June 13, 2003
Author:
Larry Earley
Trip Participants:
Larry Earley and Norbert
Ensslin
The Rock Garden is located about 0.5 miles
behind Penitente Canyon reached by a nice trail. It has the same type of rock as
Penitente Canyon and there are almost 100 routes there most of which are bolted.
Norbert and I drove up Thursday night and stayed in the Penitente BLM
campground. We took the 20 minutes hike to the Rock Garden on Friday morning and
had the whole area to ourselves for the day. There is a great warmup climb
called Team Genital (5.6) with six bolts. It is a great climb. It is hard to
find a 5.6 with thin face climbing with quality rock. It is a very low angle
climb with the crux first move right at the bolt. We next moved over a few feet
to try The Bottom Line (10b). This tricky climb has six bolts. The start is hard
and the crux is between the first and third bolts. The climb is set on a left
trending line of bolts on a face that leans left. You must climb up and traverse
a step each move. It was THIN. Climbing was easier to the right of the bolt
line. We then moved over to try FedEx (10a). This is another climb that does not
go straight up but goes up and right. The moves were awkward but more positive
than the Bottom Line. Norbert had a hard time with this one but I felt it was
easy. Norbert missed a key foothold and had to use other smears which gave him
quite a struggle. We looked at some 5.8 climb nearby but it was short and not
too interesting.
We then moved across the canyon to look at
Otto (5.9). It was ok but the start required one to climb up 4th class to a
sloping ledge for the start. It had nice hueco climbing up three bolts to
anchors. Maybe next time. Instead we went to another Norbert type THIN face
climb. Ligneous Embracer (5.9) is a longer climb with nine bolts. Its a nice
line. The crux is down low with hard clips too. It is technical so be ready. The
start is harder than FedEx. This is a three star climb. Don't do this one if you
are not a solid 9+ leader or are just not afraid like me. The second bolt clip
is hard for shorter people too. I was told that previously some good LAM
climbers backed off this start. After this one we took lunch. The Rock Garden is
peaceful and has some strange rock formations. There are also some totally
awesome 11s and 12s that will blow your mind. Blank faces with bolts and
overhung blank faces with bolts. I wish someone would have been there to climb
them but maybe no one can climb the 12s. There were about 30 different 12s most
that were c and d. Also a couple of 13s.
After a break we tried Buffalo Chips
(5.9). It is on a really odd shaped rock. The climb is ok but the rock at the
bottom has several thin flakes ready to break off. The start is 5.7 and half way
up the rock quality gets great and its 5.9. The top is quality but overall its
only fair. Next to this one is Rock Mountain Oysters (5.10). The start is
slightly overhanging with a crumbling flake. There were some rock pieces on the
ground too. Half way up its nice quality face climbing to anchors. We hiked
around a while looking at other routes. There is an easy 5.8 not in the
guidebook near climbs 75-80 in Falcon guide Rock Climbing San Luis Valley. It
looks ok but requires hiking in a lot of brush to start. We finished on a
sandbag The Hanging Garden (10c). I stick clipped the first bolt which is 18
feet up. Norbert would try to lead this one. The crux was from bolt 1 to bolt 2.
Thin climbing but steeper than the other 10s we tried. Also there was a slight
lean to left at crux. It was definitely 10+ at crux. This 10c was much harder
than several 10c climbs in Penitente Canyon. Norbert did well. The upper half of
the climb is fantastic 10b/c climbing but watch out for the anchor. Norbert
could pull one anchors bolt out with his fingers. He lowered to the next climbs
anchor for the descent. I wisely did a toprope with both climbs anchors so I
could get the quickdraws. The guide calls this one a great warmup climb. Well if
you were moving on to the 5.12c/d ones right nearby I guess this one is a warmup.
For the hardmen out there I have a
recommendation DOA (5.12d/13a). The guide calls this one the best climb in the
canyon. The Rock Garden has several other moderate climbs and can provide 2 full
days of climbing for solid 5.10 leaders.
