Hardwear Sessions

By Mountain Hardwear Climber/Mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer

In November, I finally got the chance to climb Eldorado Canyon's Naked Edge, one of my hardest climbs so far. I teamed up with Brady Robinson, the Executive Director of the Access Fund, who led most of the route. Charley Mace also joined us. He is my longtime climbing partner and Everest teammate who climbed above, shouting directions to vital holds I needed to find with my scanning hands. This spectacular route follows the sharp vertical prow of the 700-foot Redgarden Wall.

The Naked Edge Route | Photo by Kris Gorney

The Naked Edge was first climbed in 1962 by the legendary Layton Kor and Bob Culp--at the time a major achievement in North American climbing. It took nearly a decade for two climbers, Jim Erickson and Duncan Ferguson, to ascend the route completely free (just using the rock). Since then, it has become an icon in the climbing world and the "Edge" remains a test of skill, technique and endurance.

It was over a beer when Brady asked me if I wanted to climb it with him. I felt that familiar knot in my stomach from nervous anticipation. The Naked Edge is something I have dreamed about for a long time. It's just up the road from my house and is definitely on the list for any serious climber. There has always been a part of me that has felt I wasn't ready and that I wasn't in good enough shape but some times you have to reach out and take the challenge.

The excitement begins on the first pitch, a classic 5.11a finger crack in a shallow corner. I climbed the lower part without any problem. At the crux, I struggled to find the tricky footholds on the face and finger holds in the crack so I just punched it for the anchors. I almost made it but fell right near the top.

Erik's first pitch, a classic 5.11a finger crack. | Photo by Cedar Wright

The fourth pitch is where things really start to heat up. Almost immediately it requires five or six very technical moves to a challenging "bomb-bay" chimney, which is narrow at the top and widens at the bottom to a huge void. Brady belayed from above and Charley belayed from below to prevent me from swinging into space. As always, I didn't climb it the easiest way. I had to lock off on slopey crimpers with one hand as I urgently scanned for the next hold with my other. I can't see anything above me in order to map out my route, so for me, it's one reach at a time. On a big overhang like this, I only have so much strength. Thus there came a point when I decided to go for it and use whatever I found the quickest. I fell about eight feet before the anchor but surprised myself how far I got.

The fifth pitch strikes fear into the hearts of climbers. It started out with intricate moves traversing directly right. Similar to the last pitch, a fall here would swing me far into space. Stepping around a corner, I was soon faced with an overhanging, slippery, and flaired crack that was a little bigger than my fist. I knew I wasn't finding the small key foot holds so I just jammed my feet and fists in and climbed the crack straight on. I fell a couple times on this section and felt this was definitely the crux of the route.

The fifth pitch strikes fear into the hearts of climbers. | Photo by Cedar Wright

With the hardest climbing out of the way, I took over the "sharp end of the rope" and led the final pitch to the summit. Leading is the most difficult and dangerous part of climbing, where a fall means more serious consequences. As nerve wracking as it is climbing high above your anchors, 700 feet off the ground with a river roaring far below, there is the true sense of adventure that has always excited me.

Erik, Charley Mace and Brady Robinson at the top of the Naked Edge. | Photo by Charley Mace

After the video made by Cedar Wright was posted on the Internet, online forums such as Rockclimbing.com (Click here to add to the climbing discussion) and SuperTopo.com (Click here to add to the climbing discussion) were filled with comments of congratulations. There were even some words of praise from Veteran Naked Edge climbers. Well-known writer Dougald MacDonald labeled the ascent a contender for "Rock Climbing Feat of the Year."

So far, the video has been viewed almost 10,000 times in just a couple of weeks. The story was even picked up by the Huffington Post. Click here to view Mountain Hardwear Facebook discussions.

Check out the fantastic video of the climb:

Equally amazing is the fact that this climb was nearly destroyed only a few years after its first free ascent. In the late 1970's the owners of Eldorado Canyon were on the verge of selling the entire valley to a gravel company that hoped to turn it into a quarry. A community uproar led to the purchase of the land and the creation of Eldorado Canyon State Park.

One goal of my Naked Edge ascent was to bring attention to the Access Fund, a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to preserving climbing areas around the nation. Supported entirely by memberships and donations, they purchase land, build trails, and restore habitat so climbers and nature lovers can continue to enjoy our national treasures. I think it's the responsibility of every climber to become a member. I hope you will watch the dramatic video of the ascent and get inspired to become a member of the Access Fund. This is my challenge to all those who love our open spaces.

View December 18th Hardwear Sessions blog post, Erik Weihenmayer Climbs the Naked Edge in Eldorado Canyon, CO, for Erik's favorite Mountain Hardwear gear.