Begin just left of '

The Gutter

' bouldering traverse. Ascend the red slab and belay underneath the massive roof. Pick a line through the enormous, imposing overhang, aiming for the wide crack with a big wobbly chockstone. Struggle through the crack to emerge on the slab above. 3 more easy pitches to the top. Guaranteed adventure.

Southeast Overhang

The Gutter High

Overlooked Overhang

South Sneak

East Overhang

Direct SE Arete

West Face [2nd Flatiron]

Free for All

Koyannislotsqi

South Face

The Yarbles

Dodge Block Variation (Tunnel Route)

The Gutter

Freezeway

North Crack

Freeway

The Compound

I Bleed

South East Arete/Second

Storm Drain

Dodge Block

This is a great classic route. Its first ascent was done solo by Layton Kor and is fairly typical Kor material (read burly).

Hike to the base of the Second Flatiron, and then scramble Southwest (up and left) for some 200 yards. Eventually the huge overhang will come into view as well a slab underneath it.

P1. Climb the slab, staying close to its South side, to a point just below and left of the overhang and some large flakes. This is easy slab climbing for some 140 feet.

P2. Climb up and traverse right towards the flakes. These flakes are described as "spooky looking" by Roach, and trust me, they are. Good pro is lacking for the traverse, but great pro is available to the right of the flake. A pin protects the crux and can be backed up with a great stopper just above it. Crank onto the very exposed flake, and belay some 20 feet above.

P3. Climb up to the South of the overhang, and run the rope up a 5.2, smooth ramp, traversing right eventually to get onto the ridge.

P4. Run up another easy pitch to the top of the South Block.

Descent: scramble North around a large pinnacle to the notch between the pinnacle and the summit block. From there, downclimb West to hiking territory.

Per

Ben Hoste

: a very enjoyable, optional pitch that adds to this climb has you traverse through the gully to the Pullman Block and then climbing up the side and onto the face of the Pullman Block to the summit of the Second Flatiron.

This is the upper line on the gutter traverse. It's easier, less direct, and slightly headier than the V7 traverse.

The route description per Erik N's comments:

1st third - stay high, using mostly holds on the vertical face all the way to the gap. You might use a hold or two at the upper lip as well.

2nd third - from the gap, the height of the wall from the lower lip to the upper lip increases to about ten feet tall. Continue up and leftward near the lip for about ten feet. At about the middle of the height of the wall, leave the lip, and span leftward four feet to a good hold. This is the crux. This is also the most exposed move of the route, as most people cannot smoothly step back onto the slab from here. Continue on pockets and slopers to the second gap.

The final third - about ten feet above the second gap the rock bulges southward. Use this bulge for your feet, and grab holds near the lip. Continue to the tree, and finish with a mantel.

Look for the large, white guano patch at the top of a right-facing dihedral on the right side of the large slab that forms the left side of the Second Flatiron. Scramble up to a ledge with trees about 100 feet below the patch.

Pitch 1: from the ledge, climb slabs to the base of the overhang, which can be passed in two crux stages with good gear. Belay on the slab at a good stance just over the lip of the overhang (5.8).

Pitch 2-3: wander up over surprisingly thin, unprotected slabs toward the summit. Two pitches are needed to reach the summit (5.5).

This route "sneaks" around the large overhang on the South Block (the southern and lower summit of the Second Flatiron).  Approach this route by following the trail to the Second Flatiron, then continue up along the left (south) side of the second Flatiron for several hundred yards (past the start of Dodge Block).

Roach calls this route 5.0, but I soloed it immediately after Dodge Block and it felt significantly harder.  You have to do careful route finding on this route; perhaps I did not go the easiest way.  This route is not in Rossiter's guide.

Start up a big slab which is at the left side of the big overhang, about 150' up.  Climb up to the base of the left side of the overhang and belay.  Next comes the sneaky crux where you want to bypass the overhang to the left.  Climb up a smooth trough around the overhang, eventually passing (or belaying at) two bolts.  This is not the slot immediately left of the overhang (harder than 5.2), but lies 10+' left of this.  This section feels exposed because it is smooth and the wall steepens below you to the west.

Continue scrambling up an easy slab just right of a huge pine tree.  At this point you can easily scramble off to the west.  To continue to the summit, you must diagonal up and right at some point to join the south ridge.  Exactly the easiest place to do this is not obvious.  Once on the South Ridge, romp up easily to the summit, passing right over a cool arch (this arch is visible from Chataqua if you know where to look).

Scramble easily off the summit of the South Block by heading north and then west, or you can continue to the main summit (Pullman Car) at 5.6.

Approach:

Come towards the Pullman car from below via any route such as Freeway. From either directly below the car or from the North, climb up and under a overhanging crack system on the lowest section of the east side. There are two cracks here, about 8' apart. The leftmost of these is the climb you seek. It can be identified by an old fixed pin in the bottom of it. There is a comfortable belay from gear at a good stance (need a long cordalette to be comfy sitting) perhaps 15 feet below the crack system. The crack to the right is rounded and looks difficult to protect... (it goes 5.12, R).

Crux pitch:

Climb from this up the crack, clipping the single good pin, then pacing a few cams and nuts.  The crack increases in difficulty with each move upwards, culminating in a crux as you pull onto the slab up above after 25' of this crack (perhaps 50 feet in all from the belay). This crux has been traditionally rated 5.10d or 5.10+, but felt harder than most 5.10's I have done in the Flatirons. If not recently climbed, some dirt and lichen might make this feel like 5.11a, but only for a short crux section of hard climbing. Bigger hands might make this easier, and a full brushing can't hurt.  If you do it, be sure to leave it clean!

You will have to stop and belay at some point... so either belay just above the overhang on a nest of so-so cams and/or tricams. It will help you help your partner ratchet and hang-dog up the crux...  Or you can run up about perhaps 40 additional feet to belay from nuts at the bottom of a well-protected finger crack.  This is perhaps 15' left of the north edge of the East-facing slab of the Pullman Car.

Finish:

Finish by climbing a long pitch up the 5.3 slab to the top.

Belay from the bowl up top.  To descend, downclimb to the West then South or to the Northwest.

This route starts from the low point of rock, South of

The Gutter

and the BIG, old growth, pine tree.  Follow a smooth arete straight up to an overhang with an incipient finger crack. This involves runout 5.7 slab and some 5.8 moves through the headwall on good finger locks.  Getting started on the steeper rock of the headwall is probably the crux of the climb but is well-protected by a cam in a horizontal crack.  The route crosses SE Arete Second at the base of the headwall and an old ring angle can be seen to the left. Belay above the headwall with a 70 meter rope. Once above the headwall, angle up right past a white bird guano stain and follow the path of least resistance to the summit with one additional belay. Along the way there is an arch that you can climb across for a little novelty.

This is the standard downclimb for any 2nd flatiron routes that lead to the summit.  Although short and easy, its faily exposed and a fun solo route. Head up the wide crack with good holds on the left.  At the top traverse left 'till you get to the little overhang blocking passage to the summit. Get your feet as high on the ledge as possible and reach up to good holds and on to the summit. The last moves have excellent exposure, similar to Yodeling Moves.

This is the standard east face route to the summit of the 2nd Flatiron.

Begin as for Freeway.  When the Pullman Car is obvious above and to your left, drop down left into the gully.  Climb the water polished gully via stair step holds for a bit, then head left to the obvious tree below the Pullman Car.

From the tree, head up a brief chimney-like crack to a steep face.  This face is the first crux of the route, and is passed via a couple moves of 5.6.  After this obstacle, you will be directly below the overhanging east face of the Pullman Car.  The obvious crack above you is apparently 10+.  Avoid these difficulties by heading left around the bottom of the car and work into the big gully.  About 40 feet up the gully there is an obvious crack line through the south face fo the Pullman Car.  This is the second crux of the route, and is also 5.6.  Climb this, then head up the slab to the summit.

For the descent, carefully downclimb the exposed 5.0+ West Face.  This can be tricky to onsight on the way down.  Consider sending the less experienced climber down first on TR, placing pro to protect the second climber.

Koyannislotsqi, or "Slot out of Balance," is destined for mega-classic status, given both the awe-inspiring length of the problem (25 feet) and the super-kind half hour uphill approach. Take a number, cuz' this is as good as it gets :)

OK. If you're up at the Compound and you want something else to do, or you want to traverse left to right for a change, this is an option. It climbs to the very tip of the fin at the top of the Compound Rib, and is commonly jumped off as part of the standard East Face route.

Start low and left, sitting on the slab with your hands in some good buckets.  Reel right on big incut ears, pimp across the sloping lip then bearhug and slap your way out the jutting fin.  Tres, tres classique!

This climbs the south face of the Pullman Car (and not the whole Second Flatiron) and is about 70 feet long, if being charitable. Begin on the south side of the Pullman Car, directly below the summit of the Second Flatiron.

Scramble directly up towards the large tree growing right below a slanting ledge that's large enough to fit an entire family on. There's a roof broken up by a single, large crack running into the formation - about halfway up the route. Overcome the gap made by the ledge with a committing move (crux).

Above is fun scrambling to the summit.

Note:

there is another route on the south face of the Pullman Car called South Side in Roach's guide, located a further 100 feet east of this route. South Side can

also

be found next to a tree and near a crack. The tree on Southside is at the base, and the crack runs more or less vertically up most of the face.

Many other south-facing routes exist on the Second Flatiron, but you'll find them technically on the South Block.

This long traverse is a Flatirons anomaly in that it moves left to right instead of vice versa.  It can be found in the large east-west running gully which splits the left (south) side of the 2nd Flatiron.

Your best approach is as follows:  Take the 2nd and 3rd Flatiron approach trail to the fork at the lower Satellite boulders where the 2nd Flatiron trail heads right and leads directly to the base of the 2nd Flatiron. You can either scramble about 150-200 feet up this face (5.0) then cut left or go left into the gully beside the Flatiron and cut back right past an enormous capstone boulder to access the Yarbles.

The Yarbles traverse is on the north-facing wall above the steep, brushy landing (many ferns) on the south side of the gully.  Begin in good huecos and cruise right another 70 feet, passing numerous crux sections en route to a pumpy finish (I stayed low but with a spotter you could go high onto pebbles).

This novelty variation makes the otherwise forgetable Dodge Block route worth repeating with a short bit of cool tunneling beneath a mini arch.  The arch is visible from

Freeway

and from pitch two of Dodge Block (also pictured on page 46 of the Fixed Pin guidebook).

Follow the Dodge Block route for two 60m pitches to the tree even with the foot of the Pullman Car.  Rather than bailing out right towards

Freeway

, continue straight up to the apex of the groove.  Pass a pair of fixed pins, then stem up the 8'-high wall with good jugs and pockets to a tenuous move at the lip (5.6) to gain the easy slab above.  Cruise the slab with minimal pro to the obvious arch.  Tunnel under the arch (good gear in the tunnel) which is more difficult than you might expect.  Climb over an easy step on the top end of the arch, and cruise 4th class terrain to reach the First Flatiron Trail.

This is easily done in three pitches with a 60m rope.

The Gutter is a fine alternative to the Ghetto during the seasonal raptor closure which runs from February 1 through July 31 each year. While not as big or inspiring a bouldering slot, it's a handy place to get a pump and can be combined with the Satellite Boulders, the Yarbles, or the Compound to yield a nice circuit. The Gutter sits directly below and east of the large overhang on the very left (south) side of the Second Flatiron. Approach via the Third Flatiron trail, but once at the Satellite Boulders (BBC in particular), cut right into the trees and follow the gully up to the base of the Second Flatiron. The Gutter will be on your right. It is a dark, left-diagonalling slot (what else?) with tons of chalk on the lip holds. The approach time  is 20-25 minutes. The traverse can be done many different ways - the easiest being to stay more or less on the lip; the hardest being to say more or less as low as possible through the beginning and middle. You'll encounter some very cool holds along this 90 feet of climbing: huecos, iron-rock flakes, tiny pockets, and the ubiquituous Flatirons crimpers. The Gutter is good in the afternoons during the hotter months but perfectly viable mid-day during the winter due to its slightly southerly exposure and rock slab landing, which is quick to melt out after a snowstorm.

Beta for the V7 version per Eric N's comments:1st third / V7 and V8: two thin cracks split the edge of the lower lip at about 10 and 15 feet from the starting hold. Option 1: at the second crack, move left into the cave. Climb good crimps and a sloping rail inside the cave all the way to the gap. Option 2: move left at the first crack to add a couple of V5 moves before joining Option 1. This version is harder but not as obvious. It does not increase the overall grade. 2nd third//V7: follow the lip as for the V4, but move left a few feet lower. Use a crimpy rail, a crimpy ear, and a crimpy V before rejoining the V4 on better holds.

V8: climb under the V7, avoiding the crimpy rail, ear and V and utilizing several small crimps, holds inside the cave, and a well-polished sloper that serves as the foothold for the V4 crux. From the sloper (under the crimpy V and ear of the V7), climb or dyno into the cave, and continue to the gap on the huecos. This path often does not have chalk.

Final third//V7 and V8: stay low, and use the crimps on the bulge for your hands or heelhooks. Reach the large hueco, and try to fit your body inside. Option 1: pulling out of the large hueco, use holds below the lip for another ten feet or so, then surf the lip to the end and mantel. This is slightly easier but more sensible than option 2. Option 2: stay low all the way to the tree. There are holds. The crux will be avoiding the dab, since your butt will be about two inches off the ground.

This route grants access to the top of the 2nd Flatiron from the north side of the Pullman Car. It is part of the most direct way to the top of the 2nd Flatiron from the base of the east face under 5.9 with surprisingly good rock quality, and it is lichen free.

As far as I know, this route was unclimbed until 2014, most likely being overlooked due to its inconspicuousness and there being no safe way to lead it.

Start with right hand under cling/sidepull in the 45 degree slightly exposed flake. Either get your left foot high on a sloper or gain a high good crimp hidden in a ledge with your left hand. Then grab the not-quite-a-jug horn, move left, and gain a tiny ledge with your left hand allowing you to balance and bring your left foot way over. This feels exposed, and you're now doing the splits. From here if you are tall, you can reach an awesome jug pocket on the top the Pullman Car, but it is hidden, you will have to feel around for it and reach really far. If you can't find it or aren't tall enough, this move may be a little harder, but it is certainly still possible. From here, it is about 150 feet of easy climbing to the summit.

Overall, the route isn't difficult if you know the beta, but I would recommend practicing it on top rope first if you have any doubts (rappel or downclimb from the true summit, and build anchor at top of the route), a fall could result in a >40 foot free fall onto the 45 degree Flatiron. Many holds are reachy and hidden.

To find the route:

The meat of this route lies in an obvious left-leaning, bulging crack and flake system about 70' up from the bottom of the North-facing side of the Pullman Car. You may see one of the 6-8 fixed pins that are in this section from below.

Approach the Pullman Car from below via any route such as

Freeway

. From as low as 100' below the Pullman Car, you can either climb directly up to the car and just right of it, or go right substantially below it, climb up to the right and go up maybe 50' up the slab somewhat below it to a belay.

There is a comfortable belay with a single good pin (and some potential for gear) on the right of the car in a rising crack out of the gully towards the route. This will be hard to find in the non-descript sea of rock around you. I am including the detail so that you know it is there. I suspect that this was the original route, as it has a pin of similar vintage to that which is on the crack itself.

Arrange a belay within sight of the North Cracks of the Pullman Car. Lead up to the crack, place a piece or two, and launch upward. The rock here is questionable in a few places. The grade and nature of the climb are old-school. Although the gear is reasonable and safe (pretty good, PLUS 6 or more fixed pins), the route might scare and massively pump aspiring 5.9 leaders. It is best to be solid at the grade on this one. Clip pin after pin, and place gear as you like while climbing the overhanging system, which is steeper and harder than it looks from below (looks 5.7-ish). Pull onto the slab up above after 30' of this crack (perhaps 70 feet in all from the belay). You can run up about 20 additional feet to a fun, easy, interesting, and well-protected finger crack, perhaps 15' left of the north edge of the East-facing slab of the Pullman Car. Even on a 70m rope, you will have to stop and belay at some point, or simul climb... so belay here on good stoppers. This will also help to avoid thrashing your rope. For the second pitch, keep running for the top, belaying up in the "bowl" up top.

To descend, downclimb to the West then South or to the Northwest.

This route was one of the first that I did in the Flatirons. It was the first that I did unroped. I've climbed it more than any other route in the Flatirons. It used to hardly ever see traffic...no longer, you step off a trail onto the route, you step off the top of the route onto another trail, and the climbing is easy and sometimes unique. For all of these reasons, this route is one of my favorites in the Flatirons. Difficulty snobs will want to stay away.

This formation has become quite popular, and you should expect to share the route with others.

The approach to the 2nd is described on its Rock page. At the bottom of the 2nd, step off the trail and onto the rock. The first crux is negotiating a slight bulge with a crack. From there, the easiest way trends right a bit, then back left aiming for the gully. Follow the holds.... Step right onto the rib, and head for an obvious tree. Keep heading up and slightly right over easier rock. The obvious Pullman Car will be looming above you to the left. Soon, you will be on a small summit, with a notch between you and the rest of the route. Jump! It's not as hard as it looks.

Continue trending up and right. You will intersect the north edge of the 2nd. The route finding crux of the route is here where you need to find the spot to step around onto to the north to reach the final slab up to the top of the route. Negotiate the final slab, and step off onto the trail between the 1st and 2nd Flatirons.

The Compound is the longest traverse in the Boulder area, clocking in at around 145 feet with potential to be extended to 200 feet for those willing to low-ball a bit. It sits in a spectacular spot high on the east face of the Second Flatiron and catches plenty of sun, making it a nice hang on cooler days and an all-around fun place to get away from it all.

The approach involves a fair bit of scrambling. The safest approach is from the Gutter, which sits at the bottom left (southeast) end of the Second under the huge roof. Scramble up and north from the Gutter and drop over a notch into the big gully. Cross the gully on a climber's trail and scramble up a ramp to reach the base of the wall. The Compound is actually the overhanging backside of the 3rd class rib for the standard East Face route, and can be approached via that route as well (5.0 solo). It sits directly under the Boxcar or Pullman Car, the large, colorful overhang on the right (north) side of the Second's upper reaches.

Begin low and right in a sit-start in a little pit filled with raspberry bushes. Continue left along the colorful wall, staying off the jugs up and over the lip. The last 50 feet of the traverse, where it overhangs radically, are the crux.

I've heard this called V7 on the bouldering scale and 13a on the route scale.

There's a place

In the buried west

In a cave

With a house in it

In the clay

The holes of hands

You can place

A hand in hand

I bleed

I bleed

I bleed.

Flatiron Adventure Climbing!

If you liked Tangen Tunnel, but want something with a little more teeth, this route is for you. Several variations exist, as this route is somewhat contrived, but the best line seems to be -

When in doubt:

GO DEEPER

.

P1:

start on a boulder right of a large tree that guards the entrance to a natural arch. Climb up towards a chimney on good holds. Once off the boulder and on the route, the exposure will hit right right away, as the rock is overhanging. Gain the entranceway of the deep, vertical chimney. This may be a tight squeeze to have a pack on. Climb the chimney, traverse out climber's right/east (crux, 5.6) on good holds. Keep just to climber's right of the chimney, in a cleft.

P2:

(5.6) oOnce above the initial chimney, dive deep into another chimney system that's further back into the wall. You will descend slightly here into a cave with a flat-enough/large-enough area to set a righteous bivy in. Climb up the chimney, which starts vertical, then hems and haws a bit in a playful way.

The chimney will have a roof above made up of a large chockstone. For the full experience, dive

deeper

into the rock and find a man-hole sized opening streaming in light from above. Stem your way up to the top of the opening (crux). Easier escape can be made by scrambling up on the other side of the roof/chockstone.

P3:

at the manhole-sized opening, scramble down the gully below the massive overhang of the South Block on broken terrain to its end - the gully cliffs out. Your objective is to climb over the wall to the north (crux, 5.3). Traverse up and over into a incredible, narrow ribbon of slab that will take you NW to the top of the South Block (5.easy). The terrain will be similar to the South Sneak - footholds seemed chiseled into the rock, and the scrambling here is delightful. Exit slightly before the end of this literal ladder to the top; scramble to the top of South Block.

BONUS

: cross the gully between the South Block and the Pullman Car, and climb up

South Face

(5.6) to finish up on the summit of the Second Flatiron.

Freeway

is known as a beginner's route with an easy walk-off bailout to the north, but this isn't actually the case for the second half of the route where the ridge of the Flatiron overhangs quite prominently over the gully below (the first half can be a little devious as well, and often dirty with lichen).

There is one exception, and that's what this route is. Climb up (or down, really) a small overhang to gain/escape

Freeway

. Why would you want to do this? Dunno! The climbing above on

Freeway

would be several grades easier, so you should probably just keep going, but if you need to escape for some reason, here it is.

Yet another fine easy route on the Second Flatiron...

From the lowpoint of the the Second Flatiron (where the trail touches the base) head up through the trees to the south for a couple hundred feet.  If the huge roof of the South Block is above you, you've gone just a little too far.  Start on a rib/slab just below and to the right of the huge roof.  This rib will have a 10 foot step visible about a ropelength up.

Climb the south edge of the rib up to the step.  Climb through the steep step via the easiest looking path.  Soon you will be on a small summit.  Step down to the west.  The South Block will be looming above you to the south.  Just to the north of the block is a water polished gully.  Just to the right of the gully is a narrow rib.  Climb the rib for a couple ropelengths until you can work over to the obvious tree below the steep east face of the Pullman Car.

Now it's time to dodge the block.  From the level of the tree, head right into gully, and engage the south facing wall.  It looks steep, but if the easiest way is found it isn't difficult.  From the top of this wall, continue up the slab to the same walkoff for the Freeway route.

Description

Protection

Routes in Second Flatiron