Envisioned by Phil Gruber, this route takes you on an enjoyable journey up the middle of the steep north face. It links three existing routes and climbs a good bit of fun new terrain, without the addition of fixed protection. The climbing is steep and exposed, but the crux moves are reasonably protected. All pitches have fixed anchors, which were updated as a part of establishing this route (in accordance with OSMP permit requirements).

P1: From the ramp on the right, climb to the third bolt on

Sea of Joy

and clip a long sling. Head right on moderate black rock past micro-wires and then up flakes to a reachy move up and right. Pass a small dihedral and get established below the overlap. Head up and right over the roof and continue to join

Archaeopteryx

for the final moves to the anchor on the ledge below the overhanging dihedral. This pitch is fun and is equipped to make it easy to climb on its own, 5.10+ PG-13.

P2: Move up and right off of the anchors; then make an awkward move to get established in the undercling. Climb the wild crack left through the roof on tenuous feet.  Step left to the anchor at an exposed stance on a block. This is the second pitch of

Archaeopteryx

(and is stiff for the grade), 5.11b PG-13.

P3: Step right from the anchor, and follow the steep, blocky dike up and right on positive holds. Move right around the bulge, past an obvious #3 placement, and clip the bolt long. Make a couple of moves on devious holds, and follow the last few bolts on

The Perfect Storm

to the anchor, 5.12- PG-13.

Descent: From the top of pitch three straight to the ground is 60 meters- double rope rappel.  It is also possible to top out and descend via the standard rappel from the summit of Seal Rock.  (Hint: you can descend

Sea of Joy

with one 70m and

The Hinge

/

The Stoop

with one 60m rope.)

Storm Bird

The Flute

Sea Bird

East Face South Side

Love Wins

I Am The Walrus

Primate

Sea of Joy

Nattiq

Jade Gate

Archaeopteryx

Choose Muscle

Thunder Muscle

No Philter

The Yellow Door

The Perfect Storm

The Hinge

East Face North Side/Seal Rock

The Gruffalo

Super Tuscan

The Stoop

Supercell

Choose Life

Pit of Despair (pitch 1)

Shortcut (East Face)

Southwest Face

Misbehaven

This three pitch route ascends the very steep, very visible north face of Seal Rock, tackling a brilliant yellow-lichen streaked headwall on the last pitch.  It is one route right of the more easily-located Sea of Joy (13a), a three-pitch sport route about 20-30 feet left that parallels Archaeopteryx to the right.

P1: Start below the bolts on Sea of Joy and traverse right along a dirty ramp, passing two small trees.  When opportunity presents itself, move up onto the face above, climbing slightly left of a left-arching corner system to reach a two-bolt belay below the roof band which splits the face.  This is a very serious 5.10 pitch, sure to challenge your route-finding skills.

P2:  Move right off the belay then back left into the clean tips layaway, which you follow left and into the apex of an A-frame roof.  Turn the roof at a fixed copperhead and belay off the double drilled angles above, which can be backed up in the purple rock out right (an extra #3 Camalot comes in handy here). (5.11b)

P3:  The crux.  Crank thin moves left off the belay (no pro) and stand up to a good hole.  The pitch diagonals consistently up and right from here along the pod system/crack, which takes sporadic gear.  The climbing and position on this pitch are absolutely brilliant!  (5.11c/d)

This is a a bolted route on the south face of Seal Rock -- it's the second route you come to along the South Face. You'll find eight bolts to a double-bolt anchor at the lip.

This route is about 100 feet up the south face as you head west along the gully.  It climbs the green wall in the heavily forested area and is about 60 feet tall. Look for an obvious, ribbed, flute-like feature up near the top, where you find an elegant crux.

This was originally (2002) done as a toproped, rehearsed "trad" lead (headpoint-style) but is now (2015) a safe and logical and excellent 9-bolt sport climb.

This route makes for a fun, exciting, and continuous outing in terms of grade and style and is a great way to experience this amazing wall without the X rating of

Archeopteryx

or the 5.13 climbing of other routes on the wall. Sea Bird climbs most of

Sea of Joy

but finishes on

Archeopteryx

by traversing across the dike on the Yellow Door (Original Variation).

P1. 5.11- (5.10 PG-13). Climb P1 of

Sea of Joy

protecting with 9 bolts augmented by a few small cams. I started from the left-facing, overlapping corners to the left of the first bolt and was able to place a couple of cams to avoid groundfall potential.

P2. 5.11+. Clip 5 bolts climbing out and over the roof. This is short, fun, and airy.

P3. 5.12 (5.10 PG-24). Clip 6 bolts up

Sea of Joy

, then move right along the dike clipping two additional bolts on

The Yellow Door

(Original Variation). From the last bolt, drop down and right onto the final slap and corner of

Archeopteryx

placing gear and finishing at a two bolt belay on the wall just to the left of the exit of

Archeopteryx

. See

The Yellow Door

route description for gear details on this section of the route.

All bolts are new ½” stainless steel, and all belays are solid two bolt (albeit hanging) belays. But don't be fooled by all the bolts... this is not a sport climb. The crux sections are well-protected, but be prepared to place gear and to climb through spaces between bolts and gear.

Spoiler alert! The order of gear placements at the end of the third pitch is: #1 Camalot (I backed up with a #0.5 Camalot and used an extended sling), #3 Camalot, #0.5 Camalot, yellow Alien, and green Alien (might also be able to fiddle a smaller cam between yellow and green).

Another amazing route on my new favorite Flatiron.

Begin just around to the right from the steep south face of Seal Rock.  A small flatironette called the Pup leans up against Seal Rock here, and they are separated by a wide crack.  Climb this crack for 30 feet or so, then cut left and head up the East Face, aiming for an obvious tree.  This pitch is the crux of the route.  There is a mossy shallow water trough below the tree - I climbed to the right of it.

From the tree, cut hard to the left (but still go up) on much easier terrain.  After another rope length you will find a large chickehead that will make a great anchor.  This isn't the mother of all chickenheads, but it's certainly your favorite chickenhead's big brother.  From here, head up a few more rope lengths, picking back and forth as necessary to find the easiest way.  Eventually you will be trending back to the right, and the summit is not much further.

Love Wins begins with the first pitch of

The Perfect Storm

(10a). From the belay ledge, ascend the beautiful, yellow streaks of lichen before veering left on steepening rock to a dramatic, overhanging prow. It finishes at the lip of the wall, just below the summit of Seal Rock.

P1: locate the first bolt about 15 feet up the gray slab. Pad up low-angled face climbing to a slanted belay ledge with a chain anchor, 5.10a, 75 feet (10 bolts).

P2: step right from the belay, and face a technical sequence right away. Above, follow your nose past yellow, orange, red, and green rock with outrageous exposure near the top. There is more than one "right way" to navigate the wall, so enjoy the journey however you choose, 5.13a, 110 feet (~20 bolts).

*A 70-meter rope is mandatory for lowering.

"I am the Walrus" is a 150 foot beast of a pitch that is one of the most difficult, and longest sport routes in the Flatirons. Originally bolted by Jonathan Siegrist in 2012, the route sat uncleaned and unclimbed for a few years while JStar was crushing in Europe. Impatient locals who had sent the other Seal Routes began pestering Siegrist about the project, and Jonathan graciously gave permission to his friend Elliott Bates to clean, work, and even re-bolt the line if needed.

Ultimately Bates felt the route would climb more naturally between two long tufa features and moved 8 bolts about 6 feet right of the original line, after receiving the necessary permit from Boulder OSMP.

Siegrist returned from Europe in June of 2015, and Bates showed him the new line, having cleaned and sussed the route. 3 tries later, Jstar made the 1st ascent of I am the Walrus and claimed 14b. After many kneebars were discovered, the grade has settled closer to 14a.

The route begins with about 7 bolts of tech 5.12, leading to 50 feet of technical, powerful, and truly incredible climbing between the tufa features (the Walrus tusks), with two distinct cruxes in this section: the 1st one beginning nearly 80 feet up, the second at almost 100 feet. After a good rest, climb 3 bolts of left-trending and slightly runout 12-, before tackling the most difficult moves of the route, a V9 boulder problem between the last bolt and the anchors.

"The Walrus" has 14 bolts and many cruxes that are both technical and powerful. Dynamic movement, subtle trickery, kneebars, some choss but mostly great stone...this route has it all!

NEW DESCRIPTION:

Primate is a bolted lead on the south face of Seal Rock. It was originally done as a gear lead, headpoint-style, with the gear pre-placed. This was in the era when bolting was banned in the Flatirons, so it was either toprope or headpoint or move on. Thanks to the Flatirons Climbing Council, OSMP, and the hard work and lobbying by Flatirons climbers, Seal Rock's south face opened to bolting in 2012. This route was applied for and approved through the Fixed Hardware Review Committee of the FCC and has since had bolts added to it to make it a more approachable lead.

11 bolts, no gear required.

First section (5.12a/b): climb up to a high first bolt and move into a faint corner. Move right into huecos and stand tall to place a couple of TCUs at the base of a diagonal slot. Keep traversing up and left a few moves to find a good foot stance and clip a bolt; continue strenuously up and left past one more bolt to reach a couple of undercling cracks at a break midway up the wall. If you wish, a #2 and #3 Camalot go well here in the right break, and you can even place a #4 in the left break if you don't mind carrying it. Use long draws as needed.

Second section (5.13-): Bust out of the undercling to a mini-jug and clip. Climb straight up the black streak on slopers and blobs to pass another bolt (crux). Run it out a bit up and left, clip a bolt off a good undercling, and move into the "pebble crux.” Climb the water groove to the anchors

NOTE: you can also start on

Choose Life

/

Thunder Muscle

and move up and right into the undercling break from the third bolt; this is an easier, less committing link-up start, but it also misses about 45 feet of killer climbing on very unique rock and is not the original line, so... This is called "Puntmate" (Boulder 5.12d), so no fluffing the grade on your scorecard, hommies.

ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:

This route takes a direct line up the overhanging south face of Seal Rock, ending in a deep water groove which continues up the slab to the rock's summit. It starts more or less halfway along the south face of Seal Rock and has a large, flat boulder at its start. The line can also be recognized by a deep break at mid-height and by the bulging black streak which gives way to the upper water groove.

Start 15 feet down and left of the right-facing corner and boulder up past a horn into a left-trending band of huecos and pockets. Follow this to the break (12a s). Load the break up with as much as you've got (1-5" cams) and punch it up the black streak via continuous climbing on perfect stone (5.13 s/vs). A tube chock below the upper crux held a short whipper on toprope, but if it failed would deposit you on the deck 70+ feet below.

This route was done headpoint style and the gear was pre-placed on toprope prior to the lead. It climbs some of the strangest, most colorful water-sculpted sandstone in the Flatirons, yielding moves more akin to limestone tufa climbing than your typical Fountain fare.

It is a 90-foot pitch.

P1 (5.11 with 5.10 PG-13/R): The rock on the entire slab up to the fifth or sixth bolt is covered with lichens, so it can be pretty exciting. The first several clips are in the 5.9 range, then it gets very tricky and thin at the light orange band with larger quartz sand grains after the lichen rock. This section starts getting into 5.11+ territory and continues into a red-brown section of fractured rock. This affords some jug holds, and though overhung, is a bit easier to climb than the thin face below. Mounting the ledge to the left to reach the anchor involves pulling on a poor sloper-jug on the left from a good handhold.

It is possible to place a finger sized cam between bolts 1 and 2.

P2 (5.11+): The second pitch is very wild and exposed, and the bolt spacing is adequate. Working up into the alcove above the belay, beware of loose rock and don't go too high before traversing out left. The moves working out left, out of the alcove and onto the steep face, were fun and wild and hard, maybe 11c.... I grabbed a jug and had to cut loose with both feet to get established onto the face..

P3 (5.13a) : This is an excellent! Weave up the beautiful rippled face to a vague twin crack feature which trends slightly right. Where this ends make crux moves back left to a bucket (big throw). A few more hard moves to stand in the bucket and it's all over.

Nattiq (Inuit word for ringed seal) is a two-pitch route on the north face of Seal Rock with a slab first pitch and a unique second pitch with a variety of climbing including some face climbing, a small overhang, and a prominent flake.

P1.

Start at a some low angle, broken rock by a tree, and look for the first bolt about 20 feet up. This is a moderate and engaging slab pitch with a distinct crux at the fourth bolt. This is an interesting pitch on its own and is recommended for those not wanting to do the second pitch. The bolt line follows the path of least resistance and some long draws/slings are recommended for bolts 1, 9, and 10 to minimize potential rope drag. Venturing too far from the bolts will result in a garden of lichen,

5.10a, 110 foot (33 meters) 12 bolts, 2-bolt anchor.

P2.

Climb up the rising block/ramp from the anchor to an obvious, thin flake, and clip two closely spaced bolts. The spacing of the bolts is to prevent decking into the ramp in case you blow the cryptic face climbing sequence. There are several ways of doing this section of face climbing ranging between low to mid-5.12 in difficulty. Next, move through the overhang which is surprisingly the easiest part of the pitch, using decent holds and some resting jugs. Use long draws on the fourth and fifth bolts (the last two underneath the roof) to prevent rope drag at the top. Reach over the roof, clip a perma-draw (in place to facilitate cleaning and getting lowered back to the anchor), and start a sustained sequence of moves to reach and climb through the flake to its top and another rest. The remaining part of the pitch is another challenging sequence of face moves. It might be useful to use a long draw on the second to last bolt to facilitate clipping, because falling at this point might require some advanced rope shenanigans to get back on route,

5.12 a/b, 60 foot (18 meters) 10 bolts, 2-bolt anchor.

Due to the diagonal nature of the line, there is no easy way to clean the second pitch, and it is recommended that the pitch be seconded and cleaned. In case the leader decides to back clean the route it is recommended to clip the climber's side of the rope to the perma-draw to prevent swinging into space and away from the first anchor. When working the route, it was best to clip to the perma-draw to get lowered to the anchor, untie, pull the rope through, and then tie back in and lead the pitch once more.

It is possible to lower the leader to the ground from the top (second pitch) anchors while belaying from the top of the first pitch with a 70 meter rope. The leader can also be lowered to the first pitch anchors of

Perfect Storm

, the route to the left.

Note: a single 70-meter rope is not sufficient to rappel to the ground from the top anchor. A second rappel from

The Perfect Storm's

intermediate anchor is required.

Thank you to OSMP and the Flatirons Climbing Council for this new route and continued support of new route development in the Flatirons.

Jade Gate is a 7-bolt 5.11 face climb to anchors on the lower (east) end of the long South Face of Seal Rock. It climbs huecos and horns to a distinct, pink-colored, ghost-shaped groove up high then exits past a big hueco/hole below the lip.

This makes for a great warm-up for the harder climbs on the wall and has excellent grey-green Flatirons stone. Many thanks to Mark Roth et al. for turning it into a high-quality sport pitch and to OSMP and the FCC for making such projects possible.

I made the original lead ground-up with no bolts after my friend Steve rappelled the line and brushed the holds up high, over the lip. I think I was on the route for 1 or 1.5 hours going up and down and up and down, trying to fish in gear. I remember being at that hueco for a long time, contemplating the marginally protected exit crux above. Hey, fun times!

OLD DESCRIPTION PRESERVED FOR POSTERITY:

This is the "warm-up" route on the South Face of Seal Rock.  It is towards the east end of the face behind the thick copse of pine trees and can be distinguished by its pink-colored, ghost-shaped groove up high. The pitch is about 60 feet long and finishes at a fixed sling on a loose horn over the lip of the slab.  Back this anchor up with cams.

Boulder up past good huecos and move left into a purple band to place some marginal gear.  Crank right into the left-angling crack (good gear here - a #3 Camalot).  Follow the crack up and left until it ends, then face climb up into the bottom of the pink groove.  A hole at the top of the groove provides your final gear before the exit bulge.

This pitch has potential for very serious falls in a few different spots.

Choose Muscle is a linkup of

Choose Life

and

Thunder Muscle

, climbing the first 8 bolts of

CL

before busting right into the toilet bowl hold of

TM

. Kind of silly with some funky rope shenanigans, it's worth doing if you've done the other Seal sport routes and want to mix it up. This gives you the hardest climbing on the wall with the crux of

Thunder Muscle

but with an easier intro by doing the beginning of

Choose Life

.... Don't judge. It's better than climbing in the gym!

Thunder Muscle is a new climb between

Primate

and

Choose Life

that ascends the spectacular tufa formations to the top of Seal Rock’s south face. The climb was first scoped by Chip Ruckgaber who worked with Colin Lantz and Chris Beh to put in anchors right before the ban (see more info from Chris Beh below). We moved those anchors to the left about 10' to minimize rope drag. The climbing is very continuous, bouldery, and overall super fun on some of the best rock in the Flatirons.

The start is the same as for

Choose Life

, clipping the first three bolts of the right-leaning overhang. The route then goes straight up into a series of powerful sequences on steep terrain to a heart shaped feature where you can get a quick shake. After "the heart", continue through more tricky and increasingly pumpy climbing on pinches, sidepulls and pebbles up to an awkward shelf. A final 12c section guards the chains.

The climb is named after the energy drink, "Thunder Muscle", featured on the Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.

As always, thanks so much to OSMP and the Flatirons Climbing Council for this new route and all the other new ones now in the Flatirons.

Please be mindful of the special and delicate setting, and stay on the trails!

This is a new route right of

...The Walrus

with 14 bolts to double-bolt anchors at the lip. A 70-meter rope is mandatory.

Stickclip a high first bolt, then climb pumpy ground up the steep purple rock to a faint corner and continuous crimping. Cop a rest at the big horn, bust a crux into the base of the flake, then rest again. From here, 5 bolts of very sustained climbing take you up the headwall to the chains. The technical and redpoint crux is passing the last bolt.

Double kneepads are helpful. Extendo draws are useful in spots for clipping and drag. Some footholds are still sandy but should clean up with traffic.

Many thanks to OSMP and the Flatirons Climbing Council for making new routing possible in the Flatirons!

Credit for the awesome route name goes to Madaleine Sorkin. Tx, Mad!

Note: the description and naming convention have been updated for clarity and simplicity and to align to how most people will want to climb the route.

The Yellow Door is a two pitch route that ascends the full length of the beautiful and imposing north face of Seal Rock, starting from the lower left corner and finishing at the top of the upper headwall. The route climbs across two natural features – a long, arching roof on the first pitch, and a yellow dike that splits the headwall on the second pitch.

The pitches are long and continuous, and the headwall feels steeper than it looks given that you climb with hands on the protruding dike and feet underneath.

P1: 5.12b/c, 120’. Start 20’ to the right of

Shortcut

(the notch to the north of the east face) and 80’ left of

Sea of Joy

. Climb a short, left-trending crack (place a #0.75 or #1 Camalot, or make a long stick clip to the first bolt) then gain a stance at the first bolt. Climb up and right to gain a long undercling flake, and traverse across the flake. Now the fun begins! Climb the line of bolts through continuous and technical terrain to the roof. At the roof, climb out the rail to the right, and then step left across the roof and reach far left to a hold on the face. Easier terrain leads up, trending left initially, and then back right to the anchor.

P2: 5.13b, 80'. Start up the V-slot to the right of the belay, then step right onto a ledge. Continue to the right side of the ledge, enter The Yellow Door, and climb through continuous and well-protected ground that eventually joins up with the 3rd pitch of

Sea of Joy

. Climb

Sea of Joy

following the line of bolts that goes straight up the black streak to the top of the wall. Note that Sea of Joy (and this route) climbs out the dike to the right a ways. However, instead of clipping the next bolt on the dike (as for Sea Bird), step up onto the dike and reach back to the left to clip the bolt at the crux of Sea of Joy.

P2 Variation (Yellow Door original): 13a/b (10+ PG-13), 100'. Climb the full length of the yellow dike all the way to the

Archaeopteryx

exit on the upper right corner of the wall. This is the way the route was originally conceived and climbed. It creates a long, intense and beautiful pitch but is quite involved due to the traversing and the mix of hard sport and exiting trad climbing. Rather than finishing up

Sea of Joy

, continue along the dike to the right, clipping 2 more bolts. After the final bolt, climb down and across to the slab and join

Archaeopteryx

. Climb up and out the exit slot on

Archaeopteryx

. See gear details on the description for Sea Bird.

Thanks to OSMP, the Flatiron Climbing Council, and the crew who took turns hiking up to Seal and helping me establish the route: Stephen, Kevin, Mike, Chip, Jon, Joe, and Lynn. Special thanks to Caroline Treadway who took the amazing photos from across Bear Canyon.

The Perfect Storm takes an attractive, direct line up the north face of Seal Rock with a spectacular finish just right of the summit prow.

P1. Locate the first bolt about 15 feet up the gray slab. Pad up low-angled face climbing to a slanted belay ledge with a chain anchor,

5.10a, 75 feet

(10 bolts).

P2. This is an exposed and colorful journey up the steepening wall to an anchor below the summit. Demanding moves off the belay and thin face climbing lead to a pillar where the wall overhangs. Follow bolts through a steep, orange corner, then continue right of the arete on surprising holds to chains at the lip of the wall,

5.13a, 115 feet

(21 bolts).

**BONUS POINTS: mantel the lip, and walk 20 feet to the true summit of Seal Rock :)

**A 70-meter rope BARELY gets you back to the belay.

Otherwise, you will have to lower twice.

The Hinge is a short pitch that packs a punch and offers a less involved and slightly easier finish to

The Yellow Door

(although not quite as classic). Bring your stiff shoes and your stiff fingers..., and try not to come unhinged!

Climb the first pitch of

The Yellow Door (aka The Stoop)

. From the belay, clip a bolt to the right, and stand on the ledge as per

The Yellow Door...

, but instead of angling right across the face, head straight up over the small roof and onto the steep slab above.

Seal Rock is as good as Flatiron scrambling gets.  Supposedly it's uncrowded, but the day I was there two groups of two were climbing this route.  They were really friendly, and I tried to be, so it's all good.

Begin just up to the left of the lowpoint of the rock.  Head up, following the path of least resistance.  Maybe that should be 'follow the path of most assistance' as there isn't much on this rock to resist upward progress.  I stayed pretty close to the right edge of the rock.  After a couple/three pitches you will reach a nearly horizontal section of the ridge - this is the section of Seal Rock that gives it its distinctive shape.  Walk left, and then engage the steeper upper third of the rock.  A final two pitches wil bring you to the summit.  Due to the climb-anywhere nature of the rock, describing the route in detail is difficult (or pointless).  I didn't climb it, but there is a distinctive vertical crack that the other groups followed - about 40 feet left of the north edge.

To descend, I downclimbed the upper third of the rock to the elbow, walked down the ridge to a tree with a rap anchor, and cut back southwest and down a bit to an obvious wide crack that leads 10ft to the ground.  It's very easy, but it's steep/overhanging.

Eds. Alternately, you can rappel off the north face 165 feet to the ground from a fixed anchor about 40 feet from the top.

Start up a steep, huecoed wall, then follow bolts on a rising traverse to the right. Use an undercling to stand up on the rotten band.  Clip the last bolt and hope you are tall enough to reach the exit holds. This makes for a nice warm-up for the other routes here.  It may only feel 5.10 if you are tall enough for the top crux.

Huge thanks to the Flatirons Climbing Council and OSMP for making new routes in the Flatirons possible.

"Super Tuscan" is located about 50 feet up and left from "

I am the Walrus

". The start of the route is easy to identify by a narrow passage between boulders. There is a big hole connecting to a cave below directly under the route - because of that, the first bolt is placed high for safety, and it is expected that it will be clipped by a stick to avoid potential unpleasant decking on unleveled rocky base. However, there is plenty of leveled space for belayer and rope.

The route is a pumpfest! It will keep you awake from the very first move to the very last. It crosses bands of colorful rock of different kinds - a true blend of what Flatirons are best known for. Super Tuscan name stands for the perfect blend of grapes that winemakers in Tuscany use to make a dope (and super expensive) wine that is off typical regional denominations. The name reflects the perfection of mixed colors and ... friendship with my buddy Curt (professional sommelier) with whom I "discovered" this line. I hope you discover the taste of both Super Tuscans - wine and the route.

There are no very hard single moves, no harder than V4/5 (maybe just a bit reachy for shorter folks), but it is all about endurance, there are only two or three good shakes and one good rest.

Stick clip the first bolt, and find an undercling/pinch (I used a small crystal, but I am 5.10, shorted folks may want something a bit higher) to reach to a pinch...from there, just fish for any hold you can find...some moves are puzzling.

Without revealing much beta... first five bolts are on powerful moves with a long reach under the roof section, above the roof, the rock is made of sandy stone, I did my best to keep the holds stay. There is a long move on that section from a LH crimp-undercling to a big, diagonal hueco. If you are less than 5'9", look for a different sequence to the right with an awkward, inverted, RH gaston. Above that middle, lighter-color section, you will sink your teeth in a delightful, chocolate-brown, Flatirons sandstone. This whole section will blow your mind, and you will thank heavens to find a big pod with a jug for a rest. The section above the rest is made of amazing, granite-like sandstone with occasional crystals that you should grab and savor. Get a lot of rest before that section. If you look to your right, you may see last rays of sunlight reaching Kansas... evenings, sunsets are incredible on this rock from this height. The very last move is reachy, you will need to figure out the sequence from a "fin" to a hidden hold just above the edge of the wall.

Huge, huge thanks to my buddy Colton McEntee who helped me to clean the holds and figure out sequences - he helped me so much that I feel that he is the co-author of this route.

A 70m rope is a mandatory. There are 18 bolts and an anchor with chains and steel biners.

Enjoy Super Tuscan! Cincin! Na zdrowie!

This route was established as the first pitch of

The Yellow Door

. It also accesses

The Hinge

. The pitch is worthy as a stand alone climb, so Phil agreed to the separate posting. Be aware that the anchor is a potential bottleneck if parties are on the upper headwall pitches.

Climb a short, left-trending crack (place a #0.75 or #1 Camalot, or make a long stick clip to the first bolt), then gain a stance at the first bolt. Climb up and right to gain a long, undercling flake, and traverse across the flake. Now the fun begins! Climb the line of bolts through continuous and technical terrain to the roof. At the roof, climb out the rail to the right, then step left across the roof, and reach far left to a hold on the face. Easier terrain leads up, trending left initially, and then back right to the two bolt anchor.

Due to its traversing nature, the route must be followed to be cleaned. The anchor is 30 meters from the ground (rap with a 60m rope), but

a 70m rope is mandatory

to lower to the ground through the draws.

Supercell is a pretty badass linkup of

Thunder Muscle

and

Choose Life

that gives you lots of good, hard climbing between two of the classic sport routes of Seal Rock. It climbs the first long crux of

Thunder Muscle

, then the two main cruxes of

Choose Life

, for a long pitch with rests between boulder problems.

Climb

Thunder Muscle

to the "heart hold" (also known as the toilet bowl hold). Don't clip as you normally would, then make a long move left to a good jug in the black band. Match this, bust left one more time, and you are on

Choose Life

at the 8th bolt, just below the first crux. If this draw and the last one clipped on

TM

are long, rope drag for the remainder of the climb is minimal.

Thanks to Pinklebear and Ted L. for bolting the two climbs and Dr. Rob Eison for the linkup inspiration!

This is a long (95-foot) lead on the south face of Seal Rock, 30 feet uphill from the base of

Primate

. It climbs the long, striking, wide chocolate-brown/black streak and is a sustained yet varied pitch with the technical and redpoint crux at bolt 12, the next-to-last clip.

There are thirteen bolts to chains over the lip; a 60m rope is MANDATORY. Long draws and extendo draws are useful in spots. A Metolius 6 (green) is helpful below third bolt, and Metolius 2 (yellow) is useful after third bolt.

Begin in the right-leaning hand crack/undercling and follow it to its terminus. Traverse left along a diagonal break into a scoop. Hard kneebar/sloper moves take you over a small lip and into the base of the black streak; the climbing increases in difficulty, with a dynamic crux before a decent shake. From the rest, move up and a little left into a black bowl under the bulge, then surmount the bulge via sustained pulls on underclings, embedded pebbles and crimpers, finishing at a good bathtub jug at the top of the wall. This route is best attempted with fresh skin and good conditions.

May thanks to OSMP, the Access Fund, and the Flatirons Climbing Council for making new-routing possible in the Flatirons!

The name refers to a decision in 2002, after toproping the climb (FA toprope ascent: Matt Samet, Steve Dieckhoff, Strappo Hughes), to not attempt it as a super-death lead on gear, not to any anti-abortion stance.

It also references the classic opening paragraph in the Irvine Welsh novel

Trainspotting: "

Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking, big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest, mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suit on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . ."

This fun addition, along with the first pitches of the

Perfect Storm

and

Nattiq

, create a fun zone for the 5.10 slab aficionado. Follow 8 bolts past multiple cruxes to an anchor on a small pillar.

You could climb the entire East Face, OR if you want the best for less, climb the Shortcut.  This is a great easy climb on slightly atypical Flatiron Rock: you get a nice crack! Continue to hike West, past the base of Seal Rock on the right (north) side. (go up a level for those directions) to where all the crazies will be starting Archeopteryx and Sea of Joy.  When you see the sheer North Face, take a look up as you will rap down this wall, and then turn left (east) onto some boulders and set up a belay before you scramble up the north side of the East Face at its obvious weakness.Once on the East Face, head up a few feet on the obvious ledge and set a belay there.  The belayer will appreciate being on the face instead of on the boulders by your packs, and rope drag will be less.  P2: continue up the ledge to the obvious 100 ft. finger crack (4).  Set a belay on a nice ledge which also sports a fixed pin.  P3: continue up and jump past a break in the rock to the summit.  The pro is sparse now as the crack is gone, but the "difficulty" eases.  Ah.. the view.  P4: Downclimb to the break (pls. do this roped, especially beginners!) and find the rap station on the north side of the East Face.  Tie your 50m (Rossiter recomends 60m, but I've been fine with 50's) together and have a great rap!

This route starts some 200 feet up the gully on the South side of Seal Rock. This is the gully between Seal Rock and the Penguin.

Like many of the Flatiron South side routes, the initial pitch of this route is more of a traverse pitch than a climb. At the end of traverse, the route follows a ramp system that deposits you in the notch between the East and West summits of Seal Rock.

The route is unprotected in sections and I would give the traverse (crux) an S rating but neither Roach nor Rossiter did.

P1 - the start is confusing and I would guess there are many ways of doing it. Identify an easy way to traverse right (East) towards a large Dual ramp system that leads up the South face. We started about 50 feet West of the ramps and traversed on licheny rock. We belayed at a small crack at the base of the ramps

P2 - climb the left ramp some 15 polished feet and traverse right over an overhang and onto the paralell ramp and run the rope up to the eyebolt on the notch of the summit.

P3 - scramble up the easy but exposed West face of the Eastern summit.

This route also has another, much funnier name, but in the interest of not propagating further slander, I'm going to remain mute. This is perhaps the most ridiculous route in the Flatirons in its current state and still awaits a proper, "direct" lead. Think of it as the poor man's

Perilous Journey

, and you'll be ok.

This route is on the south face of Seal Rock, well up and west of the toe of the rock. Scramble west up the large corridor formed by a neighboring flatironette along the south face of Seal Rock, passing the long overhanging wall en route. As the wall turns slabby, you'll reach a nice little zone above some big blocks in the pine trees. Stop here.

A smooth, rippled face leads to diagonal bath-tub ledges above you. Climb the face (positive edges) either directly or by starting low and right. Your first piece of gear comes at 30 feet up and is not very good. Either move straight up into the mossy bowl or climb right over the bulge on filthy jugs. Now you're on a big bathtub ramp. Downclimb right about 30 feet (don't place any gear or you'll get tremendous rope drag) and step right (unprotected 5.9) across a red face to access another ramp. Follow this up and left (5.8 X) until you're just below the crusty rap slings threaded through the horn/hole. Place a shaky cam, beware the perched choss and gun for the anchor.

The route has been top-roped going straight-up through the black bulge above the 1st bathtub ledge at 10+ but still awaits a lead.

Bring a wire brush.

You could also access this route from above if you're unfortunate enough to rappel off the south side of Seal Rock, making for a hyper-inconvenient toprope.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Seal Rock