Sugar Magnolia, 5.9+, 3 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Humphrey’s Dome is one of the more remote and less visited destinations in all of South Platte. Part of the reason no doubt is that when it and other developed climbing areas in the vicinity were developed there was a road you could drive in on.  After major fires, the road was closed to through traffic.  The approach for Humphrey's is relatively long for the few quality routes available.  There are no beginner routes and few if any bolts for that matter.  However, combining this destination with The Hideaway makes a lot of sense and there are several quality multi pitch moderate climbs on Hideaway. 

Sugar Magnolia is a stellar multi-pitch off-width route that does make the trip to Humphrey’s worth it; however, Sugar Magnolia is the highest quality rated route on Humphrey’s on Mp.com as well as the local guide.  The quality of the other developed routes, beside Wench's Dihedral, falls off dramatically.  As you approach the dome, the splitter that is Sugar Magnolia becomes obvious on the south face.  It rises from the ground as a hands splitter and becomes an off-width/chimney climb from there all the way to the summit.

As with most routes 5.9+ rated climbs at any climbing destination, Sugar Magnolia is more challenging than many if not most 5.10- climbs in South Platte.  The length of this route as laid out in in the Fixed Pin guide is way off.  It has the 1st pitch at 140’, the 2nd pitch at 100’ and the 3rd pitch at 60’.  Somebody does not know how to measure distance with a rope.  In any regard, the 1st pitch is 120’, the 2nd pitch is 200’ and the third pitch is 120’.  The climbing is physical at the grade and makes for a great half day excursion to combine with another route at the formation or at least moving your packs to the Hideaway for another day of really good moderate trad climbing.  There is no fixed hardware on the route and you must bushwhack east off of the formation vs rappelling.

The approach as described in the Fixed Pin guide, 2024, is not the best description.  Humphrey's is called Baldy Peak on Google maps.  From the north, turn onto CO Hwy 126 through Pine towards Deckers. Turn west onto South Buffalo Creek Road near the hamlet of Buffalo Creek across from Highway 96 which takes you the opposite direction to Cathedral Spires.  There is a huge mountain bike parking area, complete with restrooms, etc. on the left as soon as you turn west and pass a community center.  Park here and bike along the dirt road heading west which follows Buffalo Creek itself.  There are multiple gates and/or cattle guards to bike through.  The main concept is that you will eventually see the formation on your right and not long after you will come to an obvious gate on your right immediately off the road.  Maybe 30 minutes biking slightly up hill with large packs. Go through this gate and take a wooden plank (2024) bridge over a creek.  Continue on a more primitive road for a short distance, leaving it before a major switchback right and up a hill (ends at a private cabin).  Park the bikes in the easy to walk through forest and angle northwest for the coordinates (supplied) of this dome.  You are looking to gain a north bound ridge line that heads mostly due-north for the formation's south face.  As you near the base of the wall, it becomes bouldery and bushy.  Approach this south facing wall from its west end to best avoid these trappings.  Sugar Magnolia is very obvious form any vantage point if you have the dome sighted.  It is the obvious curvy splitter that runs to the summit.  There is a chimney system to the left that climbs at 5.7+ named Central Chimney Direct.  There is an overhanging OW on the right that is the 2^nd most popular route on Humphrey’s named Wench's Dihedral at 5.10+.

Route Description

1st Pitch- 120’-5.9+/ Both the local guide and MP.com call this the crux pitch, but I lead both of the main pitches and most folks I climb with and/or instruct will have more difficulty with the 2nd pitch which requires some true squeeze technique.  Start up the obvious hand crack that leads to the entry to the bottom to top wide crack system in the middle of the face.  This is a great route and this hand jam start is a fun section of it.  Mantel up into the wide left facing crack system.  Chimney climb facing left, left foot out wide, right shoulder against the right wall.  You can place most of the recommended rack on this pitch except for the #7.  Continue chimneying up the steep wide corner.  You pass a slung chockstone (2024) about mid-way.  Continue heading up for a good shaded ledge in the chimney.  Near the top, you can place a bomber wire or small off set cam in a crack to the left.  The gear belay takes medium gear.   A pair of #3’s, #4’s and single #5 and #6 all come in handy. 

2nd Pitch- 200’-5.9/ The local guide calls this 5.8 and MP.com labels it 5.9.  Regardless, this is the crux pitch of the route for 99% of climbers today.   I led both pitches.  The #7 and #6 both come in handy on this pitch.  It starts out mellow but bites down to a true squeeze facing left.  With good technique, you don’t need knee pads, which seemed to dominate the posters concerns and experiences on Mp.com.  Near the top of the squeeze, as feet features become less, is the crux of the route.  A turn around move to reach for a horn on the right wall is physical.  Mantle up to another wide section that is easily stemmed.  After completing it, you follow a dirty crack up with smaller gear until it peters out.  Then make an exposed slab move right and up to the shoulder ledge below the summit.  Place small gear in a floor crack for a belay.  If anything this pitch is more than 200’, not less, so if climbing with a 60m rope, the 2nd needs to be prepared to simul climb. 

3rd Pitch- 120’-5th/ Drop down in the alcove between the walls and climb the wide crack to the summit.  This pitch is twice as long as the guide reports.  Stem the whole way for the most part protecting with the large gear including the #7.  Gear belay near the top of the formation. 

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Walk off the east side.  Walk to the north end of the formation and start descending ledges to the east.  Don’t descend all the way to the ground.  Rather traverse ledges back south when feasible.  This route is slightly cairned.  There is bushwhacking involved.  Circumvent back west to the base of the route via scrambling and bushwhacking. 

Essential Gear

Single from #.2 to #7.  Doubles #3 and #4.  The doubles are used on the first pitch.  The #7 is used for the last two pitches.  The #6 is well used on all three pitches.  60m rope.  Wall is true south facing but the corner does shade itself well in the morning and the wide crack offers old school AC.  Recommend pants for the squeeze and the bushwhacking through thorny bushes.  Biking in saves quite a bit of time on an easy and commonly biked road.