Throne Room, 5.10b, 3 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Castle Corner and the Throne Room are no doubt considered two of the more classic 5.10 trad routes in South Platte.  The Thorne Room is a bit overrated based on some of the MP.com comments in relation to several of the other routes at the grade on Castle. Whilst the first pitch was decent and the middle pitch good to great, there was not much to the third pitch.  The Throne Room is not as aesthetic of a route as Castle Corner, but it is definitely a solid moderate multipitch route by South Platte standards.

The first and third pitches have definitive cruxes whilst the 2nd pitch is more or less sustained crack climbing without much of a defined crux.  The crux to the first pitch is a traverse at the top of its lower angled crack to set up a hanging belay at the start of the 2nd pitch vertical crack.  The traverse is not harder than 5.9, just physical.  A finger to jug traverse.  The crux of the third pitch (as well as technical crux of the route) is a “cheek” smear off-width/chimney move to get over a short off-width which leads to much easier climbing for the majority of that pitch. 

Throne Room climbs the center of the Parapet which is easily identified on approach as the tall tower that leans against the middle of the broad Castle southeast face.  You are starring at the Throne Room’s crack system climber’s right as you sit at the base of the obvious Castle Corner.  The routes are separated by a tall gully which is where you rap the Parapet routes.

There is a ton of conversation on MP.com regarding the approach to The Castle.  Ignore it.  It is very simple.  The approach is on private land, a for-profit campground.  There is no kiosk to drive through, but the signs make it clear they will hunt you down if you don’t.  In 2022, it is $14 per person.  A criminal mind would only pay $14 and say one person is with the vehicle.  The office is not open as early as most climbers would want to get a start.  You deposit your CC information or cash into a drop box and put a car tag on your dash.  Drive around the north side of the lake and continue as it bends south to a dead end at the Boy Scout group camp.  There is ample day parking there.  Start hiking the Waterfall trail, from the parking area, which gains a drainage in short order.  Follow a well-established, pleasant and shaded trail up the drainage to the southwest corner of the Castle.  There are two climber’s trails that veer right towards the base of the wall.  One lower and one right on the ridgeline.  Either will take you to the base of the route.  Castle Corner is quite obvious.  It is on the left side wall of the Castle.  There is a tower formation leaning against the wall to the right named Parapet, where several more popular routes are located including the Throne Room.  The first pitch starts near the toe of the Parapet via multiple cracks that become defined as one splitter that leads to a traverse right below a tall vertical splitter, which is pitch two.

The approach is mellow unless you are a sport climber and/or live in Boulder or Salt Lake.  Approximately 1800’ gain on a pristine trail.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 110’-5.10a/ Gain the (mostly) hand crack with plenty of facial features and climb to a fixed belay nest (2022).  Climb a few meters higher to gain a finger rail to immediate jug traverse.  You can sling the jug for the 2^nd.  Set up a hanging belay to the right below the next long hand/finger crack.  Bomber #.75 plus smaller stuff for a gear belay. 

2^nd Pitch- 115’-5.10a/ Way more sustained and steeper than the first pitch.  Climb the crack placing gear at will.  When it peters out, traverse up and right over positive holds to the next crack right.  Near its top, traverse back left to another crack and set up belay below an easy wide section of rock with a hand crack in it.  A #3 plus various other gear is good for the belay.

3^rd Pitch- 100’/Climb the initial hand crack over a wide section and gain the OW crack facing left.  Climb through the crux of the route, a flaring OW, via a cheek smear chimney move or two.  C4 #4's protect this section perfect, no need for larger gear.  The crux quickly abates to an easy chimney.  Land a short ledge below the summit.  Clip the lone bolt on the route (does not protect you from decking, but rather bouncing) and make a 5.8 fun mantle move to the summit.  Fixed rap for belay.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Three single 70m rope raps down from the very summit.  Awkward hanging bolted rap start on top to a full 35m to a ledge.   Slung rap with another full 35m to another ledge.  A final slung boulder rap skiers left back to your packs. 

Essential Gear

70m Rope.  Single from micro to #4.  Doubles from #.4 to #2 and #4’s.  Set of wires or offsets.  Route faces southeast, mostly sun.