27 May 2023
To round out my road trip from Montana to New Mexico, I stopped in Boulder to visit my friends, Evan and Erica. Having recently purchased a truck and hefty fifth wheel, they were starting their own transition from normal working life to living on the road. I was stoked to catch them in their final days of living in Boulder, CO.
Evan is a big rock climber, having competed in sport climbing ever since he was a little monkey (or little ape, as he would rightly point out). To kick off his first day of a new lifestyle, Evan invited me to climb the Second Flatiron with him. To those familiar with Colorado’s front range geology, Boulder’s flatirons are the same formation as Red Rocks Ampitheater, Roxborogh State Park, and Garden of the Gods. This sandstone conglomerate was the bedrock before the Rocky Mountains were thrust upward 35-80 million years ago. These slabs rest on the foothills at a rakish angle, with mountains to the west and plains to the east.
The Freeway route on the Second Flatiron is graded Class 5.0. Convention says that the exposure in 5th class terrain is consequential enough that ropes are necessary to prevent a serious accident. That said, a grade of 5.0 is considered “easy” climbing, perhaps even scrambling, and a fall is very unlikely. As such, most people climb the Second Flatiron unroped, or “free solo” the climb, which is the style Evan and I chose to do this route.
It was a gorgeous Saturday in Boulder. Approximately half the city was out to hike and climb around the Flatirons. We jogged through the crowds and made quick work of the trail to the base of our climb.
We changed from running shoes to climbing shoes while watching a couple of parties start up the Second Flatiron ahead of us. A party of four started up the middle of the slab, which looked fairly steep and blank. Evan guided my to the right up an easy crack and boulder system. One girl the other party began having a panic attack. We could only wish them luck as we cruised past on our easy route.
Generally, the slab is around 35-40°, quite far from vertical. Much of the way felt like climbing a steep staircase, with awesome pockets for footholds, and plenty of texture for handholds. Only two or three spots felt tricky to me, like switching feet on a smaller foothold, or finding a good handhold on an exposed bulge. It was fairly easy to maintain three points of contact throughout the climb.
Generally, facing the rock and focusing on climbing allowed me to fend off any fear. Looking back down the slab definitely made clear the seriousness of our position as we climbed higher. The adrenaline was pumping, but I never felt scared.
Evan and I were having a blast! The climbing was super fun and easy, but one more obstacle lay ahead. The climax of the Second Flatiron is called “The Diving Board“. One slab ends about five or six feet above the next slab beneath it. The climber must jump off a narrow point to land on the ground below. While it is possible to avoid the diving board entirely, it is also possible to live an entirely boring life.
Like most boys, I spent many days of my childhood jumping off of things with my friends – high walls next to staircases, a single story garage, etc. The drop in front of me was totally doable, but walking the proverbial plank took some time to get comfortable. I took the leap of faith, landing on my feet, and slowing my fall on all fours. It was an exhilarating finish!
Evan and I switched back to running shoes and scampered down the trail back to the car. Freeway was an awesome climb, made all the better by awesome company! While the climbing was easy for me, I’m not sure I would have attempted this route without someone who had prior experience. Having Evan’s cool confidence to guide me up the slab was a real treat. I don’t see myself free soloing much in the future, certainly nothing harder than this, but this climb was a fun way to experience some low 5th class climbing, which will surely come in handy as I push my climbing aspirations ever higher.
Distance Over Time 
