Coligula 5.7

Approach

Walk from parking area up the road 75 yards and look for faint trail straight up through the trees to the base of the prominant arch. The arch can be seen clearly from the road about 50 yards beyond the trail. Where the trail hits the base of the rock, walk east under the arch, past several new bolted climbs to the east edge of the arch. From there follow the base of the rock up and east for 200 ft to a grassy clearing. The route starts here on the low angle wall.

Route Description

The route is rated as 5.7 R with one pitch of 5.7, two of 5.4 and lots of scrambling. DON'T be fooled this is a very serious route with an X rating, or more accurately a free solo for the leader. This route doesn't have many redeeming qualities except it is the easiest technical route to the summit. See below for exact gear. The route starts near the left side of the low angle face, at a ramp system heading left to the base of the large prominant chimney. If you don't like the runout nature of the start of this climb, don't start the route, it does not have any better rock or protection higher up. This route should only be led by people who are rock solid at free soloing 5.7.

P1 - Climb 5.5 sloping, loose, mossy holds up and left, I placed one stopper at about 60' (the first tiny seam that would hold anything). Continue up 5.4 for about 90 ft nearly straight up. From there head left and up 5.6 corners to a V shaped crack (the only crack anywhere close that will hold gear). Protect well here, and move up and left 8 ft to a single old bolt, this is the belay anchor. The runout out from the stopper is about 110 ft.

P2 - Climb up and left from the belay and climb up a loose corner - 12' open book - 5.6. place a cam in the top of the crack - 35' runout. Traverse left to the large chimney and stem carefully across the face of the chimney, this section is very loose, this section might be possible to protect with a # 3 camalot, but would probably rip the rock out. Continue up the 5.7 chimney to the top. Exit onto a grassy ramp and continue up the ramp to a 3 bolt belay about 2/3 of the way up the ramp. Runout to first cam is about 150'.

P3 - walk up grassy ramp, head around corner and place a good 3/4 camalot in a horizontal crack. Start the 5.4 traverse about 110' across to the grove on the far side, head for the deepest pod in the groove, this will be your belay. Sling a horn or two on the way across, but plan on a 100' unprotected traverse from the cam to the belay hole. Belay from the smallest alien in an under cling, a sling over a small horn, and a butt wedge.

P4 - Head up the chimney/open book while showering your belayer with rocks, try not to rip the whole mountain off while climbing up moss, gravel, and loose blocks. Exit the chimney to a large grassy ledge, belay from a boulder at the top of the chimney - about 90' pitch - no pro.

P5- walk across the grassy ledge to the west, and right before the corner/end of the ledge, climb up a low angle crack/ramp (path of least resistance). Place a #2 camalot at the start of the crack, and head up about 80' to a notch on the ridge, belay from a slung bolder.

P6 through 10 climb 5.0 ridge to the summit. Hip belays work well here - belays of some type are worthwhile as the ridge is very loose and exposed.

From the high point of the climb, head down to a saddle and up to the true summit. From here follow the decent route on the main page.

Essential Gear

Gear:
P1 - #6 stopper at 60'
two smallest aliens,and a #3 metolious at 170'
single bolt at 180'
P2 - 3/4 camalot at 35'
3 bolts at 185'
P3 - 3/4 camalot at 40'
slung horn at 50'
smallest alien at belay
P4 - no pro except slung bolder at top of pitch
P5 - #2 camalot at end of grassy legdge, right before heading up crack/ramp
P6 -P10 - a few slung rocks and trees at top of route.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

Images

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