Four Great Moderate Climbing Routes at Eldorado Canyon
Eldorado Canyon, protected as a Colorado state park, is one of Colorado’s historic and storied climbing areas. Eldorado’s towering sandstone cliffs rise over 700 feet above the rough canyon floor and South Boulder Creek. The cliffs, including Redgarden Wall, The Bastille, and Wind Tower, offer over 500 climbing routes. Almost all of the routes are traditional-style climbs that require you to competently place gear for protection and belay anchors.
Eldorado, usually called Eldo by climbers, set the standards back in the 1960s and 1970s but now it is no longer the place for climbers to push their limits on hard routes. They go to Rifle, Red River Gorge, or Smith Rock for that. Instead Eldorado is a place to push your own standards on its wealth of superb moderate routes. Eldo is a place to learn how to be a climber. To learn how to place gear, set up belays, deal with routefinding, find descent routes, and figure out tricky moves and puzzling cruxes.
Here are four great Eldorado Canyon moderate routes that are no harder than 5.7 to cut your teeth on. You will love these climbs so much that you will go back and climb them over and over again. They are that good!
Plan a climbing trip to Eldo by reading Rock Climbing at Eldorado Canyon in Colorado.
Rating: (II 5.6) 3 pitches
Location: Wind Tower
First ascent: Layton Kor and Jane Bendixon (Culp), 1959
The Wind Ridge, ascending the blunt west ridge of Wind Tower, is simply one of Eldorado Canyon’s best moderate climbs. The route offers interesting climbing with sections that will mystify beginners, like a hand crack on pitch 2, a big flake that Pat Ament calls “troublesome,” great views of the lower canyon, and a small airy summit. Most of the climbing is fairly easy with only a few cruxy spots. A direct start up a flake at the bottom boosts the grade to 5.7+.
Like many Eldo routes, the Wind Ridge leader should be competent at placing gear and setting up anchors since belay anchors are a bit tricky. While some climbers escape left on a ledge after the second pitch, you really should do the interesting last pitch to the top. Descent off the summit is by scrambling north 70 feet to a notch and making a 50-foot rappel from two bolts.
Rack: Bring a set of Stoppers, set of TCUs, and cams to #3 Camalot.
Rating: (II 5.6) 4 pitches
Location: Wind Tower
First ascent: Layton Kor, Pat Ament, and Larry Dalke in 1961
Calypso, one of the most popular moderate routes in Eldorado Canyon, earns its stripes as a great climb. The route, following a big right-facing dihedral, offers sustained face climbing and tricky laybacking to a good ledge with bolt anchors. Then continues up moderate rock for three more pitches to the summit, although you can always weenie out and rappel after the first pitch. You can also follow a traverse ledge left from the top of pitch 2 to a downclimb.
Calypso’s fun climbing is its downfall. The rock is polished, especially on the first pitch, from all the hands and feet that have slickened the holds. Use caution on the sloping, slippery holds on the final traverse on pitch 1. Also be aware that Calypso is one of Eldo’s most dangerous routes with many falls and injuries, as well as several fatal accidents. It's the second most dangerous route in the canyon.
Before leading the first pitch, make sure you have plenty of gear and that you are competent at placing it. Also always wear a climbing helmet on Calypso. There is a good chance other parties will be above you and could dislodge loose rock.
Rack: Bring a set of Stoppers, set of TCUs, and cams to #3 Camalot.
Rating: (II 5.7+) 4-5 pitches
Location: The Bastille
First ascent: First climbed by a party of unknown US Army climbers in the early 1950s. The first free ascent was by Stan Shepard and Allen Bergen in 1957.
The Bastille Crack is simply Colorado’s most famous rock climbing route and a must-do for every climber. The route, ascending the steep, shady north face of The Bastille, gives everything that a great climb needs to have—lots of sustained crack and face climbing, plenty of protection, a pure direct line, a spacious summit with fabulous views, an easy descent off the backside, and easy access to the start…right on the canyon road near the parking lot.
Of course, since the Bastille Crack is as popular as a prom queen, there are a host of problems starting with the usual queue at the start. Other problems are polished stone, parties climbing above you, and crowded belay stances. Remember that all these factors make the Bastille Crack the most accident-prone route in the canyon.
Try to climb early in the morning on weekdays to avoid crowds. A big plus is that the route climbs the north-facing cliff, making it perfect for summer with plentiful shade. In winter, follow Eldorado pioneer climber Jim Erickson’s advice: “Avoid it like the plague of the weather is not warm, or you will shiver away much of its charm.”
Use caution on the 65-foot-high first pitch, which some climbers now call 5.8. Study it first to avoid trouble. It’s slick and strenuous. Pre-rack your first cam so when you get to the crack you can immediately plug it before committing to the jams.
The descent route scrambles across an exposed ledge system to Fowler Trail, which is followed west to a climber’s trail which is descended to the road. At the start of the ledge, look for the remains of the anchors for Ivy Baldwin’s high wire, which spanned the canyon for 635 feet to Wind Tower and was 582 feet above the canyon floor. Baldwin made 89 untethered walks across the wire before his 82nd birthday!
Rack:Standard Eldo rack with sets of Stoppers and TCUs, and a set of cams to three-inches. If you want to sew the crack up bring double set of cams.
Rating: (II 5.7 R) 4 pitches
Location: Redgarden Wall
First ascent: Layton Kor and Ben Chidlaw, 1957.
The Bulge, the first major new route climbed by Layton Kor in Eldorado Canyon, takes a bold line up the blank southeast face of Redgarden Wall. The wandering route, not a climb for novice leaders, works up vertical rock with long rising traverses and mindful runouts between protection placements to a crux over a bulge on the third pitch. While Kor originally led the route without protection at the crux, he later rappelled down and hand-drilled a bolt. He later said, “I placed the bolt because of complaints from other climbers. They thought it was highly risky. I didn’t want an accident on my conscience.”
The Bulge, accessed from the rocky gully between Wind Tower and Whale’s Tail, requires a calm head for both the leader and second climber with its runout traverses. Expect lots of good handholds, including huecos, and footholds. Look for protection with small cams and wired nuts in thin cracks and plug gear in wherever you can. Remember to protect your second whenever possible too. All the belays have bolt anchors. At the top of the fourth pitch, scramble across slabs (5.2) to the gully between Redgarden Wall and Hawk-Eagle Ridge. Stay roped up, especially if it’s wet.
Rack: Bring a light rack with sets of RPs and Stoppers, TCUs and cams to #2, six to eight quickdraws, and some extra slings with carabiners. Some bring a couple larger cams to plug into holes, including a #3 Camalot for a hole above the crux on pitch 3.
Eldorado is a Place to Learn Climbing
Eldorado, usually called Eldo by climbers, set the standards back in the 1960s and 1970s but now it is no longer the place for climbers to push their limits on hard routes. They go to Rifle, Red River Gorge, or Smith Rock for that. Instead Eldorado is a place to push your own standards on its wealth of superb moderate routes. Eldo is a place to learn how to be a climber. To learn how to place gear, set up belays, deal with routefinding, find descent routes, and figure out tricky moves and puzzling cruxes.
4 Great Eldorado Moderate Climbs
Here are four great Eldorado Canyon moderate routes that are no harder than 5.7 to cut your teeth on. You will love these climbs so much that you will go back and climb them over and over again. They are that good!
Trip Planning Information
Plan a climbing trip to Eldo by reading Rock Climbing at Eldorado Canyon in Colorado.
1. WIND RIDGE
Rating: (II 5.6) 3 pitches
Location: Wind Tower
First ascent: Layton Kor and Jane Bendixon (Culp), 1959
The Wind Ridge, ascending the blunt west ridge of Wind Tower, is simply one of Eldorado Canyon’s best moderate climbs. The route offers interesting climbing with sections that will mystify beginners, like a hand crack on pitch 2, a big flake that Pat Ament calls “troublesome,” great views of the lower canyon, and a small airy summit. Most of the climbing is fairly easy with only a few cruxy spots. A direct start up a flake at the bottom boosts the grade to 5.7+.
Like many Eldo routes, the Wind Ridge leader should be competent at placing gear and setting up anchors since belay anchors are a bit tricky. While some climbers escape left on a ledge after the second pitch, you really should do the interesting last pitch to the top. Descent off the summit is by scrambling north 70 feet to a notch and making a 50-foot rappel from two bolts.
Rack: Bring a set of Stoppers, set of TCUs, and cams to #3 Camalot.
2. CALYPSO
Rating: (II 5.6) 4 pitches
Location: Wind Tower
First ascent: Layton Kor, Pat Ament, and Larry Dalke in 1961
Calypso, one of the most popular moderate routes in Eldorado Canyon, earns its stripes as a great climb. The route, following a big right-facing dihedral, offers sustained face climbing and tricky laybacking to a good ledge with bolt anchors. Then continues up moderate rock for three more pitches to the summit, although you can always weenie out and rappel after the first pitch. You can also follow a traverse ledge left from the top of pitch 2 to a downclimb.
Calypso’s fun climbing is its downfall. The rock is polished, especially on the first pitch, from all the hands and feet that have slickened the holds. Use caution on the sloping, slippery holds on the final traverse on pitch 1. Also be aware that Calypso is one of Eldo’s most dangerous routes with many falls and injuries, as well as several fatal accidents. It's the second most dangerous route in the canyon.
Before leading the first pitch, make sure you have plenty of gear and that you are competent at placing it. Also always wear a climbing helmet on Calypso. There is a good chance other parties will be above you and could dislodge loose rock.
Rack: Bring a set of Stoppers, set of TCUs, and cams to #3 Camalot.
3. BASTILLE CRACK
Rating: (II 5.7+) 4-5 pitches
Location: The Bastille
First ascent: First climbed by a party of unknown US Army climbers in the early 1950s. The first free ascent was by Stan Shepard and Allen Bergen in 1957.
The Bastille Crack is simply Colorado’s most famous rock climbing route and a must-do for every climber. The route, ascending the steep, shady north face of The Bastille, gives everything that a great climb needs to have—lots of sustained crack and face climbing, plenty of protection, a pure direct line, a spacious summit with fabulous views, an easy descent off the backside, and easy access to the start…right on the canyon road near the parking lot.
Of course, since the Bastille Crack is as popular as a prom queen, there are a host of problems starting with the usual queue at the start. Other problems are polished stone, parties climbing above you, and crowded belay stances. Remember that all these factors make the Bastille Crack the most accident-prone route in the canyon.
Try to climb early in the morning on weekdays to avoid crowds. A big plus is that the route climbs the north-facing cliff, making it perfect for summer with plentiful shade. In winter, follow Eldorado pioneer climber Jim Erickson’s advice: “Avoid it like the plague of the weather is not warm, or you will shiver away much of its charm.”
Use caution on the 65-foot-high first pitch, which some climbers now call 5.8. Study it first to avoid trouble. It’s slick and strenuous. Pre-rack your first cam so when you get to the crack you can immediately plug it before committing to the jams.
The descent route scrambles across an exposed ledge system to Fowler Trail, which is followed west to a climber’s trail which is descended to the road. At the start of the ledge, look for the remains of the anchors for Ivy Baldwin’s high wire, which spanned the canyon for 635 feet to Wind Tower and was 582 feet above the canyon floor. Baldwin made 89 untethered walks across the wire before his 82nd birthday!
Rack:Standard Eldo rack with sets of Stoppers and TCUs, and a set of cams to three-inches. If you want to sew the crack up bring double set of cams.
4. THE BULGE
Rating: (II 5.7 R) 4 pitches
Location: Redgarden Wall
First ascent: Layton Kor and Ben Chidlaw, 1957.
The Bulge, the first major new route climbed by Layton Kor in Eldorado Canyon, takes a bold line up the blank southeast face of Redgarden Wall. The wandering route, not a climb for novice leaders, works up vertical rock with long rising traverses and mindful runouts between protection placements to a crux over a bulge on the third pitch. While Kor originally led the route without protection at the crux, he later rappelled down and hand-drilled a bolt. He later said, “I placed the bolt because of complaints from other climbers. They thought it was highly risky. I didn’t want an accident on my conscience.”
The Bulge, accessed from the rocky gully between Wind Tower and Whale’s Tail, requires a calm head for both the leader and second climber with its runout traverses. Expect lots of good handholds, including huecos, and footholds. Look for protection with small cams and wired nuts in thin cracks and plug gear in wherever you can. Remember to protect your second whenever possible too. All the belays have bolt anchors. At the top of the fourth pitch, scramble across slabs (5.2) to the gully between Redgarden Wall and Hawk-Eagle Ridge. Stay roped up, especially if it’s wet.
Rack: Bring a light rack with sets of RPs and Stoppers, TCUs and cams to #2, six to eight quickdraws, and some extra slings with carabiners. Some bring a couple larger cams to plug into holes, including a #3 Camalot for a hole above the crux on pitch 3.
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