B3bouldering.com

Eldorado Canyon

Posted on 29. Nov, 2008 by B3 in Front Range

Today Jason Pinto and I headed into Eldorado Canyon. We made our way to the back of the Canyon and marched up the Eldorado Canyon Trail.

Eldo is a big place, and we weren’t sure exactly where to go. Thank goodness there was a new sign to point the way to our beloved rocks.

Past Midnight Frightening and deep into the woods we hiked. Our first stop was a gorgeous and massive boulder that sits in a gully like a slumbering giant. Dave Graham had added a very tall and sharp V9 a few years back and as far as I know Paul Robinson has made the only repeat. I made it through the difficult and painful lower section only to drop off for a lack of pads and a fear of the 25ft top out.

We hiked up the gully a bit farther to a problem I put up a few years ago named the Elegant Universe after a physics book that I had just read. This problem was shown to me by Mike Brooks and it is a one move dyno off of two good crimps. Dave had also added a very obvious sit start to this, which in my opinion adds a grade to make V11.

The Elegant Universe SDS V11

Setting up for the big jump.

I repeated the stand start in a couple of tries and then again from the low. This problem has been a nemesis for me and really exploits my weakness for big explosive moves, so it was nice to get the send.

We walked back further and I had a wonderful session on Suspension of Disbelief. Chad Greedy and I showed Dave this project and his first response was “This will NEVER go.” Two days later I watched him make the FA. He suggested it to be V13. “Hard, like V13 should be, HARD!!!” The problem went unrepeated for a while until after many days Daniel Woods snagged the second ascent last year and uprated it to V14. It is certainly of note that Paul Robinson, easily one of the best boulderers in the world, has also spent many days on this proud 18ft line. After climbing nearly every hard problem he gets his hands on, often in a matter of tries, his failure on this line is a testament to its difficulty, as well as Dave’s ability.

Thanksgiving I had a quick session in Boulder Canyon and managed Cage Free V10, a huge dyno near Castle Rock. I can honestly say this is one of the best moves I have ever done! Ultimate flow. Johnny Goicechea made the first ascent of this classic line a few years ago.