| CMC Route; 5.7, 3-Pitches Route |
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| CMC Route; 5.7, 3-Pitches   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.88302°N / 105.43156°W Route Type: Mountaineering, Trad Climbing Season: Spring, Summer, Fall Time Required: Half a day Rock Difficulty: 5.7 (YDS) Number of Pitches: 3
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| Page By: jfox Created/Edited: Aug 10, 2008 / Oct 20, 2008 Object ID: 430259 Hits: 359 Loading... Page Score: 87.33% - 4 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
Mt. Thorodin of Gilpin County Colorado stands out in contrast to most of the other peaks in the area. What makes it so special, to climbers anyway, is that it hosts three massive cliff faces rising for ~400' out of the forest. These three west facing cliffs are called, originally enough, buttresses 1 - 3 labelled climbers right to left.
The second buttress holds the most routes, is the tallest and the steepest of the three. The rock quality is superb Front Range granite, and even though this area sees barely any traffic, the rock is not loose or dirty. While there is lichen, the faces climb really well.
The views from here are superb. One can see all the way from Mt. Evans in the south all the way up to Longs Peak to the north, with the Indian Peaks in between. Incoming bad weather is easy to spot as the climbing faces west. In the mornings you're in shade until 11am on those hot summer days. The appraoch is about an hour, with the first 1/3 on a groomed hiking trail, then a nice faint climbers trail can be followed through the woods, its cairned, to the large talus below the first buttress. From there it's easy to get to the others...just head north.
With such high quality rock, moderate to hard climbing routes, no crowds, shade, easy approach, it's a wonder why there aren't more people here. But I'm not complaining!
Getting ThereMake your way to Golden Gate Canyon State Park. From CO-119, turn east onto Gap Rd. ~5 miles south of Rollinsville. Take this to Panorama Point, park here. Walk east along the Raccoon trail. The trail will eventually enter the trees, then turn west and continue down hill. Where the trail then turns south at a switchback (see pict) break right, north, into the woods to pick up the faint climbers trail. It will eventually be cairned. This trail deposits you below the first buttress. Climb the talus to the base and bear north finding the trail again and then you will be deposited below the second buttress. Climb large talus to the base of the climb. The CMC Route takes the large chimney/crack just left of the center of the wall.
Route Description5.7, 3 Pitches, 400'
P1: (5.6) We belayed from where the dirt meets the mountain/rock. Climb up steep slab and angle left below some trees. From here you can then climb right past a short cliff, or continue straight up over it. My partner went right, but then thought better of it because of rope drag. Continue up across a ledge, then climb a steep right facing dihedral to another ledge and belay at a small tree.
P2: (5.7) Move right from the belay and start into a right facing dihedral. Fist jam and stem up the dihedral for 40' and when possible, move left onto broken ledges to another tree (larger) and belay from here.
P3: (5.7) The money. Climb right from the belay again and head straight up into the chimney/offwidth towards the big roof. Stem up the chimney to just right under the roof. The right side accepts medium to large nuts really well. I protected the whole pitch under the roof with three nuts, then the crux exit with two small cams. Figuring out how to get out from under the roof is personal choice. Wearing a pack would be a nightmare here, so leave it at the base. Squeeze and shimmy out and get a high pinch on a crack above. Once out of it, climb slab and broken ledges to the top.
Essential Gear60m Rope
Standard Rack (small & large nuts, I used C4's from 0.4 - #4) I only used the #4 for an anchor. The largest cam I used for protection on a pitch was a #3 Camalot).DescentWalk off to the north between buttresses 1 & 2. Images
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Golden Gate Canyon State Park
