SoCo CRAG’s Winter Meeting will be held Tuesday, Dec 13th, 2011. We will meet at East Coast Pizza on Hwy 50 for dinner, drinks and talk of rock and ice at 6pm. I look forward to celebrating our past year’s accomplishments as well as hearing your ideas for projects in the coming year.
Bring a friend,
Ben Bruestle
Pueblo, CO
719-924-4297
Ben Bruestle was recently awarded the ARI Equipper of the Year by the Editors of Climbing Magazine for his hard work and dedication to this important project. The award included a prize package from ARI’s partners The North Face, Petzl, and Blue Water Ropes as well as a feature in the Climbing Magazine ARI commercial http://www.climbing.com/photo-video/av/ari_equipper_of_the_year/
Sunday morning, September 18, rangers and local climbers joined forces for the Wet Mountain Adopt-a-Crag. The day began with the 3-mile-long drive down the rocky, dirt FR 320 deep into the Wet Mountains. SoCo CRAG and the Pueblo YMCA climbing wall had a strong showing. The willingness and eagerness of the volunteers was outstanding.
The first order of business at the #1320 trailhead was handing out the official 2011 SoCo CRAG/Adopt-a-Crag t-shirts that were generously donated by Chipopachui.
Then, after a brief introduction by myself and the Forest Service we were off to work. We all headed down the trail brushing overgrown scrub oak as well as cleaning and creating waterbars.
Halfway down the San Carlos Trail to the St. Charles River brushing and clearing the main trail, it was time for nutrients. James Lopez busted out a late lunch. He had donated delicious turkey, veggie, and Italian “Taste of Philly” wraps as well as chips, granola bars and chilled bottled water. Thanks James.
With our energy renewed, everyone was back to work helping to mitigate water drainage and erosion on the main trail leading to the crag. I made sure everyone got Access Fund and Chipopachui stickers. Everyone went home with Chipopachui and Access Fund goodies.
After the trail had been brushed and waterbarred all the way down to the rivercrossing, the anchors on the slabs of Goliath Gorge were the next objective. We headed downstream to the cliff. All the open coldshuts (rams horns) hangers were replaced with beefy Metolious Rap Hangers donated by James Lopez and a Petzl set donated by the Anchor Replacement Initiative. Anchor hangers were replaced on:
-Phantasm 5.9-
-Fantasia 5.10c
-Surf Colorado 5.9
-and the rightmost 5.9
As I finally hiked back up to the trailhead at the end of the day I couldn’t believe all the work that had been completed. We accomplished quite a bit on a half mile of switchbacking trail. I’m sure that everyone is already looking forward to next year.
A huge thanks to everyone that spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon with perfect climbing weather working on trails and anchors instead. A special thanks to the Forest Service (Lake Isabel Trail Crew: Mike, Randy & Cody) for supporting this event from the idea phase through the execution of the event. Thanks also to the Access Fund, James Lopez and Taste of Philly, Matt Buck with Chipopachui, Jason Wilson, Jeremiah Tucker and ARI for all your hard work and support.
The 2nd annual Wet Mountain Adopt-a-Crag at Goliath Gorge was a success.
Ben Bruestle
SoCo CRAG
Pueblo, CO
SoCo CRAG members James Lopez and Holly and Ben Bruestle have been replacing anchors with new ARI-donated gear around the Wet Mountains.
Here is our ongoing list:
(Route, Cliff)
Newlin Creek
True Grit, Creek Side, – belay station at top of second pitch
Bam Bam, Wild Side – anchor at top of first and second pitch
KC, Wild Side – anchor at top of first and second pitch
No Vengeance, Days End Wall-new top out anchor May 2012
Unknown, Idlewilde – first four sets of top out anchors on right side of cliff
Hardscrabble
I Did It My Way, Titanic – top out anchor
The Beak, Raven Buttress-new anchors first & second pitches
Tuff Turf, Titanic – top out anchor
Sobriety Check, Titanic – top out anchor
Rapid Falls, Titanic – top out anchor
Torres de Fuegos, Titanic, Hardscrabble – top out anchor
River Lin, Titanic, Hardscrabble-top out anchor
Pot Hole, Titanic, Hardscrabble-top anchor
Ship’s Prowl, Titanic, Hardscrabble, top anchor
Afghanistanian War, Titanic, top anchor
St. Charles Canyon
Phantasm, Goliath Gorge – top out anchor
Fantasia, Goliath Gorge – top out anchor
Surf Colorado, Goliath Gorge – top out anchor
the rightmost route, Goliath Gorge – top out anchor
If you notice a sketchy anchor or one in need of replacement please let us know by email or phone.
SoCo CRAG’s annual Adopt-a-Crag will be held Sunday, September 18, 2011 in partnership with the Access Fund, Anchor Replacement Initiative and the Forest Service. We’ll be working on the trail, cleaning up trash, constructing a low water crossing and replacing anchors in the Goliath Gorge area along the South San Carlos Trail. We’ll meet at the Lake San Isabel Ranger Station at 7:45 am and move to the trailhead from there. Thanks to Matt Buck with Chipopachui for donating volunteer T-shirts and SoCo CRAG member James Lopez with Taste of Philly for donating lunch. Remember to wear pants, closed toe shoes and gloves. Plan on climbing in the afternoon after a morning of trail work. See you there.
San Carlos Trail (#1320)–Drive 6.3 miles north of Rye (or 1.4 miles south from Lake San Isabel) on CO 165 to Robb Road, between Camp Jackson and Lake San Isabel. Turn east on Robb Road and drive 0.5 mile to the intersection with Old San Isabel Road, FR 243. Turn left and go 0.2 miles to San Carlos Road 320. Turn right at the cattle guard; from here you’ll want high clearance or 4 wheel drive to drive the 3 miles to the San Carlos trailhead at the end of the road.
Ben Bruestle
719-924-4297
SoCo CRAG’s Summer Meeting will be held Tuesday, June 14th, 2011. The meeting will warm up at 5:15pm with bouldering on the east wall of Pueblo Zoo. We will relocate to Manhattans Pizza along Hwy 50 for dinner, drinks and the Summer Meeting at 6:30 pm. See you there.
Bring a friend,
Ben Bruestle
Pueblo, CO
719-924-4297
SoCo CRAG’s Spring Meeting will be held March 16th, 2011. The meeting will warm up with bouldering/climbing at the Pueblo YMCA at 5:30pm. We will move to Manhattan’s on Hwy 50 for dinner, drinks and the Spring Meeting at 7pm. I look forward to celebrating our first year as well as hearing your ideas for projects in the coming year.
Bring a friend,
Ben Bruestle
Pueblo, CO
719-924-4297
Call to order and roll call
Approval of previous meeting minutes
Treasurer’s report
Update on progress toward non-profit status and meeting with local lawyer
Update on current access at Beulah bouldering areas
2010 Successes and Accomplishments:
Adopt-a-Crag at Newlin Creek
SoCo CRAG website launched
Met with USFS ranger concerning bolting at Quiet Towers
Spoke with USFS wildlife ranger about possibility of lifting spring/summer climbing ban at Tanner Dome if there are no nesting peregrines by April
Met with Joe Sambaroro from Access Fund about issues at Beulah bouldering areas
SoCo CRAG nationally recognized
Awarded $300 grant by Access Fund
Began replacing anchors at Newlin Creek with donated ARI hardware
Hosted “Disciples of Gill” film at Pueblo YMCA
2011 Current Objectives:
Complete non-profit status
Create waiver for climbing on private land
Continue approaching and working with local landowners for access to classic bouldering and climbing areas
Annual Adopt-a-Crags
Replace and camouflage anchors at Titanic and Newlin Creek
Secure sponsorships from local businesses
Organizational needs of business cards
SoCo CRAG’s next meeting will be held December 9th, 2010. The meeting will warm up with bouldering at the Pueblo YMCA at 6pm. We will move to Manhattan’s Pizza on HWY 50 for dinner and drinks at 7pm. I look forward to sharing our first-year accomplishments as well as hearing your ideas for projects in the coming year.
Bring a friend,
Ben Bruestle
Pueblo, CO
719-924-4297
From the Access Fund website:
Southern Colorado CRAG – Organizational Start-up
A grant was awarded to Southern Colorado CRAG (SoCo CRAG) to help cover start-up costs to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Southern Colorado front range features numerous crags on private property. In their first year, SoCo CRAG has been highly active, improving and establishing positive relationships with landowners to protect threatened areas and to open new access. The organization’s 501(c)(3) status will help with fundraising and future land conservation projects.
accessfund.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=tmL5KhNWLrH&b=4992425&ct=8660323
