Tri Tip

Tri Tip is an amazing line up natural features that are atypical of Red Rocks: cracks, corners, and funk. Wait, that kinda sounds like Red Rocks... but it sorta feels a bit more granite-esque, if you know what I mean. Every pitch is long, challenging, and each has moments that range between head's up and downright gripping depending on your tolerance for such things. This is a great climb, but probably not one to hop on off the couch.Begin 100' right of the start of Epinephrine.  

P1, P2, P3: As for Texas Hold 'Em. Scramble 50' up and left across 5.0 ledges just left of a huge, hanging left-facing dihedral high above. Optional Belay on a large ledge with lots of bushes, otherwise: scramble left through the bushes to a small left-facing corner, up this and then traverse back right across a slab to a higher, small, left-facing corner/arete. Up this, passing a bolt, and continue more easily to a great belay ledge with bolted anchor. 130' to this point and a good place to stop and belay. Or, with an 80m rope, continue. From here, head up the slab above, then diagonal rightwards across the slab (#2 or #3 Camalots in horizontals) until reaching the previously mentioned huge, hanging left-facing dihedral just above a tree. Climb this to near it's top where there is a bolt up and left and another one up and right (the righthand one is situated above a shelf). Either way goes, but I find the righthand variation both easier and more direct. Belay just above at a good ledge with a bolted anchor. 260' to this point. Continue up the left-facing corner right of the belay to a huge, bushy terrace. Cut right through the bushes and belay on gear below a water-polished groove/crack feature at the right end of the terrace. 400' to this point and most of the climbing on these pitches checks in at 5.8.P4 (5.8): Also the same as Texas Hold 'Em, climb the water-polished groove up and left, taking either a slot or a handcrack and stopping at the first set of bolted anchors.P5 (5.11d R/X): An amazing pitch. Move right and climb the left side of a 50’ tall teetering pillar, never really knowing if any gear placed behind it will hold or will rip the whole thing off the wall taking you with it. Above, gain a shallow, short left facing corner with some more inspiring, but not amazing, gear. At the top of the corner, climb up the face (DFU territory) to a final terrifying move left to gain the bottom of a striking long, leaning flake system. Climb for 40’ and transition right to a second flake system. Near the top, difficult and runout moves up to and leftwards under a roof leads to a bolted belay. On the FA this pitch was headpointed: It has not, to my knowledge, seen a ground-up ascent. It is the lower stretch that could result in a life-altering or -ending fall from 5.11 terrain, but the finish is also a bit spicy. For better or worse the lower dangers can be avoided by extending the fourth pitch past the anchor and continuing up and left to a higher anchor to belay, then by climbing the crux of Yellow Rose of Texas up and right into the base of the aforementioned striking long, leaning flake system. This is an enjoyable but inferior variation that adds a stretch of well-protected 5.11 slab and deletes the super gnarly but excellent start.P6 (5.11c PG13/R): Climb the corner above to a roof system and alcove rest. Arrange a nest of so-so pro here and gain a right-leaning seam/ramp which is followed (scary) to easier ground and a bolted belay.P7 (5.11d PG13): Climb a corner up into a chimney, then head out left and up to a tight corner. Very difficult climbing. Cut up and right on easier ground to a chain anchor. This pitch is lower quality and a bit awkward but for full credit you've got to do it. Rap Tri Tip or The Shuffle with two ropes or a single 80 with some shenanigans. 

Begin 100' right of the start of Epinephrine as per Texas Hold 'Em.

A fairly large rack for Red Rocks. At least doubles from small to #2, with a single #3, #4 and #5. Possibly triples in fingers to tight hands. A set of stoppers including offsets.