This route begins with

Riding with the Ravens

and continues on for three more long pitches to the top of the Lower Great Face on Twin Sisters Peaks near Estes Park, Colorado. The four pitches are on solid rock with consistent face, overlap and bulge climbing, and comfortable belay stances with spectacular views. The four pitches include:

Pitch 1.

Riding with the Ravens

, 5.11, 95 feet, 12 bolts + 2 bolt anchor with chains (an alternate pitch 1 is G3, 5.11a).

Pitch 2. 5.11-, 115 feet, 17 bolts + a 2 bolt anchor with chains. (Note: about 35 feet into pitch 2, you will pass a 2-bolt anchor with chains, which is a rap station for the descent using a 60m rope.)

Pitch 3. 5.9+/5.10-, 90 feet, 10 bolts + a 2 bolt anchor with chains. (Note: about 10 feet up and left of the belay anchors for pitch 3 is a 2-bolt anchor with chains, which is a rap station for the descent using a 60m rope.)

Pitch 4. 5.9+/5.10-, 110 feet, 10 bolts + a 2 bolt anchor with chains.

Note: this is a new alpine sport route. It has been cleaned, and loose stones and rocks have been removed. However, as with any new route, during the early ascents, please be careful and mindful of what you grab and step on. Thanks!

Descent:

1. Walk off in 25 minutes.

From the top anchors, scramble 30 feet or so to the top where there is a nice broad area to relax in. From there, walk to the north along the ridge crest for 2 to 3 minutes passing 4 small trees, a vertical stick set in stones, and a survey pipe. Reach a broad area where an obvious, right traverse leads down to the talus via an obvious and easy path. Continue on down the left side of the talus and around Castaway Crag. Then traverse up and back to the base of Wizard's Gate.

2. Rap the route. With a 60m rope, there are 5 raps to the base via 2-bolt anchors with chains:

Rap 1 - 95 feet to rap anchors with chains about 10 feet above and left of the pitch 3 belay.

Rap 2 - 95 feet to the pitch 2 anchors with chains.

Rap 3 - 80 feet to rap anchors with chains about 35 feet above the pitch 1 belay.

Rap 4 - 35 feet to the pitch 1 anchors with chains.

Rap 5 - 95 feet to the ground.

With a 70m rope, the descent can be done with only 4 raps going from the pitch belay anchors.

The White Raven

Afterlife

Cloak and Dagger

The Edgy Wizard

Arresto Momentum

Return of the King

Wizard's Path

Gremlin

Witchway Arete

Stone Potion

Book of Spells

Magic Dagger

Dead End

Take Me to Your Leader

The Guillotine

Magic Carpet Ride

Merlin's Magic Corner

Riding with the Ravens

Dark Horse

Gizmo

Wizard's Key

Black Magic

The Gatekeeper

The Arrival

Fantasia

Crystal Staircase

Climb a clean face at the bottom to a small ledge and move up and left onto a ramp.  Follow the bolt line up the ramp, which steepens with diminishing holds as you approach the roof above. A technical and powerful sequence through the overlaps in the roof leads onto the face above. Enjoy the ride as you continue face climbing up and over right to reach the chains.

What you can expect after

The Guillotine

...Afterlife, and this upper portion could be your own personal heaven...or hell. Clip the chains at the top of

The Guillotine

, and move straight up to a right-trending arch and set of underclings. Clip the first bolt and fire through a beautiful no-holds slab for a long 20 feet to reach an overlap and some easier ground. Continue through multiple mini-roofs and eventually reach anchors. This pitch will stretch your 60 meter rope to its limit, and bend your understanding of what constitutes a usable handhold.

This is a beast of a climb that demands respect. Clipping the chains requires a diverse pallet of climbing techniques. Begin the cloak with immediate difficulty that continues until you reach the highly visible huecos towards the middle of the climb. Slopping edges and important body positioning characterize this lower section that is the route's crux. Manage a rest in the middle of the climb before firing into the dagger. This exposed arete is thuggish and tends to be extremely tiring at such a high altitude, especially after climbing the bottom.

Cloak and Dagger is perhaps one of the better 5.13s in the entire Front Range. Get after it!!

The Edgy Wizard is a one pitch climb protected by 10 nicely spaced bolts over 80 feet.

Arresto Momentum is an attractive, overhanging crack. Make a few moves rightward over the abyss (place first gear in

Book of Spells

, then backclean) to reach the rightmost crack. Climb this as it becomes a vague, left-facing corner, encountering a tricky roof along the way. Angle up and leftward via the path of least resistance to a bolted anchor shared with

Book of Spells

.

The rock and protection are generally very good.

Per

Indika Young

: this is a super fun route with lots of exposure with the luxury of good holds! The first pitch has 11 bolts, so it would be ideal to climb with route with 2 sets of quickdraws (12 total). Every pitch after that requires less quickdraws.

Per

Byron Murray

: this can be done in 5 pitches. It is possible to combine pitches P1 & P2, P3 & P4, or P4 & P5 if you have 20 quickdraws and a 70m rope. Matt Piscopo and his partner agreed that the pitches should probably be rated as follows: P1: 5.6; P2: 5.8-; P3: 5.7; P4: 5.7; P5: 5.5.

To descend, do 4 rappels if you have a 70m rope or 5 rappels with a 60m rope. Or walk off as described by someone offering comments: walk off climber's left down a couple short 4th Class moves to gain the talus between the lower and upper great faces. Hike down unconsolidated talus following the edge of the Lower Great Face back to the base. Crossing through the notch between the LGF and the small tower doesn't go. You have to hike below it.

A wizard's path is one of wandering... and expect nothing less of this amazing route. Start from a detached block by pulling on some tiny edges and knobs. Continuous and interesting slab climbing leads you to a small overlap, where you wander a bit left and then back far right before shooting straight up towards a large undercling. Consistent 5.10+ climbing creates an 11- pump.

This climb ascends the

Gizmo

line, and after clipping its last bolt, the Gremlin breaks up and right with face climbing and sidepull and layback movement to the anchors.

Climb the face and a small, right-facing flake to reach the right corner of the small roof.  Carefully clip the 3rd bolt from a stance just to the right of the arete at the corner of the roof.  Step up and back left onto the face and follow the bolt line, until reaching the 6th bolt on the

Dark Horse

.  From there, climb up and join the crack system and work your way back right to clip the chains. An alternative, climbs up and right, following the finish of the

Dark Horse

.

Climb up just to the left of

The Gatekeeper

, and wander through steep, juggy terrain until you reach the corner and a nice stance. From here, make your way rightward around the bulge (crux) via several different options for beta and up to the left side of the big nest on

The Gatekeeper

. A tricky exit leads to the top of the cliff and the anchors!

It remains virtually independent from

The Gatekeeper

and has some awesome unique movement! This is steep and fun on amazing stone.

To the right side of '

Cloak and Dagger

', there is a series of clean, parallel cracks that wave their way to the top of the crag. Book of Spells takes an obvious leftmost line, utilizing gear placement opportunities while remaining on the best quality rock. Aside from the first 20 feet (loose, somewhat poor stone - demoting the climb to 2-star status), the whole route is bullet rock. Very cool and unique movement takes you through the first roof encounter, while a wildly overhung wall with surprisingly big holds awaits above.

This is a link-up of

Magic Carpet Ride

and

Cloak and Dagger

. Start up the

Magic Carpet

for four bolts, and cut straight right for two bolts to the base of the burly roof/arete finish of

Cloak and Dagger

. Crush it!

Below

The Guillotine

, on the right-facing dihedral is a series of cracks. 'Dead End' ascends these cracks and ledges, eventually reaching the newly installed chain anchors (shares chains with '

Crystal Staircase

') which might warrant a name change. Previously one would climb above said anchors and then downclimb 20 feet to a chockstone to lower off.

As this climb cleans up, its quality will increase. For enjoyable movement and something completely different than '

Crystal Staircase

this is worthy. This climb can be top roped after one leads '

Crystal Staircase

', and vice versa.

You might want to empty your bladder before a lead on this stunning climb.

Move up a right-leaning ramp before reaching out left to the first holds and clip. Climb up a mostly featured slab and through increasingly technical ground to an overlap. Clip up and fire an awesome series of moves through a small arching corner. From a horizontal crack, clip up and take a few deep breaths before entering the technical (and mental) crux slab. This panel of rock is amazing and will surely leave a lasting impression on anyone who leads it. Finish on some enjoyable, moderate climbing for 3 bolts to the anchors.

This is an absolute classic that is reminiscent of the crux pitch on the alpine route, '

Spear Me the Details

'.

Between two opposing dihedrals is a seemingly blank face with an intimidating hanging chock stone above. Difficult moves right off the deck posit you on a face with good holds few and far between. A short crux follows clipping the 2nd bolt, but the real business is on the hanging Guillotine itself- don't screw up!

This is a stunning line. To reach the Magic Carpet Ride, float a little ways up a 5.7 slab and clip the first bolt. Turn a corner and continue on steepening ground (5.11) until you reach vertical and your final, somewhat restful position. From here, a very cryptic and powerful move sequence begins and does not let up (not even really to clip) until you exit the incredible Magic Carpet panel. Some exotic and uncharacteristic granite grips bless this powerful climb. Finish on the same chain anchors as '

Cloak and Dagger

'.

Merlin escapes the

Guillotine

via an enjoyable finger and hand crack up  changing corners and overlaps.  Join

The Wizard's Path

at its second to last bolt.

The dark horse of the crag...climbs much better than it looks. This climb ascends the slab at the far left side of Wizard's Gate. Clip the first bolt from a stance on a big crack system. From here, follow the bolt line up and through an overlap, utilizing a number of underclings and a few jugs. The upper portion wanders back right towards the chains and finishes with a nice, technical crux.

This climb ascends the short wall at the far left side of Wizard's Gate. Start on the left corner of the near-ground level roof that is left of the bolt line above. Getting up and established on the wall may be the crux of the route. An easier start begins in the corner to the right of the bolt line. Once on the wall, follow the bolt line, and enjoy fun climbing using edges, knobs, and sidepulls to reach the anchors. Depending on the start chosen and the line taken, the difficulty could be 5.7 or 5.6.

This is AKA 'The Key'! Cruise up a sweeping panel of stone to some back-to-back big moves (crux) around the third bolt. A no hands rest above leads to another tricky section turning left around the arete at the last bolt. It is a tad bit thrilling perhaps but nothing too crazy.

Black Magic combines the hardest climbing on the wall by trending hard left after the crux of '

Cloak and Dagger

' and continuing directly into the beginning of the biz on '

Magic Carpet Ride

'. Refrain from clipping the 7th bolt on

Cloak

and look left for a stray bolt in-between the two routes. Tread lightly through some kind-of-loose-block footholds (why it receives 3, instead of 4 stars) and angle directly towards the 5th bolt on

Magic Carpet Ride

.

This is a proud link-up but still a link up nonetheless.

Begin on the far left side of the alcove and do a couple moves up and right on a slab to the first bolt. From here, weave up right and then back left on good quality stone through interesting, varied moves to the perch. Be mindful of loose rock while enjoying the killer view and even better rest. Start left of the bolt at the perch and climb the final 30 feet of increasing difficulty on steep rock to the chains. This climb offers an excellent warm up for the hard climbs in the area and also stays completely dry (as do the others in the alcove) during the rain.

This route begins with

Wizard's Path

and continues on for three more long pitches to the top of the Lower Great Face on Twin Sisters Peaks near Estes Park, Colorado. The four pitches are on solid rock with consistent face, overlap and roof climbing, and comfortable belay stances with spectacular views. The four pitches include:

Pitch 1.

Wizard’s Path

, 5.11-, 90 feet, 9 bolts + anchors. Pitch 1 involves technical face climbing that ends at a new 2-bolt anchor with chains that is to the right of the anchors for

Wizard’s Path

. (Note: an alternate pitch 1 is

Take Me to Your Leader

, 5.11+. Traverse up and left to the belay anchors from the last bolt on

Take Me to Your Leader

).

Pitch 2. 5.10, 115 feet, 16 bolts + anchors. Pitch 2 turns the overlap/roof straight above the belay and then climbs the featured face above with several overlaps and bulges before finishing on face climbing and ending on top of a flake where there is a comfortable stance and a 2-bolt anchor with chains. (Note: about 15 feet above the original anchors for

Wizard’s Path

, you will climb past a new rap station installed for the descent of The Arrival with a 60m rope.)

Pitch 3. 5.11-, 100 feet, 12 bolts + anchors. Pitch 3 begins with technical face climbing that leads to an intimidating roof sequence and finishes with face climbing that ends at a terraced ledge where there is a comfortable stance and a 2-bolt anchor with chains.

Pitch 4. 5.10, 95 feet, 10 bolts + anchors. Pitch 4 starts out with fun face climbing on featured rock leading to another intimidating roof that is turned at its center following the bolt line and then finishes with face and arête climbing that ends near the top of the cliff where there is a comfortable belay stance with a 2 bolt anchor with chains. (Note: the top anchors for The Arrival are to the climber’s right of the top anchors for

The White Raven

.)

Note: this is a new alpine sport route. It has been cleaned, and loose stones and rocks have been removed. However, as with any new route, during the early ascents, please be careful and mindful of what you grab and step on. Thanks!

Descent:

1. Walk off in 25 minutes. From the top anchors, scramble 30 feet or so to the top where there is a nice broad area to relax in. Note: there is a single bolt about 10 feet above the top anchors for The Arrival that was placed to aid the route development but can be used if desired to protect the scrambling above the top anchors. From the top of the route, walk to the north along the ridge crest for 2 to 3 minutes passing 4 small trees, a vertical stick set in stones, and a survey pipe. Reach a broad area where an obvious, sharp right turn traverses down to the talus via an obvious and easy scrambling path. Continue on down the left side of the talus and around Castaway Crag. Then hike up along the base of the Lower Great Face and back to the base of Wizard's Gate.

2. Rap the route. With a 60m rope, there are 4 raps to the ground via 2-bolt anchors with chains:

Rap 1 – 90 feet from the top anchor (2 bolts with chains) to the belay at the top of pitch 3 that has 2 bolts with chains.

Rap 2 – 95 feet to the belay at the top of pitch 2 that has 2 bolts with chains.

Rap 3 – 95 feet to the rap station that has 2 bolts with chains and is located about 20 feet above the belay for pitch 1.

Rap 4 – 90 feet to the ground.

With a 70m rope, there are also 4 raps to the ground but you can go from belay to belay and not use the rap station above the belay for pitch 1.

Start as for

Crystal Staircase

clipping 5 bolts, and then move up and left to a roof. Surmount the roof on jugs, and finish clipping bolts to the anchor of

Riding with the Ravens

. One of the handholds in the roof is a wedged flake that may pry out. Have your belayer wear a helmet and be to the right as you pull the roof.

Once the climb is located, look for a good finger lock in the middle of an eight foot horizontal roof.  Arrange protection,then make some strenuous moves to the lip.  Although there are jugs at the lip, it is still a little awkward getting established on the face above, and is in definite ankle/tailbone/back breaking territory.  Once established on the face above, wander up on less than ideal rock and large chicken heads with intermittent pro (5.8 PG-13) to a ledge with a tree.  Rap.

Begin by standing on a detached block and climbing through a series of tiny, interesting knobs and crystals. This route is all about standing on your feet and being imaginative with your hold selection. Near the chains, the rock type changes and with it so does the climbing style. This climb has interesting and consistent movement throughout. You would be hard pressed to climb it exactly the same twice!

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Wizard's Gate