Cosmosis

This is one of Boulder Canyon's best moderate routes, although a new guidebook gives the route 5.10a--watch your definition of moderate. Most people do the first pitch and then rappel (one rope) from 2 new bolts.

Bell Buttress is split by a large chimney. The left half offers several right-facing corners; Cosmosis is the large right-facing corner, about 70 feet high, which overhangs at the top. Shortly right of it, the wall bends inward to the large chimney. The second (or third) pitch finishes in a large, left-facing corner above. The route is further identified by the beautiful bolted arete just to its left -

Verve

• though there are a lot of bolts on this cliff.

It should be easy to cross the river on a huge tree that lies across it. Cosmosis is directly above, but broken 5th class bars access to the start. Go left on a path, then back right when feasible up a ramp that leads to the ledge going under the base of the route.

The crux is the thin bottom section (site of a small, chalked up flake), solved with interesting stemming. More excellent stemming lead to the beautiful hand crack finale. Belay from bolts just above the corner.

Eds. Do not think of

The Route That Dan Missed

as a reasonable alternative finish. It does not have bolts!

Rappel, or continue up a crack, up easy but unprotected face, and then back right into a large, left-facing corner to the top-- a very long pitch, rated 5.7-5.9 depending on where you go. Descend SW and then go down when feasible. Or look for rappel anchors east of the finish. Rappel from there, bypasses another set about 50' down and far left. Find a somewhat hidden intermediate station about 80' down. From there, rap to the trail.

Bring a standard rack to a #3 Friend. Maybe a couple RPs for the start.