Route Name: Primate (5.13b)

Application Status:

Application Cycle: 2017

Rock Formation: Seal Rock

Number of lead bolts to be placed: 6

Number of anchor bolts to be placed:

Route Difficulty:5.13

Route Diagrams:

Not provided

Proposed Route:

Primate (FA, Matt Samet) is a mixed bolt-and-gear lead on the south face of Seal Rock. It was originally done as a gear lead, headpoint-style, with the gear pre-placed. This was in the era when bolting was banned in the Flatirons, so it was either toprope or headpoint or move on. Thanks to the Flatirons Climbing Council, OSMP, and the hard work and lobbying by Flatirons climbers, Seal Rock's south face opened to bolting in 2012. This route was applied for and approved through the Fixed Hardware Review Committee of the FCC, and has since had bolts added to it to make it a more approachable lead.

 

Name Meaning:

Not provided

 

Existing Route Information

Some people have pointed out that they'd be more likely to do this route if it was "all bolts," but that's simply not going to happen. An informal (for now) FCC agreement with OSMP, modeled after the Action Committee for Eldorado's FRHC review process, stipulates that natural gear be used where possible, and there are safe and logical gear placements on this climb in places; therefore the route would not have been approved as an all-bolt climb—the application would not have passed FHRC vetting much less OSMP's final approval. I've heard of some people starting on Choose Life/Thunder Muscle and cutting in, but that only creates more traffic jamming on the one bolted start.

Existing Route Diagrams

 

 

 

A description of the approach (include approximate distance from the designated trail system, existing “social” or undesignated trails leading to the climb and condition of the trail, and state whether there is a durable surface, such as rock.

Not provided

 

 

 

If different from the approach, a description of the descent, (include approximate distance from the designated trail system, existing “social” or undesignated trails, a description of the trail condition and whether there is a durable surface, such as rock. Include photographs of the descent.):

Not provided

A description of the area at the base of the climb (include existing levels of soil compaction, existence of a durable surface such as rock, and existing soil erosion. Include photographs of the area at the base of the climb.):

 

Not provided

 

 

Has all reconnaissance work that can be reasonably done, short of placing any hardware, been done?

Base Area Photos

Has the route been top roped? Is there loose rock? Is it extremely overhanging?

Not provided

Any additional notes:

Six bolts plus supplemental slings, stoppers/RPs, and cams in the finger and hand sizes. Doubles of #1 and #2 are probably useful. I would recommend instead, if you actually want to climb Primate, that you bring a light rack and climb the original line, which has a lot of great climbing in its first half and will only get cleaner with traffic. It is fun, pumpy 12- on huecos and crimps through here and is very good climbing. Surely if you can climb 5.13 on bolts, some 11+/12- on a couple cams is in your wheelhouse? --- Additional (unmatched) --- And also, you're not climbing Primate; you're just linking shit up, which is lame.