Two Jews Blues, 5.10c, 3 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Little Scraggy Dome offers an impressive west facing slab that can be seen from Forest Service Road 550 at a big dip in the road as you head west to Wellington Lake.  It can also easily be reached by bike on the Colorado Trail.

Two Jews Blues is a unique route in that it was originally 5.10a, then published as 5.10b and now the consensus on MP.com is 5.10c.  Little Scraggy’s, aptly named, climbing wall is west facing and the wall exfoliates granite causing a few edges to disappear.  I led all three pitches and the first pitch is by far the crux and more sustained pitch.  The second pitch if the most fun in that you get to pull two small roofs.  The second roof is the crux of that pitch.  The third pitch pulls out onto an arete with a few delicate moves, then easy climbing to another significant ledge.  Climb up the corner and clip bolts out left or attack the face directly (slightly harder).  Most efficient for the 2^nd to lower the leader back to the 2nd pitch belay ledge and top rope vs being belayed up (if rapping the route). 

Bike or hike the Colorado trail from FS 550 to right below the west face of Little Scraggy Dome which is obvious and heavily shaded by forest at the base.  Make a short hike up through the trees to the left side of the face centered below the long roof that is easy to spot.  You sort of start on a blunt arete.  The entire route is bolted.  There is no line of bolts to the left.  There is a bolt line to the right, Miss Manners, 5.11a.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 160’-5.10c/ 16 clips to rap anchor.  The crux is through the first 4 or 5 bolts but the whole pitch stays 5.10 thoughtful.  Mostly slab, few edges to be had.  You encounter another, shorter, crux more than half way up.  Some Boulderites go on and on about an uncomfortable belay, but it is not a true hanging belay, rather a typical benign slab belay.

2^nd Pitch- 135’-5.10a/ The 2^nd pitch was a delight in that it offered something besides smearing.  It is much shorter than the Fixed Pin guide suggests (155’), but is still too long to rap with a single 70m.   Make three clips and then undercling and make a reachy, but positive, hold and mantle up (height dependent, easier for 5'10" and up).    Work your way up to the second roof and use a horizonal jam to shift right for the balancey mantel onto the steep slab.  Above is below grade climbing until the wall steepens abruptly and you have to make a reachy palm to finish at a nice ledge with a fixed rap. 

3^rd Pitch- 90’-5.10b/ Back to pure slab.  Not near as sustained as pitch 1.  Traverse out right onto the arete.  Climb the blunt arete via steep slab to the base of a corner. Make four more clips straight up a short face (crux) to another fixed rap.  If you are going to rap, best to go ahead and lower the leader back to the top of pitch 2.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

From the top of pitch 2, you cannot reach the top of pitch one with a single 70m.  The belay for the route next door was not set up for a rap in 2022.  Best to haul an 80m or doubles to rap the route.

Essential Gear

16 draws.  80m single or double ropes.  West facing, afternoon sun.