Cragging Report - The Riviera, Boulder Canyon

Type: Single Pitch Sport

Team Members: Jake S., Tyler H.

Location: The Riviera, Boulder Canyon

Routes: Lease Agreement 5.10b, New Lease on Life 5.10a, Topless Etiquette 5.8, Le Nouveau Riche 5.10a

Jake headed up Topless Etiqutte

     Fall is here; The leaves are changing and things are cooling off. Today was an occasion that we could make our way back to a favorite south facing climbing locales without cooking. Before work, I planned to do some climbing with Jake in Boulder Canyon. Our destination was The Riviera, a classic crag containing a host of single-pitch sport and trad climbing routes. We were able to put up many routes, and another bluebird day was ours on the rocks in good ol' Boulder Canyon.

     The Riviera crag was located about seven miles up Boulder Canyon. Bolted routes stretch across the south facing cliff for about two hundred feet. This location is famous for its wide range of routes, ranging from a meager 5.6 all the way to 5.11b. In total, Jake and were able to climb four routes. We warmed up on a 5.8 known as "Topless Etiquette", in which one climbed up a crack system, linking to a broken quartz seam. From there, it passes up through granite jugs to a two-bolt anchor mounted upon a face. We then moved a route over to the more stout "Le Nouveau Riche," a 5.10a. This route passed mainly up a smooth slab, demanding balancy technique. With no footholds to speak of, we had to bear-hug our way on up. Feeling groovy, we moved on down to the end of the wall to hit two more 5.10's. A .10a steep slab-to-jugs clamber called "New Lease on Life" and a 10.b short-but-gnarly lieback finger-crack, "Lease Agreement." 

     As with many climbing locales close to town, routes can often become quite crowded. When Jake and I showed up, there was another group at the far end of the wall. We were surprised when a veritable conga-line of 8th graders began crawling their way up to the cliffs. Once arrived, young instructors carried ropes on lead up to anchors on the east end of the wall, so that young pupils could top-rope to their hearts content. Despite their size, they only held up at one end of the wall. It was fun to climb near to so many excited neophytes.

Schoolkids making their way up