The Second Flatiron (5.6)
Boulder, Colorado
 8 October 2007
Pictures * Climb Report

Pictures

Click a picture to see a larger view.

Climbing Report

After making a serious investment in cams, Rich and I were eager to give them a try on a moderate route that would allow us to practice protection placement.  We decided to practice on Freeway, a Class 4/5.0 route on Boulder's 2nd Flatiron.  I climbed Freeway in 2005 with Larry Jones.  Rich and I ended up taking a non-standard route to the summit of the 2nd Flatiron, learning some good lessons in the process, and having a great time on a beautiful day.

We left Colorado Springs at 6:30 am and made good time on the Columbus Day holiday to Chautauqua Park at the base of the northern Flatirons.  After some gear sorting we hiked up to the base of the 2nd Flatiron and got started on Freeway a little before 9am.

I led the first pitch.  The gear placement opportunities were a bit sparse along this pitch, but it was easy enough that spreading out the protection wasn't a problem.  I climbed just a bit beyond 60 meters to a tree which anchored our first belay station.  Rich had to climb up a bit to make this work.  Rich took the next lead and again climbed nearly 60 meters.  This pitch offered better opportunities for cam placement practice.  At our second belay station, we decided to make things more interesting by traversing left to the 5.6 Free for All route to the summit of the 2nd Flatiron.  We traversed south about 20 yards and then I scrambled up a small gully before setting some protection and climbing to the base of the northeast corner of the 2nd Flatiron's large "Pullman Car" summit block.  I belayed Rich toward my position and then across some steep slabs to a large pine tree which I think is on the Free for All route. 

Rich led the next pitch up and around the base of the southeast corner of the Pullman Car.  This pitch required a 5.6 move around a corner on a steep slab, but offered good placement options to protect.  From the corner Rich climbed up a water-polished gully and made the best of less than idea belay spot on the right side of the gully.  As he was almost 60 meters from my position and around a corner, the rope drag along this pitch was horrendous.  Hmmm.  Maybe we don't have to climb a full rope's length each pitch.  Maybe we should buy some more slings.  I had fun following Rich up this pitch.  Before reaching Rich, I climbed to the left side of this gully.  Between Rich and me there was a large patch of poison ivy.  On Rich's belay I scrambled up a two tough but short sections and then belayed Rich up to my position near the saddle south of the Pullman Car block.  Rich's only slip of the day was at the start of this pitch in the middle of the poison ivy!

With Rich belaying me from a large tree, I headed up what appeared to be an obvious and relatively easy route toward the summit.  In doing so I missed the second crux of Free for All that leads up the Pullman Car's south face to its upper face.  Instead, I climbed an ascending traverse east to west along the Pullman Car's south face.  Initially I didn't place much protection.  But as I got higher, the route got tougher (probably 5.6 in places)  and much more exposed.  Fortunately I was able to set good protection along the way.  When I came to some large blocks on the southwest corner of the Pullman Car, I used two cams and two nuts to anchor myself.  By talking with some people on nearby summits I learned that I was not far below the summit of the 2nd Flatiron.  I belayed Rich up to my position and we discussed our options.  My biggest concern was that I didn't know how we were going to get down from the summit.  Hmmm.  Maybe we should have carried a route description for this route.

From this position Rich scrambled up about 20 feet to reach the summit of the 2nd Flatiron.  After talking with another person below me, I learned that our way to the ground was a scramble down the west side from my position.  I then scrambled up to join Rich on the summit.  What a spectacular view under a cloudless blue sky!  We had a great view of climbers finishing up on the awesome 3rd Flatiron to our south.  After snapping a few pictures and finding no rappel bolts, we downclimbed to my pervious belay position.  From there Rich belayed me while I downclimbed about 20 feet of steep and exposed rock to safety.  Rich followed me down with little security from my belay from below.  We had been climbing for nearly 5 and a half hours.  Despite a slow and painful hike back down (which was a bit rough on one pair of rock shoes :-), we learned some good lessons, developed lots of confidence in using cams, and had a fantastic time climbing on a perfect Colorado day.