Palisade Mountain Climbing 2020-present

Route:

various

Region: Colorado

Elev: ~7,600

Rock type: Granite

Type:

Date(s): 2020(x9 days), 2021(x22 days), 2022(x11 days), 2023(x5 days), 2024(x5 days)

Partner(s): Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball, Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar, Cassie Vendegna, Shawn May

Palisade Mountain is located on the north side of Big Thompson Canyon between Loveland and Estes Park.

Palisade Mountain contains various subcrags, such as Horsehead Rock, Mikey's Island, Jewel of the Nile Wall, Skull Rock and Subskull, Saddle Tower, 420 Wall, Jungle Wall, and others. There is a lot of rock here, but the area is complex so route development has been slow and adventurous. Most of it is south-facing, making it a great winter and early spring area to climb. The climbing is a mix of cracks, corners, roofs, crimpy faces, and airy aretes. To date, I've climbed mainly at Horsehead Rock and Skull Rock, where I have had a blast being part of team developing these crags and putting in a bunch of new routes. I have been impressed with the quality of the rock at this somewhat obscure area.

Here's a summary of the various areas I have climbed at Palisade Mountain. On this page I have listed and posted photos for the crags in the order in which I first visited them.

- Horsehead Rock: April 2020, May 2020, January 2021, November 2021, December 2021, April 2022, March 2024
- Mikey's Island: May 2020, March 2022
- West Prow: June 2020
- Jewel of the Nile Wall: January 2021, April 2024
- Subskull: January 2021, April 2021, January 2022
- Skull Rock: February 2021, March 2021, April 2021, May 2021, January 2022
- Saddle Tower: March 2021, March 2023, April 2023, March 2024
- 420 Wall: March 2021, April 2022
- Jungle Wall: April 2021
- World's End - Lower Cliff: May 2021, January 2022, November 2022
- World's End - Upper Cliff: May 2021
- The Checkerboard: March 2022, April 2022
- Fairview Wall: April 2023, July 2023, Sept 2023, March 2024, June 2024
- Wild Rose Wall: March 2024

On this page, I give photos from climbing at Palisade Mountain, organized by date. At the bottom of the page, I keep a list of the climbs I've done at Palisade Mountain.

Overview Maps of Area

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Photos

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT PALISADE MOUNTAIN CRAGS | CLICK ON AREA TO DROP DOWN CONTENT

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT 420 WALL

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Date: March 27, 2021 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: 420 Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Gorilla Glue ~5.9+
• Unknown route to left of Gorilla Glue ~5.9+
• Unknown route to right of Gorilla Glue ~5.9+

This wall sits above Skull Rock. We climbed a center crack (excellent), installed an anchor at the top, and toproped two mediocre routes on either side.

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Dates: April 17&21, 2022 (Sun&Thu)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: 420 Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Upper face center, "Easter Egg Hunt" 5.9, 2p
• Upper face right, "Fooled Again" 5.10, 2p
• Crack through pod, "421" 5.11-
• Corner, "Roach Clip" 5.11-
• Upper face left, "Hypnotized Never Lie" 5.11-

We climbed five new routes (all led ground up after installing bolts if needed) and installed four new anchors and three protection bolts. A couple of productive days of climbing!

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT THE CHECKERBOARD

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Dates: March 26&27&31 (Sat&Sun&Thu) & April 28 (Thu), 2022

Partners: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillette

Climbed at: The Checkerboard

Routes (ordered by grade):
• To left of Crack, "Double Jump" 5.9
• Slot 5.10a
• Slot box, "Zugzwang" 5.10b
• Crack, "Double Hump" 5.10c
• Bolted 2-pitch route 5.10
• Bolted pillar, "Triple Crown" 5.11c

The Checkerboard might be obscure, but it's well worth the trip. Lots of good rock with crack and featured face. We put up some new routes here and have more in the works. I even played hooky to join a first ascent of a stellar 5.11 route (24 years of schooling and only 4 weeks left of classes to take, and this was my first time ever skipping class.....and possibly not my last...).

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT FAIRVIEW WALL

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Date: April 18, 2023 (Tue)

Partners: Nate Arganbright & Bernard Gillette

Climbed at: Fairview Wall

Routes:
• Toprope solo ~5.10+, 200'

Fairview Wall is a beautiful plaque of rock high on Palisade Mountain. Nate and Bernard are putting in some new routes here and discovering that the wall holds potential for several great 4-pitch link-ups. I took a midday break from work to join Nate and Bernard and check out the wall; I did one toprope solo pitch before heading back to work.

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Date: July 1, 2023 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Fairview Wall

Routes:
• Base to top: Coefficient of Friction Pitch 1 + Three Sigma + Ministry of Truth Pitches 1&2 4p: 5.10a, 5.9, 5.10+, 5.10+

A four-pitch (5.10a, 5.9, 5.10+, 5.10+) link-up from the base of the route to the top, including an FA of two pitches along the way. These were all new pitches that Bernard, Paul, and Nate had established this spring. A pretty awesome route.

More climbing fun!

Date: September 4, 2023 (Mon)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Fairview Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Golden Ratio Pitch 1 5.11a, 100'
• Base to top: Room with a View + Pentagram 3p: 5.9, 5.10+, 5.10+/11-

Labor Day Monday. A three-pitch (5.9, 5.10+, 5.10+) link-up from the base of the route to the top, including an FA of two pitches along the way. These were all new pitches that Bernard, Paul, and Nate had established this spring. A pretty awesome route.

More climbing fun!

Date: March 10, 2024 (Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Fairview Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Lower Wall Right 1 5.8
• Three Sigma 5.9
• Coefficient of Friction Pitch 1 5.10a
• Lower Wall Right 2 ~5.10a

One pitch at Saddle Tower followed by five more pitches at Fairview Wall on this warm late winter Sunday.

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Date: June 20, 2024 (Thu)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Fairview Wall

Routes:
• Base to top: 10c Roof + Golden Ratio Pitch 1 + Golden Ratio Pitch 2 3p: 5.10c, 5.11a, 5.11d

Three pitches (5.10c, 5.11a, 5.11d) to the top before a squall sent us hustling back to the car.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT HORSEHEAD ROCK

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Dates: April 25&26&30 (Sat&Sun&Thu) & May 1&3&9&10&12 (Fri&Sun&Sat&Sun&Tue), 2020

Partners: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball, Cassie Vendegna, Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar

Climbed at: Horsehead Rock

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Charlie Horse 5.6
• De-Virginizing Stud Pony (/w and /wo 5.8 fingercrack start) 5.7/5.8
• Glue Factory 5.8
• Ponyboy Arete 5.8
• Preakness (Pitch 1) 5.8
• Fall of the Republic 5.9
• Slot just left of Feeling Loopy (Route name: "Dog and Pony Show") 5.9
• Arete/crack right of "Chestnut Mare" (Route name: "Prancing Pony") 5.9, mixed
• Government Mule 5.10a
• Seabiscuit (Pitch 2) 5.10-
• Arete feature on wall around left of main wall (Route name: "Horse's Ass") 5.10-
• Neighsayer 5.10b, 2p
• Breeder's Cup (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Eagle's Beak (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Kentucky Derby 5.10
• Funky Gold Patina (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Hippophobia /w left finish 5.10, 2p
• Preakness (Pitch 1) + Seabiscuit (Pitch 2) + Funky Gold Patina (Pitch 1) 5.10, 3p
• Arete right of Fall of the Republic (Route name: "Trojan Horse") 5.10+
• Tijuana Donkey Show 5.11-
• Roof/undercling just right of "Black Riders" (Route name: "Headless Horseman") 5.11b
• Feeling Loopy 5.11
• Arete left of Fall of the Republic (Route name: "Cauda Equina", Latin for "Horse's Tail") 5.11
• Face just right of slot (direct finish and right finish) (Route name: "Black Riders") 5.12 (direct); 5.10- (right)
• Offwidth + arete right of Feeling Loopy ("Electric Horseman") 5.11/2 ?
• Arete right of De-Virginizing Stud Pony area (Route name: "Chestnut Mare") 5.12

This was my first time climbing at Horsehead Rock. We ended up putting up several new routes over the course of a week. Putting up new routes is about as fun as cragging gets.

More climbing fun!

Date: December 4, 2021 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Horsehead Rock

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Fall of the Republic 5.9
• Slot just left of Feeling Loopy (Route name: "Dog and Pony Show") 5.9
• Arete/crack right of "Chestnut Mare" (Route name: "Prancing Pony") 5.9, mixed
• Hippophobia /w right finish 5.10
• Roof/undercling just right of "Black Riders" (Route name: "Headless Horseman") 5.11b
• Face just right of slot (direct finish and right finish) (Route name: "Black Riders") 5.12 (direct); 5.10- (right)

It had been 1.5 years since our Spring 2020 climbing fest at Horsehead, so we decided to make Horsehead our cragging destination on this sunny early December day. We enjoyed a pleasant day climbing several of the routes we had established in Spring 2020.

More climbing fun!

Dates: April 2&3, 2022 (Sat&Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Horsehead Rock

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Face to stemming just left of Dog and Pony Show (Route name: "Horse of a Different Color") 5.9+
• Eagle's Beak (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Oh Wilbur 5.10+
• Arete right of Fall of the Republic (Route name: "Trojan Horse") 5.10+
• Project: Stem box left of Tijuana Donkey Show 5.10+
• Tijuana Donkey Show 5.11-
• Roof/undercling just right of "Black Riders" (Route name: "Headless Horseman") 5.11b
• Project: Roof right of Trojan Horse 5.11+ ?
• Face just right of slot (direct finish and right finish) (Route name: ""Black Riders"") 5.12 (direct); 5.10- (right)

Two pleasant days of early spring cragging. We put up a really good new route (5.11b or so) called "Headless Horseman" which climbs through an intimidating roof/undercling.

More climbing fun!

Date: March 31, 2024 (Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Horsehead Rock

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Preakness (Pitch 1) 5.8
• Neighsayer (Pitch 1) 5.9
• Seabiscuit (Pitch 1) 5.9
• Seabiscuit (Pitch 2) 5.10-
• Breeder's Cup (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Eagle's Beak (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Funky Gold Patina (Pitch 1) 5.10
• Kentucky Derby 5.10
• Preakness (Pitch 1) + Seabiscuit (Pitch 2) + Funky Gold Patina (Pitch 1) 5.10, 3p

I told Nate I wanted to climb some cracks. So we went to Horsehead. A gorgeous early spring day with 9 pitches of great crack climbing.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT JEWEL OF THE NILE WALL

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Date: January 16, 2021 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Jewel of the Nile Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Pearly Burly Brooke 5.9/5.9+, 200'
• Unknown on SW side of formation ~5.10b

This wall caught our attention when we saw it from the top of Horsehead in Spring 2020. Jewel of the Nile Wall is the sheerest, cleanest looking wall on the entire mountain. There's even a splitter crack running up its middle...There are three documented routes on this wall, but Nate and I only ended up climbing the splitter, as the other routes were either difficult to protect or vegetated. We found a new route on the left side of the formation that we toproped. After that we topped off the rather warm winter day with a couple of pitches at Horsehead.

More climbing fun!

Date: April 13, 2024 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Jewel of the Nile Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Family Jewels 5.9, 2p
• Pearly Burly Brooke 5.9/5.9+, 200'
• Unnamed mixed route on left side ~5.10c, 2p
• Country Mile 5.10d
• Unnamed face in center ~5.12

Nate, Bernard, and Paul had recently added a few fine new routes to Jewel of the Nile. So this was our destination on this warm spring Saturday. I thought the new routes were quite good.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT JUNGLE WALL

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Date: April 11, 2021 (Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Jungle Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• New route on left side of wall ~5.9
• New route on left side of wall ~5.10

A long 'schwacky approach, a few ticks along the way, a couple of 1-star climbs, but at least we checked out a new crag at Palisade Mtn. There were some hard looking wild roof lines but we probably won't be back for awhile.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT MIKEY'S ISLAND

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Date: May 10, 2020 (Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Mikey's Island

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Care Giver, The 5.8
• Skillset 5.10
• Annie's Knotty Fingers 5.11
• Discriminator, The 5.11

This was my first time climbing at Mikey's Island. You can see this pinnacle from Horsehead, and Nate had been telling me about the stellar finger cracks up to the top of the pinnacle. Indeed, they were stellar!

More climbing fun!

Dates: March 26&27, 2022 (Sat&Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Mikey's Island

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Skillset 5.10
• Trad route on east side "Ripple Effect" 5.10
• Arete 5.10
• Bolted route on pillar 5.10c
• Annie's Knotty Fingers 5.11
• East Face 5.11

This was only my second visit to Mikey's Island, almost two years after my first visit. Over the weekend, we put up three new routes: A bolted route climbing a cool tower (5.10b, 6 bolts + 1 cam); a hand crack to wildly exposed arete (5.10, gear+bolts), and a trad route up a cool chicken-head studded runnel feature (5.10, gear). We also climbed a couple of pitches at nearby Checkerboard. I was reminded how good the rock and the climbing is in this zone. Still several new routes to put in!

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT SADDLE TOWER

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Date: March 6, 2021 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Saddle Tower

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Right side #2 5.11a
• Lariat 5.11a, 2p

This tower sits high in the Palisade Mountain crags. Bernard Gillett's guidebook makes mention of a nice 5.11a route up the face of the tower. So Nate and I had to check it out. Worth the adventure, but the route would be better with some protection bolts.....

More climbing fun!

Dates: March 29 (Wed) & April 1 (Sat), 2023

Partners: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillett

Climbed at: Saddle Tower

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Left side #1 5.10a
• Right side #1 5.10
• Lariat (Pitch 1) 5.10c
• Left side #2 5.10c
• Right side #2 5.11a
• Right side #3 5.11b
• Right side #4 5.11c

Every spring for the last few years we've focused our route development efforts on something at Palisade Mountain. Spring 2023 looks like it will be Saddle Tower....

More climbing fun!

Date: March 10, 2024 (Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Saddle Tower

Routes:
• Lariat (Pitch 1) 5.10c

One pitch at Saddle Tower followed by five more pitches at Fairview Wall on this warm late winter Sunday.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT SKULL ROCK

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Dates: February 28 (Sun) & March 7&9&19&20&28 (Sun&Tue&Fri&Sat&Sun) & April 3&6&25&26 (Sat&Tue&Sun&Mon) & May 8 (Sat), 2021

Partners: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball, Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar, Shawn May, & Cassie Vendegna

Climbed at: Skull Rock

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Crack just right of arete (not named yet) 5.8
• Math is Racist 5.8+
• Go Fauchi Yourself 5.9-
• Superspreader Chimney 5.9
• French Laundry 5.9+
• Hilbert Space 5.9+
• The Profit 5.9+
• Splitter Hitter with left finish 5.9+
• Nancy's Salon 5.10a
• The Temple 5.11a
• Phrenology 5.11
• Head Trauma 5.11
• Splitter Hitter with right finish 5.11+
• Superspreader Chimney (Kicked in the Head variation up face) 5.11d
• Inca Gold (first half of pitch into The Temple) 5.12b
• Tiger Lily 5.12?

We enjoyed several weekends days and after-work half-day here in the winter and spring of 2021 developing the crag, adding over 10 new routes ranging from 5.8+ to 5.12. The rock here is surprisingly good.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT SUBSKULL

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Dates: January 24&30 (Sun&Sat) & April 8&25 (Thu&Sun), 2021

Partners: Nate Arganbright (all days) & Scott Kimball (couple of days)

Climbed at: Subskull

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Room Where It Happens, The 5.6, 2p, sport
• Gain of Function 5.7, trad
• Cervical Vertebrae 5.8+, mixed
• These Ol' Bones 5.9-, sport
• Beautiful Things 5.9, trad
• Stacks 5.9+, mixed
• Vaccine Hero 5.9+, trad
• Channel Surfing 5.10a, sport
• Middle Man, The 5.10-, trad
• Patriotic Guinea Pig 5.10-, trad
• Inalienable Rights 5.10c, trad
• Brain Damage 5.11c, sport
• Numbskulls 5.12a, sport
• Deathly Hollow 5.12b, sport

On these two back to back winter weekends, Nate and I decided to go cragging at the Subskull area of Skull Rock. The first weekend was sunny, but bitterly cold, so we ended up climbing just a couple of pitches and then we went exploring for a couple of hours. The second weekend was much warmer and we squeezed in about 10 pitches and Nate got a send on the 12b he had been working on there. We came back in April and put up 4 new routes on the right side of the wall.

More climbing fun!

Date: January 23, 2022 (Sun)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Subskull

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Cervical Vertebrae 5.8+, mixed
• Short Changed 5.9+, mixed
• Bang Your Head 5.10a, sport
• Dishonorable Discharge 5.10c, sport
• Brain Damage 5.11c, sport

Bernard had put up a few new bolted routes on Subskull and Skull Rock since the last time Nate and I had climbed there in the spring, so on this sunny winter day Nate and I made this our cragging destination. Bernard and Paul showed up midday. Great company, great rock, 50° temps in the sun, and 8 pitches of 5.9-5.11 climbing!

More climbing fun!

Date: January 29, 2022 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Subskull

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Cervical Vertebrae 5.8+, mixed
• These Ol' Bones 5.9-, sport
• Nick at Night Pitch 2 5.9, sport
• Short Changed 5.9+, mixed
• Nick at Night 5.10a, sport
• Middle Man, The 5.10-, trad
• Salon Pas 5.10b, mixed

Back again for another winter day of cragging in the sun.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT WEST PROW

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Date: June 20, 2020 (Sat)

Partners: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillett

Climbed at: West Prow

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Real Training 5.11
• Not Throwing Away My Shot 5.12a

Bernard and Nate wanted to send a new 5.12a they had put up on the west prow of Palisade Mountain, so we headed up there for the morning. Both of them sent the route first try, nice work! I toproped the 5.12a and also did some toprope soloing on a nearby 5.11.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT WILD ROSE WALL

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Date: March 2, 2024 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: Wild Rose Wall

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Unnamed 5.8 5.8, trad
• Unnamed 5.9+ 5.9+, trad
• Unnamed 5.10b 5.10b, 2p, sport
• Unnamed 5.11 5.11, sport

A new wall that Nate, Bernard, and Paul recently developed. A warm but windy March day.

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT WORLD'S END - LOWER CLIFF

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Dates: May 1&7, 2021 (Sat&Fri)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: World's End - Lower Cliff

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Amtrack Joe 5.7
• Top Gun 5.7, 1-2p
• Star Lily 5.8
• Harlem Shuffle 5.8
• Evidence of Fraud 5.9
• Stellar Jay 5.9
• Project: v-slot right of Harlem Shuffle 5.9
• Applied Analysis 5.10a, 1-2p
• Project: right of Stellar Jay 5.10
• Project: slab right of Harlem Shuffle 5.10/11
• Project: arete right of Harlem Shuffle 5.10/11
• False Profit 5.11a
• Project: next to False Profit 5.12?

Nate and I had spotted this area of rock (a lower and an upper cliff, which we ended up calling World's End) while climbing elsewhere on Palisade Mountain a few weeks previous. Shortly thereafter, we attempted to access the wall from above, but failed to find a good way down to it. About a week later, on a sunny Friday morning, I forwent my usual gym session and spent the morning scrambling up the slopes of Palisade Mountain to scope out a potential approach from below and to check out the wall. I did indeed make it to the base of the wall after a 1.5 hour approach. The rock looked great, and had probably never been climbed. Nate and I returned the next day. We put up six new routes at the lower cliff! And with the quality and the amount of rock up here as well as the sunny ambiance with great views, we plan for several more...

More climbing fun!

Date: January 15, 2022 (Sat)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: World's End - Lower Cliff

Routes (ordered by grade):
• As-yet-unnamed just left of Star Lily 5.8
• Pink Fuzz 5.10b
• Daddy Long Legs 5.11

A pleasant winter day installing a set of anchors and three more new trad routes.

More climbing fun!

Date: November 13, 2022 (Sun)

Partners: Nate Arganbright, Bernard Gillette, Paul Bodnar

Climbed at: World's End - Lower Cliff

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Pink Fuzz 5.10b
• Logarithmic Spiral 5.10c, 1-2p
• False Profit 5.11a
• Unnamed 5.11b
• Daddy Long Legs 5.11

Nate, Bernard, and Paul spent a couple of weekdays working hard adding some bolts to some of our lines and some new ones (I had work so couldn't join). This crisp and sunny fall Sunday was sending day. Five new awesome routes (5.10b, 5.10c, 5.11a, 5.11b, 5.11, all with at least a few protection bolts, some mostly bolted).

SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM CRAGGING AT WORLD'S END - UPPER CLIFF

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Date: May 7, 2021 (Fri)

Partner: Nate Arganbright

Climbed at: World's End - Upper Cliff

Routes (ordered by grade):
• Unnamed Crack 5.9
• Project: Wall of Cracks, Left crack 5.10
• Project: Wall of Cracks, Right crack 5.10

Nate and I had spotted this area of rock (a lower and an upper cliff, which we ended up calling World's End) while climbing elsewhere on Palisade Mountain and had checked it out the previous weekend, when we climbed at the lower cliff and put up six new routes. We saw a lot more potential and made plans to return. Over the course of the week, we shuttled up a stash of water, rope, gear, drill, and bolts, so that we could stay up there overnight for the weekend. We put up a couple of new routes at the upper cliff and a few more at the lower cliff. We plan to install some bolts and anchors and a few more routes before we reveal where this place is...