"Join The Party in Boulder Canyon offers a focused 100-foot trad climb with deliberate crack jams and two technical cruxes. Perfect for trad climbers looking to engage slick quartz holds and test their gear placements on a well-protected 5.9- route."
Join The Party stands as a compelling test for trad climbers seeking a blend of technical crack climbing and calculated cruxes tucked in the rugged contours of Boulder Canyon. Launching from the base near a small Mountain Maple tree, the route immediately calls for precise footwork and confident gear placement as you slip into a corner crack system. The climb unfolds through a sequence of jam-friendly cracks that sharpen your technique and reward with solid pro placements, leading to a steep flake that demands a committed jam and pinch move to surmount the first significant crux. This section is where the rock’s character changes—a pulse-raising challenge balanced by the reliability of quartz holds beyond.
After about 70 feet, a bulge appears on the route, testing your route-finding: venture right through a trickier, gear-sparse zone, or move left where a wider crack accepts 3-inch cams more generously. Reaching a small ledge around 85 feet, you’ll spot a pine tree anchored with a sling—a reassuring mid-route point that invites a gear check or gear placement adjustment. Beyond lies a second crux on clean quartz holds, demanding steady hands and good judgment to navigate up and past another ledge equipped with fixed bolts and rappel anchors.
The descent from Join The Party is straightforward but requires a 60-meter rope to rappel the full 98 feet back to the base. Noteworthy is the presence of two bolts atop the route—installed with safety in mind due to loose rock above—as well as an alternate escape if retreat becomes necessary. For climbers eager to push their adventure further, the top anchors open access to adjacent lines such as Fields of Gold and Workingman’s Blues, extending the climbing day within this storied canyon.
Situated in the wild heart of Boulder Canyon, this climb offers a striking balance of exposure and accessibility, with a well-trafficked trail leading to its approach and a terrain mix of granite flakes and crack systems to keep hands busy. Climbers are encouraged to come prepared with a standard rack, including doubled cams for the more delicate sizing zones, to ensure reliable protection throughout. The route’s moderate length and single-pitch structure pack a rich variety of moves into each vertical foot, making it a challenging yet manageable outing for experienced 5.9- climbers seeking to sharpen their crack game in an iconic Colorado setting.
Exercise caution around the upper section where loose rock is present above the fixed bolts. Plan to rely on the two-bolt rap anchors rather than pushing beyond the established top. Also, the pine tree sling makes a good intermediate anchor but verify its condition before weighting.
Approach starts near a small Mountain Maple tree—look for it to find your base.
Bring a 60m rope to ensure a full rappel from the top bolts.
Be prepared to choose your crux path at the bulge—right is harder with fewer placements, left is easier but requires larger cams.
Check the sling on the medium-sized pine tree on the ledge for a solid anchor point mid-route.
A standard trad rack covers the gear needs here, but doubling up certain cam sizes between 'hands' to 'thin hands' is wise to avoid being left without protection during the crux sections.
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