Flatiron of the Rockies variation of Left Standard

This is a nice, little adventure for those who don't mind low angle romps like you get in the Flatirons, though this one has a more majestic setting. Unfortunately, the lower half of the climb is 5th class, and the upper half is mostly 3rd and 4th class. A 70m rope makes this just 4 pitches.

P1. To maximize the length of this little climb, start at the nadir of this section of the rock. You may wind up on the ledge 35-40 feet up. You can scramble down and left. Scamper up an easy slab to a right-facing crack/dihedral. Gain a ledge, move up to a tree ~50' up. Gain an inviting crack/left-facing flake. Move up to a tree with a couple slings with a ring and tiny link on the right. Angle left to a left-facing dihedral. Climb past a tree in the dihedral (which may give rope drag if you stay left of it. Continue up to a tree (~210') whose base makes you want to continue up to a higher tree (~245', with a bit of simul-climbing), 5.6, 245'.

P2. Angle left up a crack/mini-ramp to an overlap. Now you get the crux of the climb with a nice slab with smaller holds angling softly left where you find features to slip in small cams to protect just enough to control the nerves. Gain a big ledge with a wide crack (probably old #5 Camalot size) and belay, 5.7 PG-13, 205'.

P3. Move right and up quickly to the big, tree-strewn ledge as for

Left Standard's

3rd belay. Continue up 3rd/4th class terrain angling softly left. If you stretch the rope out, you may reach a good stance with a cool, heart-shaped solution pocket, 5.4, 235'. If you belay here, #2 & old #4 Camalots are the anchor.

P4. Continue up and slightly right to gain a slab where you get into 5th class terrain again. Angle left over an overlap. Continue 4th class to the top, 5.2, 215'.

Scramble off to the left of McGregor Slab.

This certainly could have been climbed previously, but crunchy holds on the crux of P2 suggest it may not have been done much if at all previously.

Approach as per

Left Standard

. Continue left perhaps another 100'. The very nadir of this section of the rock adds another 35-40 feet to the climb.

Walk off to the left.

We brought a rack to a #4 Camalot including #9, 10, and 11 hexes. A good selection of smaller, Alien-size cams were useful for the P2 crux slab. Longs slings are helpful for the trees along P1.