport
• Citadel 5.10b, 1p, sport
• Titus 5.10d, 1p, sport
• High Plains Poser 5.10d, 2p, sport
• North 40 5.11a, 1p, sport
• Warping the Gale 5.11a, 1p, sport
• Lady of the Lake 5.11b, 1p, sport
• To the Fire Wind 5.11c, 1p, trad

Since our first trip to Devil's Head to climb Revelation Route, Nate and I had tried to return to Devil's Head, but we were thwarted by weather (fall) and Spring road closure (spring). Finally, a year after our first visit, we returned for a weekend of cragging. This time we had the guidebook too. We enjoyed a weekend of cragging and camping and hope to return soon for more of the same!

More climbing fun!

Dates: September 23&24, 2023 (Sat&Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: The Headstone, The Outpost, Workman's Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Snafu 5.9+, 1p, mixed
• Remote Control 5.10a, 2p, sport
• Alienist, The 5.10b, 3p, trad
• Groiner 5.10c, 1p , sport
• Topaz (Pitch 1) 5.10d, sport
• Thin Red Line 5.11a, 1p, sport
• Trip Wire 5.11a, 1p, mixed
• Broken Arrow 5.11b, 1p, sport

Back the following weekend for more.