The Maze, 5.6-5.12a

Overview/Approach

The Maze is a relatively new climbing development in Vedauwoo.  Although the walls on this jumbled formation are shorter than most in the park, the aesthetics of the chimneys, off-widths and corridors make it a fun day out.  The routes encircle the main formation offering sun and shade aspects when or if you need to use them.

Befuddled, 5.10+*, is one of my favorite climbs at this location.  It is a steep hand to fist to a bit wider crack/flake to a fixed rap on what I would call the southwest corner.  Inside the corridor to the left of Befuddled is a unique easy chimney climb called Tuber’s Birth Canal, 5.6**.  As the name implies, it is a three walled secure solo hidden in the corridor just to the left of Befuddled.  It has cracks on both sides if someone wanted to lead it.  To descend sans rope, scramble down north.  To the right of Befuddled is another corridor that features two fully bolted climbs, Convict, 5.9****, and Cosmic Quarantine, 5.8+****.  These are mostly stemming routes with some face climbing, particularly for Cosmic.  Convict was soft for the grade.  Each have their own fixed anchor.  To the right of them, out of the corridor, is a short off-width named Conjugal Visit, 5.10**.  MP.com mentioned the need for a #6, but a #5 works just fine.  This route is barely a climb vs boulder problem and has its own fixed rap.  At the northeast end is a fun hand crack to slab named Stepford Wives, 5.8***.  If you circumvent the main feature on the right side (north) from the approach, this is the first obvious route you come to.  You can burrow through the bottom of the maze at this point to access Christie’s Ultimatum, 5.12a***.  These two routes actually share the same fixed rap.  The crux on Stepford is the slab past two bolts to finish.  Christie’s Ultimatum is soft for the grade.  Most 5.11 OW leaders will probably have no problem.  It is a hand-fist and foot stack crux start.  The 2^nd half is below the grade.  A #6 gets you started.  Directly across from Christie’s is Mr. Pickles Learns to Swim, 5.6*, a short and secure hand crack solo or lead.  Sans rope, scramble down left.  You could spend most of the day here as there are other fun and short routes to be had. Twisted, 5.10***, is an excellent flaring crack at the southeast corner of the formation, that is worth doing.

Park on a small pullout on the west side of Vedauwoo Road well beyond the Reynolds area and right before a closed road marked 700B on the map.  It is a low depression/dip in the road with a creek on your left if heading north.  Hike across the field to the west to join an old road up on the hill, not even 5 minutes.  Follow the road west (700BA) to the formation which is the only one in sight.  Maybe 20-minute walk if even.

Routes Listed Left to Right as encountered from the Approach and Circling the Formation From E to S

Dirty Reflection- 50'-5.9**/ Decent hand splitter, the left of two splitters in the eastern buttress of the formation.  Finish scrambling to the top of the formation and locate a fixed rap that takes you to the ground with a 60m rope.  A few hand pieces.  Dow

On the Other Side- 5.10a/b/

All Mixed Up- 5.9/

Stepford Wives- 40’-5.8***/ Straight in hand crack to two bolt slab finish up a water runnel.  A few medium pieces and two draws.  The fixed rap takes you straight down Christie’s Ultimatum in the chamber on the north side.  Dow

The Gates of Lodare- 5.11c*/ Other side of Christie’s.

Christie’s Ultimatum- 30’-5.12a***/ Can get by with C4#3 to #6.  The start via fist/hand stacks is the crux.  The upper 15’ is easy going.  A Yosemite Giant fits but you can sneak a #6 up and in as well.  Dow

Mr. Pickles Learns to Swim- 30’-5.6*/ A zig zag low angled crack opposite Christie’s.  Secure solo, can scramble down to the east.  Dow

Sweet Nothings- 40'-5.7*/ The local guide calls it 5.9, MP.com has it at 5.7 which makes more sense.  The guide references taking the hand splitter to the arete and clip a few bolts.  There are no bolts on the arete.  Just chimney up to the anchor.  Dow

Turd Launcher- 40'-5.6/ Just right of Sweet Nothings is a contrived route up a low angled chimney.  Again, the local guide (5.8) has it two higher grades than Mp.com (5.6).  I agree with Mp.com.  Easy solo scramble to a set of rap chains.  Dow

Shocker- 5.11d**/

Short Stuff- 5.6***/

Tuber’s Birth Canal- 25’-5.6**/ A unique secure solo.  “Narrow elevator shaft the width of a phone booth” as accuratly described in the local guide.  Cracks on each side if you want to place gear.  If solo, scramble/down climb to the north.  Located in the corridor to the left of Befuddled.  Dow

Befuddled- 30’-5.10+*/ My favorite route on the formation.  Steep hands to a wide section at about 2/3rds up which gets physical.  Fixed rap.  Take all the medium to #4 pieces you want.  Aesthetic pitch on colorful rock.  Obvious flake crack on the outside edge of the western corridor in this alcove.  Dow

Convict- 35’-5.9****/ Soft by Vedauwoo standards.  There is conversation about bolts missing on MP.com, but there are five in place in 2019 and therefore well bolted.  Chimney up the outside edge of the corridor and convert to stemming near the end.  Fixed rap.  Deeper and narrower corridor right of Befuddled.  Dow

Cosmic Quarantine- 60'-5.8+***/ Twin to Convict, just deeper in the corridor.  Chimney to stem to face at the end to a fixed anchor.  Half a dozen draws.  Dow

Pandora’s Box has Cracked- 5.10b/

Two Big Surprises- 5.10a/

Not Long Enough- 5.9+/

Finger Snatcher- 5.11b/

Vigilante Justice- 5.9**/

Conjugal Visit- 25’-5.10**/ Almost too short to be a climb vs boulder problem.  Climb the wide off-set right facing corner off-width.   To the east of Convict, obvious short wide crack to fixed rap hangers.  Dow

Twisted- 65'-5.10***/ This might be the best 5.10 route at the Maze.  At the very left when facing the east face of the formation are two wide cracks side by side on the upper level, Twisted on the left and Malicious on the right.  There is a slight climbers trail that starts climbers left of the routes in the aspens.  Hike 100 yards up the hill to the base of both cracks.  MP.com gives this route hell for being "mean", but it is actually a cool route offering some awkward and challenging climbing at the grade.  Gain the wide with hands and eventually hit flared hands at best whilst you place small gear in this slightly overhung crack.  Sustained at the grade.   Fixed rap up and left.  Single from micro to #3 along with a few off sets or wires.  Dow

Malicious- 5.10c*/

Uncertainty Principle- 5.11b/