This is one of the oldest pages on piquaclimber.com. In an effort to keep some perspective, I have left anything from before 2000 in it's original format.

Eldorado Canyon January 10, 1998

    Eldorado Canyon is located just south of Boulder, CO. These are some pictures of a route the I did with my neighbor Andrew. As this was my first time climbing a multi-pitch route, I was content to "second" the climb while Andrew "lead" the route.*  The route is rated at 5.8 and is three pitches long and about 300 feet high.

 

Looking down from the top of the first pitch.

I took this shot looking down from the top of the first pitch. We climbed the obvious cracks in the center of the picture. Getting over the bulge of rock that I am standing on was the crux of the pitch.

Looking up as Andrew leads the second pitch.

 This shot was taken from the same stance as the picture above, only this time I am looking up at Andrew who is leading the second pitch. Notice the two pieces of protection that Andrew has already placed. The other rope that he is dragging is used to haul gear and to tie to the lead rope for rappelling.

Looking up from the bottom of the third pitch.

 This is looking up pitch 3. Andrew is barly visible at the top of this chimney. This pitch was the most fun for me becasue I had never climbed a chimney this wide. Visible in this shot is a piece of protection that pulled (came out) when Andrew tripped on the rope and took a short fall. I caught him about 2 feet from the rocks on which I am standing.

Starting the second rappel.

 This is a shot of me backing over the edge on the second rappel. There is probably nothing less natural than to back over an overhanging cliff.

Hanging around for a rappelling picture.

 A shot of me after I have cleared the lip which starts the second rappel. At this point, I could not get back to the rock due to the overhang above. You must either continue rappelling or climb the rope.

Almost down.

 This was taken near the bottom of the second rappel. Mother Earth is looking really inviting. :)

What should we climb next?

 Back on the ground with one hand FIRMLY attached to a tree while I scan the other side of the canyon for possible future climbs. (Conflict of interests?) It is hard to let go with you've been in the vertical world for a few hours.

*(To "lead" means you tie into the rope, start climbing, and place protection as you go up. Thus, if you fall, you will fall twice the distance that you are above you last piece of protection + rope stretch + any slack in the rope | As the name infers, to "second" means that you climb second while being belayed by the leader who is already on top. There is less chance of falling far because the rope is going  directly up to the leader. It is the seconds responsibility to "clean" or remove the protection that the leader placed on the way up)