After spending the last 30 years as a resident of Colorado I received news a week ago that a move to Illinois for work is eminent. After sharing this info with my tried and true climbing partner for the better part of the past decade we decided that with my limited time (less than a month) we needed to knock off the Fifth Flatiron. A successful climb of the Fifth Flatiron would have allowed us to have summited all of the numbered Flatirons . . . which would have been a cool thing to add to the tick list. But it wasn’t to be, not yesterday anyways.

On the drive into Boulder I noticed tons of snow on the east face of the Fifth. After giving up hope on that we looked through the Roach guide and settled on a route we had wanted to try for awhile, the Direct East Face of the First Flatiron. We made quick time to the base of the route and EJ took the first lead. Sixty percent of the first pitch was on snow which made for an interesting start but after that the rest of our day was snow free. EJ took the next two leads as well up varied low fifth class terrain. I took the next two leads that were low fifth class which got us to the ridge proper. From there EJ took the final two and a half pitches to the summit.

The weather was clear and sunny but we constantly battled 15 m.p.h. winds. The winds were particularly bad on the ridge which made communication very difficult. After soaking up the view for a few minute we wrapped down to the ground and trudged back to the trailhead.

This will most likely be my last climb in Colorado for the next several months. I will have plenty to keep me busy with a new job, a move and my new born son but I’m glad I got to share a few minutes with EJ atop one of the best climbs in Boulder before I left.

EJ at the Base of the Route

EJ Leads the Last Pitch on the Arete

Wes Leads the Fifth Pitch

Wes & EJ

EJ Leads the Second Pitch

Our Route Goes Up the Center of This Face

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