The Stoop

The Flute

Sea Bird

East Face South Side

Love Wins

I Am The Walrus

Primate

Sea of Joy

Nattiq

Jade Gate

Archaeopteryx

Choose Muscle

Thunder Muscle

No Philter

The Yellow Door

The Perfect Storm

The Hinge

East Face North Side/Seal Rock

The Gruffalo

Storm Bird

Super Tuscan

Supercell

Choose Life

Pit of Despair (pitch 1)

Shortcut (East Face)

Southwest Face

Misbehaven

"Super Tuscan" is located about 50 feet up and left from "I am the Walrus". The start of the route is easy to identify by a narrow passage between boulders. There is a big hole connecting to a cave below directly under the route - because of that, the first bolt is placed high for safety, and it is expected that it will be clipped by a stick to avoid potential unpleasant decking on unleveled rocky base. However, there is plenty of leveled space for belayer and rope.

The route is a pumpfest! It will keep you awake from the very first move to the very last. It crosses bands of colorful rock of different kinds - a true blend of what Flatirons are best known for. Super Tuscan name stands for the perfect blend of grapes that winemakers in Tuscany use to make a dope (and super expensive) wine that is off typical regional denominations. The name reflects the perfection of mixed colors and ... friendship with my buddy Curt (professional sommelier) with whom I "discovered" this line. I hope you discover the taste of both Super Tuscans - wine and the route.

There are no very hard single moves, no harder than V4/5 (maybe just a bit reachy for shorter folks), but it is all about endurance, there are only two or three good shakes and one good rest.

Stick clip the first (and second) bolt, and find an undercling/pinch (I used a small crystal, but I am 5.10, shorted folks may want something a bit higher) to reach to a pinch...from there, just fish for any hold you can find...some moves are puzzling.

Without revealing much beta... first five bolts are on powerful moves with a long reach under the roof section, above the roof, the rock is made of sandy stone, I did my best to keep the holds stay. There is a long move on that section from a LH crimp-undercling to a big, diagonal hueco. If you are less than 5'9", look for a different sequence to the right with an awkward, inverted, RH gaston. Above that middle, lighter-color section, you will sink your teeth in a delightful, chocolate-brown, Flatirons sandstone. This whole section will blow your mind, and you will thank heavens to find a big pod with a jug for a rest. The section above the rest is made of amazing, granite-like sandstone with occasional crystals that you should grab and savor. Get a lot of rest before that section. If you look to your right, you may see last rays of sunlight reaching Kansas... evenings, sunsets are incredible on this rock from this height. The very last move is reachy, you will need to figure out the sequence from a "fin" to a hidden hold just above the edge of the wall.

Huge, huge thanks to my buddy Colton McEntee who helped me to clean the holds and figure out sequences - he helped me so much that I feel that he is the co-author of this route.

A 70m rope is a mandatory. There are 18 bolts and an anchor with chains and steel biners.

Enjoy Super Tuscan! Cincin! Na zdrowie!

Beginning in the mid 1980s, the relationship between climbers and the land manager of the open space containing the Flatirons deteriorated to the point where a complete bolting ban was imposed. This ban epitomized the lack of dialogue between climbers as a user group of the Flatirons and the City of Boulder’s land manager, Open Space Mountain Parks (OSMP). As a result, new route development in the Flatirons came to a standstill, and climbers felt disenfranchised from a beloved climbing venue. In 1997, a group of climbers/activists began brainstorming meetings to determine how best to address this impasse. To address the concerns of OSMP regarding the impacts climbers have in the Flatirons, this group set out to demonstrate that climbers are not just users of the Flatirons, but also stewards. Sponsoring trail and restoration projects, educational outreach efforts, and attending numerous OSMP sponsored community gatherings, these climber/activists (eventually incorporated as the Flatirons Climbing Council [FCC]) slowly but surely built a relationship with OSMP based upon trust and open communication.

Description

Routes in Seal Rock