"Heidi Hi offers a tight 50-foot trad climb on Industrial Buttress’s north face, perfect for climbers refining their crack skills. With a mix of delicate gear placements and a scrambling finish, this route strikes a balance between technical challenge and approachable fun."
Heidi Hi is a focused trad route carved into the rugged north face of Industrial Buttress, on Golden’s North Table Mountain cliffs. This single pitch ascent delivers a solid 50 feet of climbing that tests both your route-finding and gear placement skills. The climb starts just to the left of the painted bolt labeled 67, sharing its approach with the popular Politicians, Priests, and Body Bags route. From the ground, you engage a right-facing dihedral familiar to those who know this stretch, but soon veer left to a small ledge before reaching the first bolt.
The core of the climb revolves around a sharp hand crack on a slightly overhanging face that pushes your balance and technique, demanding steady attention as you work upward. A V-shaped slot near the top offers a final scramble to reach the summit, where a bolted anchor awaits. The route’s 5.8 rating is fair but leans toward the challenging side due to sustained climbing without significant rest spots beyond the ledge. This lack of easy stances means gear placement requires careful planning and confidence, especially since medium-sized cams around #1 or #2 Camalots fit best in the crack system. Larger nuts may find holds but are tricky to set securely, emphasizing the need for adaptable protection.
Heidi Hi is less than ideal for top-roping. The line wanders noticeably on the face, making it difficult to set up solid anchor points for a safe TR experience. Yet, despite these peccadillos, the route rewards climbers with engaging movement and a genuine sense of exposure that feels right at home on these coarse Colorado cliffs.
Access to this climb is straightforward from Golden, CO, in the Industrial Buttress area, a well-known climbing hub with distinctive rock formations that shape the North Table Mountain landscape. At approximately 39.7686 latitude and -105.21875 longitude, the approach trail is firm but uneven terrain demands solid footwear. Timing your climb in the late spring through early fall is best to avoid snow or wet rock, which can make the slabby sections slick and hazardous. Morning ascents bring manageable temperatures with shaded start zones, while afternoon sun warms the upper face, making for a comfortable finish.
Climbing Heidi Hi calls for attention to detail—long slings are essential to manage rope drag given the route’s wandering nature. Your rack should lean heavily on medium cams, complemented by smaller sizes for the tricky placements near the bottom. The fixed belay bolts at the summit provide dependable security for descent. After topping out, a careful rappel is the preferred method down, so bring your rappel device and double-check anchor integrity before committing.
In short, Heidi Hi is a worthy goal for trad climbers seeking an approachable yet engaging single pitch in the Golden area. The climb combines technical crack climbing, subtle face moves, and a ledge-exiting scramble that together provide a satisfying climb for those comfortable with gear placements and a bit of route-finding adventure. Whether you’re sharpening your crack skills or adding a solid 5.8 to your logbook, Heidi Hi stands as a fine example of Colorado’s industrial charm meeting climbing craft.
Beware of limited resting spots on the upper face and tricky gear placements that demand secure, confident cam placements. The rock here is solid but can be sharp and unforgiving; approach with caution on cool or wet days to avoid slips. Rappel anchor is bolted but verify your setup before descent.
Approach trail can be uneven; wear sturdy shoes with good grip.
Avoid top-roping due to route wandering and difficult anchor setup.
Plan to climb in dry weather; slick rock increases risk, especially on overhanging sections.
Use long slings to reduce rope drag on the wandering line.
Several medium cams (#1 and #2 Camalots preferred), smaller cams for tricky placements near the bottom, longer slings to manage rope drag due to route wandering, bolted anchor at the top.
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