Back Side, 5.10a-5.11c

Overview/Approach

“Back Side” as featured in the local guide that was in print as of 2019, refers to a remote collection of short climbs on a north facing stone located on the north side of Reynolds.   Not the back side of the main formation itself as the name would lead you to believe, but rather a short wall that is reached by circumventing Reynolds to the west via a faint climbing trail and turning right and heading up the hill at “Turn Off Rock”.  It is a light climbers trail marked by a dead tree laid over a rock.  The north facing alcove that is the “Back Side” is reached in short order once you head up the hill.  It is located on your right side and takes a boulder hop or two and is well shaded most of the day.

Slash, 5.10a**, Gash, 5.10b** and Bad Girls Do, 5.10b**, are located side by side in the same small alcove and make up one of the better sequence of 5.10 trad leads in the park.  What they lack in length, they make up for in variety and sustainability.  These three routes are flanked on the right by a 5.11+ test piece off-width named Bad Girl’s Dream, 5.11b***.  Locals consider Dream quite sand bagged at 5.11b in the modern guide book.  Gloria’s Fantasy, 5.10b***, and Gloria, 5.11c***, are two stellar looking routes just around the corner to the right of Dream.  Fantasy is pure off-width and Gloria is pure fingers via a flake splitter.  All six are outstanding routes and are within meters of each other. 

Park as you would for Reynolds at 700-D off of Vedauwoo Road.  The road is closed at a gate.  Hike a mile or two towards the main Reynolds formation’s south face.  Circumvent Reynolds to the left by staying in the meadow on the trail.  Start gaining elevation and turn right at “Turn Off Rock” which is marked by a tall dead tree leaning on a rock (2019).  Not much of a trail exists up through the mossy ground to the north facing alcove on your right.  Some boulder hopping leads to a well shaded setting below the obvious routes. 

Routes Listed Left to Right

Slash- 50’-5.10a**/ Slash, Gash and Bad Girl Do are all relatable climbs in the same shady alcove, side by side.  All three are excellent trad leads.  My partner and I each led all three and concurred that Slash was the more challenging of the group despite having the easier grade listed in the guide.  Slash is the left-most climb running up an overhanging dihedral.  The crux is at the roof in the dihedral, where the tight hands feel slippery, a standard sensation at the Voo. It is important to sling your gear to assist in keeping the rope walking your pieces.  Full on energy at 5.10 required for the first half.  Second half eases up to solid fists.  Shared fixed rap above.  Single to #4.  Dow

Gash- 45’-5.10b**/ The middle route that starts up the easy runout chimney.  You can place smaller pieces in a flake before making committal moves to pull out of the chimney via stemming and hands.  Steep hands to the same fixed anchor.  Single to #4.  Simpler at the grade than Slash for sure.  Dow

Bad Girls Do- 45’-5.10b**/ This route is called 5.10d on MP, (5.10b in the guide) but I found no crux on it more difficult than Slash’s.  It is slightly overhanging and steep at the start, tight hands with some ring locks. Try and keep your feet working the crack.  Good gear.  At the middle, it straightens out and becomes more true hands but then finishes on some interesting OW.  Single to #6.  Shares a fixed rap with Bad Girl’s Dream.  Dow

Bad Girl’s Dream- 45’-5.11b***/ Labeled 5.11 on MP.com.  Had a local veteran who has climbed the hard off-width at the Voo state that he has never seen anyone get this route clean on lead.  It is stout at the crux which is as technical as hand stacks get without feet.  Sort of a right leg/calf bar used to try and reset your stacks.  It is some kind of sustained for several meters.  Fists get you up the start.  The business starts when it bends.  My name is not on it, I declined to pump out on it.  Bad Girls is a solid project for aspiring hard OW climbers though.  Shares fixed rap with Bad Girls Do. 

Gloria’s Fantasy- 45-5.10b***/

Gloria- 45’-5.11c***/