Start at the belay right of People's Choice (number 19 in Myke's photo). Power up the omnious East face into some terrific moves. Tiny bit of beta: first take a long sling for the first clip; also, the line cuts left along the jams, but it is spooky getting there so watch the footwork. No beta for the jams. Just go for it, the gold ring goes to the bold. The climb is not over after turning the corner.

Wild Card

The Contrarian

Everything Rhymes with Orange

Slot Machine

Machine Gun Funk

Road Rash Roof

Overpass

Bypass

Life After Death

Cracker Jack

Left Long Moderate Dihedral (originally submitted as Crack Swindler)

People's Choice

Full House

Deuces Wild

Via Comatose Amigo

The Savage

Road Warrior

Pony Up

Notorious

Dead End Crack

Jackpot

Idiot's Roof

Ghetto Head

Head Up Dirty

Stone Cold Moderate

Ghetto Activity

Indirect Savant

Head Up Activity

Poker Face

Road Kill

Moderate Dihedral

Nickels and Dimes

Ace in the Hole

Idiot Savant

Everyday Struggle

Bouncer

Hip at the Lip

Power Play

Passing Lane

5th of July

Bouncer starts under the dark overhanging face right of

Slot Machine

and shares a start and finish with

Wild Card

. Stay left on the arete after the third clip. This variation avoids the spooky climbing on

Wild Card

while getting you to the same anchor.

Moderate face climbing leads to a an excellent crux bulge. We cleaned some loose rock, including one large block, but there's still a bit of  suspect rock in the middle; however, the crux is on excellent stone. If nothing else, the crux bulge at the top makes a great short top-rope problem from the

Deuces Wild

anchor and probably had been done this way before. The entire route protects fine and makes a nice change of pace for those who, for some reason, brought a rack to this crag.

This has interesting start moves to the first bolt followed by sustained 5.8 slab to the roof. Find the jugs over the roof, and get a high left foot on the lip to reach the last bolt and the anchor. The start and finish cruxes bump this to 5.9.

Start with

People's Choice

and climb the first two pitches to the belay below the dihedral.  Slot Machine is a newly bolted line (since Rolofson's print of CCC) that takes the overhanging face just right of the dihedral.  First, before starting the route, watch out for a DEATH block that sits right at the start--this cube of granite is ready to blow. Some powerful moves with slopey to crimpy holds leads to a steep mantel with tricky positioning.  After this crux, the angle eases up for the last three bolts to the chains.  Fun, pumpy route with great exposure, but with all the noise of the cars and river right below you, it's hard to hear your belayer.  Richard Wright:  the c is for the mantle move if you're short.

Climb the giant roof that is visible from the road. Start with excellent 5.11a climbing to a rest at the roof, then bust a creative, upside down, V7 boulder problem out the 15 foot roof to gain a sweet hand wrap and a jug at the lip. Climb easy terrain to the anchors 15 feet above. FYI, there are no bolts above the lip leading to the anchors (there are anchors), I may go back and add some bolts later if people insist.  The fall is safe.

The routes grade may be quite subjective, if you love swinging on strap holds, this thing could be a bit on the easier side. Either way, I enjoyed putting it up, so enjoy climbing it.

Road Rash Roof looks a bit intimidating from the ground (and it looks intimidating from just underneath the roof as well), but the climbing is well protected and very secure. Begin on a sparsely protected slab to the right of the dark gully with

Jackpot

on its left side. Rolofson's guide calls the slab 5.9, but don't believe it. A tricky move crosses a small prow below the roof, and this is certainly a 5.10 section. To launch the roof, turn out and look straight away from the crag. Jugs, to a heel hook, to a jam, to a crimp along with some big juice will get you over this grunt, and the crux is pulling over the roof on the crimp. Gotta love Alan for that move! If you bring the muscle, this route is a kick; if you are feeling soft, pick a face route. Three stars for good continuity, well-protected, and the chance to launch through a big roof.

I've always thought sport climbing is bouldering on a rope.  This route hits home with that sentiment.  Clip the first bolt, press your way on to the first shelf.  Clip the 2nd bolt carefully. Haul yourself up the fun arete.  After the 3rd clip, it's a romp up the slab to the anchor which is shared with three other routes.  Be careful with your rope on descent.

Located between

Cracker Jack

and

Overpass

, Bypass is an alternate start on

Overpass

for those of us not as gifted in the 5.11 realm.  Start just left of the

Overpass

arete under a small roof system.  Strenuous moves up and over the small roof lead past three bolts.  From here, traverse right a little and finish up the final 5 bolts on

Overpass

.  Like the other three routes that share these anchors, top roping bypass is a little hard on the rope due to the lower angle at the top of the route.  Fun moves up to the roof.

This is a strange route. I found it bolted, kind of, a few years ago. I believe it was bolted by Todd Anderson, Nate Adams, or Kurt Smith.

About 7 old welded hangers linked the looming, albeit dirty, giant overhang of rock on the right side of Right Wire.  I rapped down the route and checked it out. It had a lot of loose rock on it and had a crux that appeared to not go, so I left it alone until recently. So fast forward to today.... After A LOT of work, it is clean, chalked, bolts were added, and fun. This is how it goes:

Climb through a mini roof to a 12a mantel, climb up and right through some small 11a crimpers to a 5.8 face and a stance below the gangster headwall and roof above. From here, climb the crux boulder problem, a 5 move V8, then bust the roof and get to the 3 bolt anchor on the ledge.

All routes are hard to grade, this route, is even harder. V8 = 13c. With this route, there is no pump factor. It is essentially a 50 foot 5.10 to a V8 to a 12 mantel. Just some weird, sometimes challenging sequences get you to a rest just before a smeary, 20 degree overhanging, technical boulder problem. The problem is rad! So, to put a grade on this is a challenge, it's harder than

Sonic Youth

, 13a, and less sustained, but an equally hard crux move as

Public Enemy

, 13c... so I think you could take b or c... if that helps.

Advice: use long draws, this route wanders a bit and climbs through many small roofs and edges.

The next step it to link "

Notorious

", the route to the right, into the crux of "Life After Death". This linkup may or may not be harder than the individual parts but will definitely be more classic.

This starts up a steep finger and hand crack.  After you move over the bulge, it gets considerably easier.

This route is located in the crack directly left of

Cracker Jack

. I originally was going to traverse over to the anchors on the top of

Deuces Wild

, but when I got up there were old hangers on the needle. They looked as if they were placed a while ago but hardly used. Excellent Clear Creek trad!!!

Per

George Bracksieck

: sometime in the early-to-mid '70s, I led a partner up the obvious long right-facing dihedral that divides the

Deuces Wild

area from the

Stone Cold Moderate

area.

Eds. This is a combination of submissions, combined here to avoid confusion due to duplication.

People's Choice is a popular climb and deservedly so. This route starts just after the trail meets up with the rock. Rolofson's guidebook suggests that it is the far right climb; however, a new bolted line is the far right one (

Nickels and Dimes

). Just to the left is

Road Kill

.

Pitch 1: Start up and follow a great, super-positive flake and then over a hump. I hope you wore your edging shoes, because the crux is blank as hell for hands. Belay at the end of the right-sloping big ramp, 6 bolts. You can access P2 by climbing a couple of the neighboring routes as well.

Pitch 2: Scramble up the easy 5.5 section. You can and probably should link up the first two pitches (we did). Belay at the base of the dihedral, 6 bolts.

Pitch 3. Waste that sucker! This is the most fun I had in a while. Overhanging, steep dihedral with lots of stemming moves and good places to clip. The crux comes out after exiting the dihedral - swing right, up, clip, and finish to the bolts, 8 bolts.

Pitch 4 (optional): Go left, and clip 2 more bolts, 5.5 s. Do a 210 foot rap.

Descent: rappel. If you try to rap from P4 chains to P2 chains, you may end up dangling in space or need to do some easy scrambling back up the P2 anchors. You can make it from P3 anchors to the P1 ledge with a single rap and walk off to the south. You can also get from the P2 anchors to the ground in a single rap.

Full House is a variation start to

Slot Machine

. Watch the nasty block at the base. One day, when the canyon is closed down, we may get a chance to cut it loose. FA by RMW. FFA by Greg Purnell in June 2000. Lots of open hand power in the opening.

Pitch 1: The route begins hard. The crux is after you clip the first bolt. Continue up past the small roof (fun!) and up to the anchors.

Pitch 2: Climb a slab with positive holds everywhere. Fun and not too hard. A variation can be made at the last clip if you go to the left, making it "10ish." Otherwise it's a great way to finish this climb to the right of the last bolt. 135 feet to the ground.

This route can be one pitch with 18 QDs and two ropes. You MUST have a [80m] (per

David Kelm

) rope to rappel with just one rope, otherwise bring two 50m ropes.

Via Comatose Amigo is the route immediately to the right of

Deuces Wild

and starts off on some slabby grey rock. Surprisingly better than it looks, the line follows up the grey stuff for 50 feet or so, and then pulls onto a flat ledge that looks directly right to the Jackpot face. Follow the pegmatite for a few clips, slip left, a bit, and amble up to the anchors. This route is actually a great kick. The moves are enjoyable, the stone is excellent (Yes, Harry, even pegmatite can be solid!), and the route is well protected. However,  I find the clip leading into the pegmatite to be a bit weird if you are not tall, which I am not. I use an extendo clip here that makes the clip very comfortable. Two stars for sure.

NB:

this is not a very good top rope route since the line wanders a bit. Also, there is a very rusty old pin at the ledge preceding the pegmatite, but I have no idea who climbed here before, or what the line used to be.

The Savage is a left variation to

Road Warrior

. After climbing through the first 12a mini-roof of

Road Warrior

, gain a rest and bust left to traverse under the small roof. Little edges, slots, and big feet will get you to a nice set of holds at the end of the traverse. The crux is fairly short lived on this one.

Road Warrior can be done from the ground, as two pitches,  or it can be done from the ledge as a single pitch, and the following description assumes that you will start from the ledge.

Begin at the left of two double-bolt belay anchors on the ledge that splits the lower level of this sector of High Wire (we like to call this sector The Queen City Slab area). Easy slabbin' gains a tricky corner system below the roof where a good rest can be had. Clip high and return to the stance before launching. The first 5.12 crux comes in pulling over the first overlap. This gains a vertical face with very poor hands and feet, and another 5.12 crux. Gun for the large, friendly looking flake above and get jammed in. A very technical traverse right picks up the 5.12d section. This has been called 5.13, but beta from the younger, stronger crowd suggests that a bit of the sting can be taken out by moving straight up into the overlaps without completing the traverse. Muscle through the 5.11c overlaps on glorious stone.

It is worth three stars by any estimate: continuity, stone quality, climbing moves, excellent pro all add up to another great route from the Drillmeister.

This route has a couple of sticky moves off the floor and a little crumbly rock above.

This route is just right of

Idiot Savant

, start with a right hand sidepull and a small left hand crimp and climb up the several overhangs to the anchors at the base of the large roof.

I have no idea how to grade this route, it has some powerful moves and some weird, tweaky pulls. It could be 12c or 13b depending on your style. Don't worry about that... enjoy the climb, it's a nice addition.

A small disclaimer: this route was bolted with the intention of linking it into the route to the right the "Life After Death" project but climbs wonderfully as a route of its own. It is a bit of a squeeze job but is an enjoyable endeavor.  For full points, stay on route and don't bust out left into

Idiot Savant

.

This finishes on the same anchors as

Idiot Savant

.

This climb is the little crack system to the right beside

Road Rash Roof

, 12a. Start with easy climbing on some flakes. The upper flake, near the anchors, has some interesting moves to get above it. There are bolt anchors at the top where the roof meets the face. I couldn't find this route on MP. The top of the route, where the anchor is, is covered in pigeon and bat poop. It has a great first half and a "shitty" ending.

Jackpot is the route immediately to the right of

Via Comatose Amigo

and adjacent to the dark gully that splits this sector of the crag. The line heads up in perpetual shadow to take the overhanging pale plate. The entry on to the plate, to give away the beta, is a heel hook. Chase the bolts on the left for 5.11d or run the face for 5.12b. Friends claims 5.12a either way, but I beg to disagree. Straight up is cool, and not 5.12a. Gun for the pocket. This may be height-dependent, but for me the move was not, no way Hose-A, 5.12a. Finish up on several clips after passing a pegmatite band and a small roof (pull it on the left!). The finish to the anchors has a tricky sequence on very thin edges, so watch your balance. Two stars, will keep it honest, for the cool moves, good stone, variety, and continuity.

This trad route starts on a flat bit of ground 20 feet uphill from "

Head Up Dirty

" just downhill from the monster roof.  Start below a single bolt. Climb past the single bolt and a challenging boulder problem to a thin, right-facing corner with a finger-size crack in the back. Climb through a juggy roof with decent gear to a left-facing corner (which makes up the left side of the monster roof). Clip a bolt next to the crack, and climb higher than you think before busting right on jugs to another bolt and then to a bolted belay 15 feet, just around the corner.

Don't get suckered into climbing through the roof to early, there is a bolt in the roof for another unfinished climb.

I found this route without anchors and with lots of choss. As of 4/15/12, I (Matt Lloyd) have added anchors (and other pitch above it) as well as cleaning it up. The route is worth the hike and will certainly get better with as people climb it.

It is a little dirty, but it has steep, well-protected, trad climbing.

From the anchors, you can climb the next amazing pitch, "Everyday Struggle", 5.10d, which goes to the top of the wall.

This route follows the first part of

Ghetto Activity

and finishes

Head Up Dirty

. The first section is 5.10- on okay rock then follows the obvious cracks to the massive roof, where you pull 2-3 moves of 5.12-. This route is a great warm-up for the harder climbs around it.

Start on two good, incut crimpers, climb straight up following bolts to a good rest below the roof (12a/b), then clip the draw in the roof and make big moves out the horizontal roof (12+). This is height-dependent. Mantel and clip the anchors.

This is a truly fun start! Scramble up to a huge jug, and crank the bulge to a ledge. Continue up the dihedral to a huge ledge and anchors. Lower off.

Per

Max Houck

: alternatively, you can start the same as

5th of July

from the right.

This was originally a traditionally protected route.

This has good jug pulling with a fun steep roof at the end. It has a hard start.

A stout boulder problem off the ground on small crimps deposits you at a decent stance around the second bolt. A few more crimps and long pulls on bigger holds leads you back onto

Idiot Savant

after the fourth bolt.

Start on the fun and dynamic crimping of

Head Up Dirty

, but skip the sting of the roof and follow

Ghetto Activity

to the right. It seems likely someone did this before me.

I'm reluctant to post this route, as I have not led it, have no guidebook handy, and have not been back to Colorado for about a year.  Here goes:

The route is next to 5.8

Pony Up

, and adjacent parties climbing the two routes often interfere down low.  Like many of the other routes, this one starts with a jug haul.  Were it not for the miraculous finger pocket, it would be quite tough.  This is definitely the crux of the route.  The remainder of the route never surpasses 5.7 or so, with the highlight being a fun traverse up a 60-degree crack.  I recall some loose rocks, but nothing terrible.  The picture below shows nice views (route 2).

Addendum:

note, this route is quite challenging for folks in the 5'2" and under range.

Get ready for some variety!

Slab climbing leads to the first difficult move, an 11c mantle problem to gain the ledge above the first big roof. Rest well and then launch into the overhung crux slopefest. Actually, there are some good jugs on this section, although the sequence is a little devious. Route finding on a sport route, who would have thought! Finish by going straight up the final smooth bulge (11b), or wimp out and escape to the right, although the hard part is over.

This is a great route with lots of cool moves!

On May 27, 1977, I led Charly Marchand up the obvious, right-facing dihedral that divides the

People's Choice

area from the

Deuces Wild

area.

This route follows the far right bolt line on High Wire, where the trail meets up with the rock.  The route travels right underneath a large triangular right-facing block/flake.  The anchors end up about 5' to the right of the anchors for

People's Choice

.  See R. Wright's comments under

People's Choice

for more.

Addendum:

you can continue up and right of

People's Choice's

second pitch for another moderate pitch (?5.5) on gear.

Per

Bill Olszewski

: the thin flake under the main system flexes.

Climb up the gully a few feet to the first bolt. Work your way onto the leaning arete and continue up and right. Move up the face to the crux (after the 5th bolt)and finish at the two bolt anchor. This is a fun route for leaders just getting into 5.10s.

This is a nice line with a testy and tenuous crux. It is worth the walk up the hill.

Idiot Savant is on the right side of the tunnel. To get there, walk up the low-angle rock slabs that lead up and right.  DO NOT walk up the dirt hillside- loose rock abounds that will just roll down and hit cars in the highway.

When you get a good ways up the slabs, you will begin to see some bolted lines.  A big boulder splits the cliff in two - there are currently 4 bolted lines right of the boulder. Idiot Savant is to the right of the boulder, and can be easily recognized because it shares its anchor with another line (

Indirect Savant

, 12c)). Indirect is on the left; Idiot is on the right.

This pitch starts above the giant roof and is best accessed by climbing

Idiot's Roof

.

From the bolted belay, climb right and up on perfect, clean, and steep stone. Thin moves and good holds take you to a ledge at the top near a small bush. From here, you can make two rappels to the ground with one rope or 2 60s will take you to the dirt.

This route has amazing exposure and incredible climbing. It is worth the effort to get there.

Climb directly upwards to the first bolt (hard), then turn the roof with a fun move. Enjoy at least one pleasant surprise. Compose yourself. Head up a pretty face following bolts. It is generally solid and clean except for a bit of sandiness towards the top.

The bolt spacing is reminiscent of the Red Slab.

This route does NOT go to the midway anchor shown in Mark Rolofson's guide, although with some shenanigans you could probably get there.

Rappelling with a 60 meter rope will only get you to the 2nd bolt. A 70 meter will reach the ground with rope stretch, but tie a knot in the end!

It is difficult to belay from the top and bring up a second climber, as they are invisible below the roof and inaudible because of traffic noise. If they fall before the first bolt, rope stretch drops them onto the pointy rocks at the base.

This is a fun sport and adventure route which is worth doing.

Power Play meanders up the long gray face to the right of the tunnel on mostly good stone. Begin by scrambling up easy fifth class with bad fall potential to a two bolt belay at the base of the slab above a large roof. From here, begin technical edging up the less than vertical face on crispy holds through interesting sequences. It ends at a two bolt anchor high on top of the wall.

This never builds too much of a pump but does have some hard sequences between stances.

While given 12a in the guidebook, I suspect this has experienced some snapped crimps or weathering as this felt to us to be 12+ or so with some longish runs between bolts. Also it seemed that it doesn't see much traffic as it was a little gritty with a touch of lichen. Being a slab there was no trace of chalk to guide the way. This felt adventurous for sport climbing in CCC.

Passing Lane is located just right of the

Overpass arete

.  Start up a fun, blocky face past three bolts.  The route's crux is gaining the slabby face above the fourth bolt.  Rolofson's guide suggests that this route could use an additional bolt, but I thought that it was well protected all the way to the anchors.  It is a fun route.  Again, a there's a little rope drag if you top rope or lower off this one.

DO THIS ROUTE because it's definitely one of the best in the canyon! Simply a fantastic route; fun for both the studly 12 ropegunner and the beginner friends you're taking out. It's 85' down from the anchors, so be careful lowering/rapping with a 50m rope.

Description

Protection

Routes in High Wire Crag