Three Spires, 5.7-5.11a

Overview/Approach

 
The Three Spires of Castle Rocks State Park refer to three short features located in the east side of the park, just east of Comp Wall which offers the best crack climbing destination in Castle Rocks. The Three Spires themselves don’t have much to offer to terms of height or aesthetic climbs, but the shaded aspect of the routes above the benches between Pin Cushion and Bullet Rock definitely make for a nice warm up or finish to a day out on Comp Wall. The third spire is named Wedding Bell and actually has the best climb of the group, a nice splitter crack named the Engagement (5.9). All of these routes have fixed rap stations and a 70m rope raps them no worries.

Park at the Ranch House parking area (just above the Ranch House). Hike the road until a well-marked trail on the left references Comp Wall. Pass up the Lower Comp Wall sign which you see first. After taking the second left at a Comp Wall sign, you will pass under a huge roof and soon be at the benches between Pin Cushion and Bullet Rock. Wedding Bell if the next feature west. 20 minutes to the base of the routes.

Route Description(s)

Routes Listed Right to Left as you face (approach) the Wall's

Bullet Rock


• Special Forces- 5.11a*/



• Cleft Palace- 5.9**/
Cleft Palace and the Patriot are directly across from each other in this unusual setting, but Cleft Palace is more interesting. It is on the right side of the alcove. It is more sustained and offered a decent move for the grade at a left traverse. It is juggy the whole way and would be considered a 5.8 in many places. Dow


• Gullet- 5.8*/


Pin Cushion


• The Patriot- 5.9**/
Definitely not worthy of two stars relative to other two star routes in Castle Rocks and not as good as Cleft Palace. It mirrors the Cleft on the left side. Some face/slab climbing half way up that again is closer to 5.8 than 5.9. Dow


• Elf’s Cap- 5.7/


Wedding Bell


• The Engagement- 5.9*/
The Engagement is by far the best route at the Three Spires. It is a beautiful splitter to the summit of the Wedding Bell. I started in the crack proper, but they bolted the slab on the left for entry as well. If more folks would start the crack down low it would get clean. The climbing becomes vertical and is well protected by small to medium gear. Dow

Images

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