Dates: May 7-15, 2025 (Wed-Thu)
Partners: Daniel Sauerbrun (3 days), Alex Ruff (8 days), Hex (woof) (8 days), Carlos Gonzales (2 days)
Climbed at: The Matrix, Pipeline, Box Canyon, Windshield Wiper Wall, Minimum Crag, Pipe Dream, Pictograph Wall, The Hot Zone
Routes (ordered by grade):
• Minienticer 5.9, Minimum Crag (onsight)
• Half Baked 5.10-, Windshield Wiper Wall (onsight)
• Buddha's Belly 5.10a, Pipe Dream (onsight)
• Kingpin 5.10a, Pictograph Wall (onsight)
• Twelve Tasty Donuts 5.10c, The Matrix (my first route at Maple, redpoint 2nd go)
• Half Hearted 5.10d, Windshield Wiper Wall (onsight)
• Downloader 5.11b, Box Canyon (toprope clean)
• Heathen 5.11b, Pictograph Wall (toproped)
• Excavation 5.11, Pipe Dream (one hang at 2nd bolt to figure out crux)
• Groundwork 5.11c, Minimum Crag (onsight)
• Dry Spunk 5.11c, Pipe Dream (led lower clean and upper stick clipped)
• Hitchhiker 5.11c/d, Windshield Wiper Wall (redpoint 2nd go after hanging draws)
• Amenema 5.11d, The Matrix (led with two hangs)
• Lunchables 5.11d, Minimum Crag (lead with a few hangs at crux section)
• Pipeline 5.11d, Pipeline (led with two hangs)
• Le Spunk 5.11d, Pipe Dream (redpoint on 3rd go)
• The Prime Meridian 5.11d, The Hot Zone (bailed halfway up due to poor rock quality and an abundance of guano)
• Zoaster Toaster 5.11d, Minimum Crag (redpoint on 3rd go, also tronsight)
• 49 5.12a, Minimum Crag (redpoint on 7th go)
• Cobble Almighty 5.12a, Minimum Crag (one hang to stick clip crux)
• Dry Times 5.12a, Pipe Dream (led lower section clean and stick clip bolt to bolt last three bolts, toproped crux clean)
• Forbiddance 5.12a, Windshield Wiper Wall (4 tries with 4th attempt having one hang just two bolts from top after an energy-intesive biner kerfuffle at the midway crux)
• Watermelon Sugar 5.12a, Box Canyon (led with a few hangs)
• Functional Idiot 5.12b, Minimum Crag (toproped)
First trip to Maple Canyon
I made the 9-10 hour drive from Estes Park to Maple Canyon on Tuesday, May 6. I had responded to mountainproject partner post. Daniel was looking for a partner for Rifle, but mentioned that he was even more interested in Maple Canyon if he could convince someone to drive out there. I was interested in either location. Also, Alex Ruff (who I had met once in 2019 while cragging in Clear Creek) responded to Daniel's post around the same time. He was game for Maple Canyon. So the plan was to join Daniel and Alex for a week in Maple Canyon. They had already been climbing out there for a few days by the time I arrived, so I met up with them and squeezed my car into the campsite.
Wed, May 7 (Climbing Day 1) - The plan was to leave camp at around 9:30, so I woke up and went on a beautiful run, and then came back and enjoyed coffee and sun at camp. We started out at The Matrix, warming up on Twelve Tasty Donuts (10c) and then working on Amenema (11d). I gave both two laps, redpointing the first and one-hanging the second. In-between, Alex worked on his project Amplification (13a). We then moseyed over to Pipeline (11d) - Alex got it on his first go (he had climbed it a couple of weeks previous), and Daniel and I played around on it, figuring out all of the moves but feeling a bit too tired at this point for a full redpoint go (my arms felt the day--you could get strong here). It was a great first day in Maple Canyon and I now have two 5.11d mini projects to come back and redpoint. We enjoyed a nice evening at camp. Even though I only had a wedge of sky available, my Starlink mini was able to provide pretty decent internet.
Thu, May 8 (Climbing Day 2) - On this day we headed to Box Canyon, a popular climbing area up a narrow canyon. We figured that due to its popularity it would be a good idea to go here on a weekday. We warmed up on Downloader (5.11b), and then worked on Watermelon Sugar (5.12a), each taking a few laps but unfortunately none of us redpointing it. We then moved to nearby Windshield Wiper Wall, where Daniel and I climbed a 25-bolt, 40m enduro climb called Hitchhiker (5.11c/d) and Alex worked on a nearby 12b. I redpointed Hitchhiker after putting up the draws, which was a good end to the day.
Fri, May 9 (Climbing Day 3) - Daniel took a rest day and drove to Ephraim (30 minutes away) to refill water, get a banana at the Walmart Supercenter, and hang out at a coffee shop, while Alex and I headed to Minimum Crag for the morning. We got an early start (left camp at 7:30am) with plans to just climb in the morning and take the afternoon off. Several of the routes at Minimum Crag have permadraws. We started off with Zoaster Toaster (11d), one of Maple's best of its grade and an enduro route with no single stopper move. Alex led Zoaster Toaster, and I decided to toprope it to learn the route. After a tronsight, I took it on as my morning project, leading it bolt to bolt and then redpointing it on my next go. Between, Alex worked on Space Lord (12c), getting it down to two hangs, and I toproped the nextdoor 49 (12a), another of Maple's Classic routes. After toproping with one rest, I am considering this for a project, but the bolt spacing seems a bit generous for my tastes. After four pitches each, we decided to get our rest day started, and hiked back to camp. I spent a couple of hours applying for jobs and reading a book while Alex and Hex went for a dip in the stream; eventually, I got antsy and went on a hike up nearby Box Canyon (this hike gets pretty cool the further you go back, and I found three fixed ropes to ascend, two of which were down waterfalls, which fortunately were trickling when I did it). Daniel arrived back around dinner time.
Sat, May 10 (Climbing Day 4) - The plan was to go back to Minimum Crag. We had noticed the previous day that the crag went into the shade at around 10:30am, so we left camp a bit late to time our arrival with the shade. Each of us had our project—Alex: Space Lord (12c), Daniel: Zoaster Toaster (11d), and me: 49 (12a). We warmed up on Groundwork (11c), which was my first 5.11 onsight of the trip. We then each gave our project a few gos, all of us came close, but none of us were successful. It was a good day for whippers as well: I took a 20 foot whipper when my foot slipped while clipping a draw on 49, and Daniel took a 40 foot whipper when he ran out of steam right at the anchors of Zoaster Toaster and pulled me up to the first bolt. It was a crowded Saturday at Minimum, but we all felt like we got in plenty of climbing (about 6 pitches each). I also spent part of my day teasing Hex with meat sticks and petting the crag cat Potato.
Sun, May 11 (Climbing Day 5) - Daniel's shoulder was hurting, so he decided to begin his drive back to Boulder early (this was going to be his last day anyway, but it was disappointing he wouldn't be able to join us one more day). So Alex and I headed back to Minimum Crag for the morning, with the intent to send our projects—Alex: Space Lord (12c), me: 49 (12a). And we did (despite the booming thunder and occasional rain spell)! This was my second ever 12a sport redpoint, and on a route solidly in the 12a grade, so that was exciting. We also climbed a couple of other routes: Groundwork (11c) + Almighty Cobble (12a) and Lunchables (11d)—I did not mange a redpoint on the two hardest but Alex redpointed Almighty Cobble. We then hiked up to Pipedream to check out my next project: a route that starts with a layback crack and ends with a powerful face, Dry Times (12a). I led it, stick-clipping the last three bolts. I figured out all of the moves quickly, so this will be a good project for me. Alex then took a lap on Deliverance (12c), his project at Pipedream. After this we headed back to camp, where we met Carlos, who Alex had met in the Creek and invited to join us.
Mon, May 12 (Climbing Day 6) - Since it looked like we would have a forced rest day Wednesday due to weather, we decided to keep climbing. Sixth day on for me, more for Alex. But still feeling good! We headed back to Windshield Wiper Wall, where I had spotted a 12a (Forbiddance) and where Alex had a 12b project (Difference of Opinion). Carlos was joining us, and the 25-bolt, 40m Hitchhiker (11c) would be a fun one for him. After warming up on Half Hearted (10d) and Half Baked (10-), we all worked on our separate projects. None of us managed to send our individual project (although Alex redpointed my 12a project). I came close though: on my fourth time up Forbiddance, my redpoint attempt, I had a carabiner kerfuffle at the start of the midway crux that consumed a lot of energy—the carabiner on the end of the draw was wonky from the previous rope pull and when I tried to clip the rope, the carabiner flew off the draw, I caught it with my free hand, clipped it back on the draw, and pulled the rope back up and clipped it, all the while hanging onto a desperate pocket crimp; and then somehow managed to fire the crux, finding myself surprised to be latched onto the jugs above it; I continued upward, making it through the rest of the hard spots, but just couldn't hold on any longer just a few moves from the top. 5.12 is a hard-won grade. It was another great day of climbing!
Tue, May 13 (Climbing Day 7) - Since it looked like we would have a forced rest day the next day due to weather, we decided to keep climbing. Seventh day on for me, more for Alex. But still feeling good! We headed back up to Pipe Dream to give a full day to the area. I wanted to work on Dry Times (12a) while Alex was working on Deliverance (12c). Carlos joined us psyched to get on anything. We warmed up on Buddha's Belly (10a) (which was kind of unique since it had no chalk and forced a cobble route-finding experience). I then climbed Dry Times (12a), stick-clipping the upper crux section and then toproping it clean. Alex did the same with Deliverance (12c). We both though we had a chance of sending. But then it got cold and rainy (a hint of what was to come the next day and the following week according to the forecast). Fortunately, since we were in a cave, the rain did not reach our routes, but the cold made it hard to pull hard. Alex played around on Millennium (13d) and then I tried to warm back up by leading some fun 5.11s: Dry Spunk (11c), Le Spunk (11d), and Excavation (5.11). The only one I fully redpointed was Le Spunk (11d). Carlos also climbed these 11's, redpointing Dry Spunk (11c), his first 5.11 redpoint of his Maple adventures. My pitch total for the day was seven pitches, six of them 5.11 or more, and all of which I led. Despite no 5.12 sending, another fun and productive day in Maple. I only wish that someday I could be good enough to climb a route in the cave at Pipe Dream. We all spend the evening huddled in our respective cars or tents.
Wed, May 14 (Forced Rest Day) - Squalls passed through all day. I spent the day in Ephraim (30 minutes away), resupplying on groceries at Walmart, filling up my water jugs at a spigot I found outside some public tennis courts, enjoying coffee and computer time at Solid Rock Cafe, and hanging out in the library loading up on 25-cent books and working on job applications. It was a pleasant way to spend my birthday. My friend Erika and her boyfriend Todd arrived that evening.
Thu, May 15 (Climbing Day 8) - It rained on and off through the night, but we woke up to sun. With the cooler temps and moisture, we decided to head first to Minimum Crag to climb in the sun. We warmed up on a 12b (Functional Idiot) that Alex was interested in, but neither one of us was too motivated to pull that hard, perhaps because of the cool temperatures and the thickening cloud cover. So we hiked over to Pictograph Wall, where I led a 10a (Kingpin) and Alex led a 11b (Heathen) that I also toproped. Even though I enjoyed both of these routes, we were still a bit uninspired, so we headed over to The Hot Zone so that Alex could collect his draws of his 5.13 project there (Amplification). I decided to lead a nearby bolted corner crack (The Prime Meridian, 11d) but bailed off it due to poor rock quality and an abundance of acrid guano. After this, we decided to call it and go read books at camp. I hung out in my car to stay warm. Kind of a blah day, but those days happen. Sun and warmer temperatures would be more motivating. Fortunately, Carlos had found a partner that morning so he got in a full day of climbing. We had a nice campfire that night.
Fri, May 16 - Both Alex and I wanted to be on the road by noon, so the plan was to start early and climb at Windshield Wiper Wall, which gets first sun and where each of us still had a project (me: Forbiddance (12a), Alex: Difference of Opinion (12b)). However, there was no sun to be had and morning temperatures were in the low 40's. We bailed on climbing and began driving to our separate next destinations....
