I wanted to submit this here mostly because it is the first time the 53 Classics have been completed in winter, as far as I know. I expect the 53 Classics will be done MUCH faster as early as next fall (note that 20 of these climbs are closed for nesting raptors Feb 1 - July 31).
After doing Roach's Top 10 Flatirons climbs in 11h27m on 1/4/2020, I decided to try to get the rest of the Classics done in January. I tried to take advantage of the dry weather in early Jan, but life intervened some days. We had a string of mild (generally below 40 degrees while I was climbing), dry days mid-month, and I was able to get out each day and finish off all the climbs. One thing I learned is that even on a cool morning the rocks are warm pretty early if there is strong Sun. On the 11th when I topped out on the Seal it was 28 degrees at NCAR, but climbing w/o gloves was OK. But, each day at 1pm the Sun goes off the rocks and it was immediately cold. All climbs were done alone. I did the following linkups for this project.
Jan 04: First Flatiron (Direct EF), Third Flatiron (Standard EF & Friday's Folly), Green Mtn Pinnacle (West Chimney), Stairway to Heaven, Backporch, Fatiron, Maiden (NF), Matron (EF & NF), Pellaea [Roach's Top 10, plus the Matron EF], 11h27m from Chautauqua
Jan 08: Fiddlehead, Onoclea, The Slab (Diagonal), Central Shanahan Crag (SE Ridge & SF), Tiny Tower, 3h46m from Cragmoor
Jan 11: Seal Rock (EF S Side), S Dinosaur Egg (Hatch), N Dinosaur Egg (Rehatch), Der Freischutz (SE Ridge & Free Shot), Fi, Fo, Dinosaur Rock, 4h15m from Chautauqua
Jan 12: T-0, First Pinnacle, West Bench (The Slot), Second Pinnacle, The Spy, First Flatiron (N Arete & Baker's Way), Second Flatiron (Freeway & Dodge Block), Sunsette Flatironette, Third Flatiron (EF S Side & Winky Woo), W.C. Fields Pinnacle, Queen Anne's Head, Hillbilly Rock, Tomato Rock, 6h25m from Chautauqua
Jan 13: Morning After, Challenger, Hammerhead, Fourth Flatiron, Fifth Flatiron (EF N Side & EF S Side), Regency, 4h15m from Chautauqua
Jan 14: Satan's Slab, Angel's Way, Achaean Pronouncement, Rainbow, Frontporch, 3h29m from NCAR
Comments
Well now,
Way to get out after it yourself!!!