5 Spires linkup

We're 1-for-3 on attempts at 5-spire linkups. Rocky Mountain National Park was a success, while Cathedral Spires Ridge and Castle Valley resulted in 3 spires each. However, those failures just inspired future attempts, with more daylight and better logistical knowledge of the terrain.

Last week Scott Bennett and I tried the Cathedral Ridge 5-tower linkup (Cynical Pinnacle, Poe Buttress, Sunshine Wall, The Dome, The Bishop). Just 2 weeks out from the year's shortest day, we didn't have time to fit them all in, but I know I want to try again.

Here's a movie Scott made about our day.

• Wunsch's Dihedral (I lead the .11d/.12a finger crack, Scott linked the overhanging hands and subsequent fingers corner in one 66m lead)
• Mississippi Half Step (2 pitches, 5.11d, perhaps the Platte's best climb of this length)
• Regular Route on Sunshine Wall (5.11a) - 5 STELLAR pitches, from overhanging cracks to runout face
• Equinox Roof on Sunshine Wall - First two pitches (5.10) linked as one

Another 5-spire linkup that would be fun: Liberty Bell, Concord Tower, Lexington Tower, North Early Winter, South Early Winter.

There must be others, but those are really the only ones I can think of.


Nuts and Bolts:

1x70m rope
1x #3 Camalot
1x #2 Camalot
2x Green Alien to #1 Camalot
1x hefty set of wires
 2 pairs of shoes for me (crack climbing ones for wunsch's, face climbing for Half Step)
Days are SHORT in early Jan!