Dalke Route

Route-finding is vague, protection dicey in places (in fact nearly everywhere) but this is a great line up a proud buttress; actually one of the tallest and best-looking buttresses in the whole RMNP. In addition, this route has a fairly short approach, (you can watch all the bumblies heading up for the Petit Grepon) and best of all a solid southern exposure; you may end up lost and frightened and unable to retreat, but at least you'll be nice and warm.

P1. The first pitch is obvious and easy, up a chimney/crack/slab to a large ledge.

P2-3. The next two pitches are pretty indeterminate but basically take you into the obvious, huge, shallow dihedral/groove way up and right. Check out Rossiter's

High Peaks

book for more details. The climbing on pitch two, as I recall is pretty runout, vertical 5.8 mostly on great jugs (but worryingly above the large belay ledge), requiring some care with navigation (lest you end up on much harder ground). This is like the best of the Petit Grepon climbing, but steeper (and definitely no crowds). Once in the long dihedral, you may expect that there'd be lots of yummy gear in the crack in the back, but alas this is not the case. . . . Luckily the stone is immmaculate. Anyway, follow the dihedral to the top of the huge pillar. Even here the gear is not so easy to find.

P4. From here, various ways tackle the imposing headwall. Apparently one can go straight up. Good luck. I led out to the right, until I gained a ledge about thirty feet away. Very exposed here! A coffin-sized/shaped block sits on this small ledge.

P5. From here, a nice but short crack leads to some loose-looking blocks. Angle rightwards to avoid the blocks (I recall a very welcome #1.5 Friend somewhere here in a slot), and wander upwards (butt-clenching exposure!) upwards to finally pull onto the shoulder.

P6. One more pitch, easy, from here to the real summit.

Six looooong pitches, continuously absorbing, with a serious feel; one of the coolest routes I've done in the Park.

Bring Aliens (or similar), lots of wires including RPs, one or two sets of cams up to 3". Many runners for extending pieces to avoid rope drag, double ropes.