Aid Climbs - A4+

(5 Routes) Jump to A0/A1     A2/A3

Kool Aid, 5.10d, A4 
Vogel, P183; Bartlett (HV), P61

Kool Aid

This micro aid climb has fairly sound placements, hard to see fixed stuff, is a bee's dick from the parking lot, and goes so fast that by the time a crowd is starting to form to watch the "aid dork," you'll be topping out and be out of ear shot anyways. And it's more like a A2-, not A4…please! It's a good little practice aid climb, and even though it looks thin and scary from the ground the placements are there and it's not very dicey. Bring some RPs, and I don't think you'll need any iron. Oh yeah, smile for the camera, when all the tourists in the parking lot feel a Kodak moment approaching. 

I think the A4 section went straight up (some long-gone copperhead splats are visible), but now you traverse in from the left and clip a very long string of fixed copperheads.  Hope they hold your blubber.

Perfidious, A4 (more like 2-) 
Vogel, P192; Bartlett (HV), P67

Perfidious

This steep aid climb wants to be a free climb so badly. It's been attempted many times, and I'm not sure if it's even been freed. With TCUs, stoppers, and aid gadgets, this once A4 climb done with pitons is now a pleasant A2- romp, and a casual one at that, especially with a bolt placed at the bottom for the free climbing attempts. It's right in the campground, and has an easy lower off at the end-sort of like the 7-11 convenience store aid climbs for today's rush-rush yuppie El Cap wannabes. No need for the hammer here either.

In summary, it's close by, steep, easy, safe, fun, and has a quick lower off. Hop on it, and it'll go fast, so you can jam off to Starbucks for a frappe or a double double latte, no foam and an over-priced dry chocolate covered biscuit. 

UPDATE (September 03):  There are now 3 bolts next to the crack...hmmm.

 

A Bolt, A Bushier, and a Bold Mantle, 5.8, A4 
A Bolt, A BashieVogel, P223; Bartlett (HV), P94 

This climb can be ascended on almost entirely fixed gear. This doesn't mean that the climb is a piece of cake. Three fixed pieces are old, small copperheads in a seam channeled out with a chisel, on overhanging rock, with a bunch in a row. Who knows how much weight they would hold, or if one pulled, would they all zipper? Up higher there are one or possibly 2 hook moves, and at the very top is a hard to see ¼" button head bolt without a hanger.

This is probably a dangerous climb and a tribute to the brass and huevos of a young Charles Cole on a snowy day with nothing else to do.

If you want to risk your life on the lead, be my guest. If you want to be a pussy, you can set up a top rope and still do a "lead" of the thing; have your belayed give you a lot of slack just to keep you honest. You can mark off this climb and not stare the grim reaper in the face during your ascent.

Lost Lid, 5.9, A4 
Vogel, P361; Bartlett (Central), P74

2 Beaver Boulder Routes

This and RURP Romp are the whipping boys of aid climbs in the park. Over climbed, beat out, lots of fixed junk, these ugly stepsisters are still sort of cool, in an industrial, vandalistic, unsound way. The Lost Lid is easier, safer, and doesn't have a nasty landing like RURP Romp. The start, which didn't have much to begin with, is now hopelessly trashed, but a bat hook hole now saves the day. Both routes are nearly all fixed. Go eyeball 'em and see what, if anything, is needed.

These two close to the road bang ups have been popular practice aid climbs for decades.

On the roadside is a small bolt aid ladder, which gets one to the top of the Beaver Boulder. Don't forget to check out the small shrine at the base; a tribute to deceased rocker Gram Parsons, who also loved the wild spirits of the park back in the day. 

Cave Corridor Aid Climb, A3/4
Vogel P389-391;Bartlett (Central) P109

Here's Al's description. " This aids up a slanting dike just left of Rejuvenation.. The first pitch ends at 3 blots.. The second pitch has some bolts on it." I've gone and stared at this climb a few times... wondering if I want to aid climb it (looks sort of scary), and also for a possible free climb (with free climbing protection bolts of course...no A4 gear on a free climb..) Anyways... I ended up doing neither.... your turn to go eyeball it.