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Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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39.42119°N / 105.2572°W |
Route Type:
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Trad Climbing |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.10b (YDS) |
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Number of Pitches:
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2 |
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Overview/Approach
Turkey Foot Crack is one of the finer moderate crack climbs at Cathedral Spires if not all of South Platte. Although listed as a two pitch climb in the local guidebook, it is essentially one 150’ splitter pitch easy to spot on approach. There are three crack variations at the lower portion that feed into a flaring deep hand crack. If you take the left line, that is the 5.10b portion of the climb and offers tips to finger crack climbing on stellar rock. When you get to the hands, the first several meters can be awkward. It is all steep. Despite how wide the crack eventually gets at the top, I found a single #4 adequate for protection. You can rap with a single 60m via a mid-station or take one double rope rap.
Park at the Sunshine Wall trailhead which contains a structured rest room along the river. Hike up the trail and in short order you reach a marked junction, go right on a climbers trail up to the west end of this broad south facing wall. Traverse the wall east to approximately the lower middle and locate the obvious wide splitter up this lower face. The start is made up of three splitter variations with the left variation climbing at the grade.
Route Description
1st Pitch- 150’-5.10b/ Unless continuing on other routes and walking off, most folks just consider the first pitch the route. It has two sets of anchors on it and some would split this pitch up but it makes for a great lead at the grade if you take the left finger version of the lower cracks and finish on the deep hands with a few awkward moments for feet. I recommend a single to #4 and doubles to #3. Extra micro cams and/or small nuts help with the cruxy start. Moving into the hands corner is awkward. Then follow the arcing left wide corner crack above. Rappel twice with a single or once with doubles.
2nd Pitch- 150'-5.8/ Traverse right from the fixed belay and then back left to a notch for a walk off and/or to continue up additional routes.
Descent
One double 60m rope rap or two single 60m rope raps from the top of pitch one or continue up pitch two to walk off the formation.
Essential Gear
Single to #4, doubles to #3. Micro cams and/or wires are helpful on the crux finger crack start. Assortment of slings and draws. Wall receives full sun but also catches a lot of wind (can be suprisingly cold).