I spent Labor Day weekend out in Colorado rock climbing with my brother Bryce. I arrived Friday and we spent the afternoon doing some top-roping on little roof routes on Duncan's Ridge. It was really fun, but I think Saturday was our funnest day. With all the thousands of cool places to climb out in Colorado I managed finally pick one and we headed out to climb The Flatirons in Boulder. We climbed the 1st Flatiron one which is the big one on the right in the picture below. It was fun, easy, semi long, and high (about 1400) and now I want to go back and climb all the other ones, especially the third one...and The Matron...and some others...
Bryce at the base of the climb. They had great trails and signs for everything.
Still near the bottom but on our way up...
Both these picture are about halfway up with a view of Boulder in the background.
You reach what seems like the top but then have to go along the upper ridge past about 4 false summits before finally reaching the top. This is Bryce going up the first one.
Still not the top...Bryce on the second false summit.
Behind Bryce you can see the 3rd Flatiron along with a bunch of the smaller ones behind it.
Below, Bryce on the third false summit looking back at me getting ready to come over from the second one. Not a lot of strait up climbing right here but there were just enough little moves and steep sides you still used the rope.
Me on the top of the third and last false summit about to lead for my first time to the top.
Me on the Summit after my first lead. It was really short, I only had to put in one piece of protection before climbing up the last little bit but it was still really exciting.
ROPE!
An easy but fun rappel off the back, a steep hike down the trail to pick up the stuff we left at the base, and we were done.
Still near the bottom but on our way up...
Both these picture are about halfway up with a view of Boulder in the background.
You reach what seems like the top but then have to go along the upper ridge past about 4 false summits before finally reaching the top. This is Bryce going up the first one.
Still not the top...Bryce on the second false summit.
Behind Bryce you can see the 3rd Flatiron along with a bunch of the smaller ones behind it.
Below, Bryce on the third false summit looking back at me getting ready to come over from the second one. Not a lot of strait up climbing right here but there were just enough little moves and steep sides you still used the rope.
Me on the top of the third and last false summit about to lead for my first time to the top.
Me on the Summit after my first lead. It was really short, I only had to put in one piece of protection before climbing up the last little bit but it was still really exciting.
ROPE!
An easy but fun rappel off the back, a steep hike down the trail to pick up the stuff we left at the base, and we were done.
After, we stopped in Boulder for something to eat at KT's BBQ and then at Neptune's Mountaineering Shop to look at all the cool gear and see the museum. They have the boots from the first accent up Everest signed by Hillary and a ton of other really neat old climbing and mountaineering stuff. For some reason I didn't take a picture of any of it...just this one of Bryce wearing a giant haul bag.
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