On Saturday a few of us got out to a new (for me) area of Eldo, Cadillac Crag. Cadillac is in the far west side of Eldo, just uphill from Rincon Wall. The day was well worth the long hike.
High up in Eldo, the view from Cadillac Crag
The three 150 foot V shaped fins of Cadillac point North, which ensures the east facing walls get sun in the morning while the west facing walls bask in the afternoon. These V structures result in some interesting climbing. The narrow dihedrals host easier crack climbs, including the popular V3, a beautiful line Ryan and Lindsay took advantage of. Bring a couple #4 cams for the top! The faces are littered with formidable slab and thin face climbs, as well as a few splitter crack gems, including Deviant and Gonzo.
Jamming up Deviant. The crack to the right is pitch two of Gonzo
Because most routes at Cadillac are single pitch 130+ foot lines, climbers belay from the top and walk off, adding a nice little element of adventure. The highlight of my day was attempting Untitled, a desperate line up an amazing black wall. I stuck several moves on which I thought I was peeling and fell twice on moves I thought I might stick. After clipping the last bolt, a nice little runout on 5.10 terrain awaits to keep your attention. Now I’m excited to have something to work on in a beautiful area that should get summer shade.
Lindsay enjoying the sun after a mean case of the screaming barfies
I have yet to find a better place for the combination of moderate trad lines and harder face climbs. I’m looking forward to visiting Cadillac again soon. During long summer days, cruising over to Rincon for a route or two before hiking down could make for a perfect trip.
So- you’re saying that after blowing away the competition at the BRC on Friday night, you got up the next morning and nailed some Eldo trad… slow down Adam- you’re making the rest of us look bad! =)