Buffalo Soldiers

This excellent climb tackles the right side of the Buffalo Wall in six challenging pitches. Along with the Rainbow Wall and the Black Velvet Wall, the Buffalo Wall is the third great wall in Red Rocks, and although it is the smallest of the three, it is easily the most committing and intimidating. Likewise, Buffalo Soldiers, though "only" 5.12, is a route with both difficult climbing and a few serious sections. The FFA was done with top-down rehearsal, but I believe attempting the route ground-up is not an insane proposition.The climbing is great and the location is stunning, but there's plenty of soft rock, fragile holds, and some loose blocks up there: Don't check your technique at the door and crank your way up this thing lest you destroy the climb or hurt someone. On that note, a helmet might be a good idea. Climb gets morning sun and afternoon shade, a good cold-weather outing.Begin on the right side of the wall on a nice, level, polished ledge system below a short left-facing corner with a thin crack.P1 (5.12a, 150'): Lieback up a short left-facing corner, then face climb more easily out left and then back right again. The beautiful varnished corner above is the crux: Typical Red Rocks trickery. You can stare it down as long as you want before you press go. Belay at a good stance.P2 (5.12b, 120'): Continue up the beautiful corner: A hard move off the belay leads to some easier climbing and then another typical, tricky Red Rocks crux. Above, at a fixed hex, move left across a face and work towards another varnished corner, this time right-facing. Good route finding is essential here: The original aid line climbed this corner following a string of old 1/4" bolts and rivets. Do not go this way! Instead, before reaching the corner, work back right around a roof and launch upwards via an intimidating runout on perfect varnish. Eventually you will move left again and back onto the aid line which leads to a small but comfortable belay ledge.P3 (5.11a, 150'): Move left from the belay, then up via some thin cracks to a gaping offwidth. Follow this for 100' then move back right to a great belay ledge. Without large cams this pitch has some run outs on easier ground.P4 (5.12c, 140'): Begin by stepping right off the belay and tip-toe up some fragile rock to a large ledge. From the ledge climb up into a left-facing corner and through a wide section passing a toaster-size chockstone. Be very careful with this - it is slung for pro and provides for a good rest but it may not be able to stand up to repeated abuse. Continue upwards with commitment to a devious stemming boulder problem (about V4) on fragile holds to a marginal rest under a roof. Immediately enter another, extended boulder problem (V5?) pulling the roof onto an initially desperate but gradually easing slab. Finish by crawling rightwards to a belay on a long, narrow ledge. The crux section of this pitch is complex, technically demanding and brilliant.P5 (5.12b, 100'): Move the belay to the right end of the ledge and climb past a fragile white flake to gain a left-facing, left-leaning corner. This strenuous Indian Creek-style pitch gets harder as it thins until you can make an heroic reach to a jug. Cop a rest and continue more easily up featured rock to another great belay ledge. The original route ended here: It is possible to scramble off to the right if necessary.P6 (5.11b, 80'): This new addition to the route ascends the exposed headwall directly above the belay - highly recommended! Aiming for twin black streaks, face climb up a slightly overhanging wall that seems straight out of the Sandstone Quarry and culminates in a dramatic top out to one of the nicest "summits" in all of Red Rocks.Rap the route with 2x ropes or walk down to Rocky Gap Road.

Approach from Icebox Canyon or rap in via an approach from Rocky Gap Road. Right side of the Buffalo Wall. Look for a series of discontinuous, but obvious, left-facing corners.

2x 0.2 Camalot/Blue Alien to #1 Camalot 1x #2, #3 Camalot (if you are OK with wide cracks and run outs*) A set of DMM brass/aluminum offsets

(*)If you are not OK with wide cracks - and especially run outs - you probably shouldn't attempt this route... but a single #4 and #5 Camalot could protect some of the wide sections.