Perhaps the easiest way to find this route is to wander off the backside and around to the right after getting used to the crag on blockbuster.  You will pass a 5.10 climb called splitter that is fairly obvious.  As you come around the spur a face much cleaner looking than the main area comes into view.  You can see this face on the hike in from the valley after crossing the pass.  If coming from the blockbuster area, wander right, further than you probably think you should.  Layback starts with the clean, maybe the cleanest, looking crack in the middle of this face.  The climb was rated 5.7 in the guidebook, but its a bit harder (i.e. harder than star wars). Climb 30' or so of nice jamming, or laybacking if you are brave enough to place gear this way, to reach a stance.  From here we continued up to the right (although its unclear if this is what the FA party did, they may have blazed through a garden and up cracks on the left?) though slighlty vegetated corners.  Three cracks ahead, we chose the one on the right, and had to belay as the wide gear was stuffed in the crack below.  Its definitely not too long to run as one pitch. The upper crack was interesting, reminiscent of veedawoo.  Crank up and belay from a tree, from which you can rap 100' to the ground.

Layback

Blockbuster

West Bulge

Raspberry Beret

Space Between

Blockbuster is one of the many moderate routes on the South West face of McCurdy Park Tower. It is one of the best beginner routes in all of Colorado and will be a memorable outing for any climber.From the valley in McCurdy Park look for a large roof to the South/Right of the tree filled gully in the middle of the South west face. Start from a low point on the right side of the face below and left of the obvious roof and look for a wide crack that cuts up and right about 100' ft. off the deck.

Pitch 1: 120' 5.6Run the rope out across low angle slabs up to a small bulge and continue up and right to a wide crack and the route's interesting crux.

Pitch 2: 135' 5.5Head up and right via thin cracks on excellent rock then face climb straight up to two small trees and a good ledge.

Pitch 3: 200' 5.6 From the ledge move up and  a bit left to a thin crack and straight up to steeper climbing through a bulge on fun crystals and chickenheads to the summit.

If these pitches don't look good pick one of the many variations a few feet left or right of the described route.

Rap off a sling anchor to trees in the gully to the climbers left of the top of the route or downclimb off the back side.

This route starts in the alcove on the SW face, to the right of the final rappel, on a black slab.

P1 climbs cracks (some wide) on the left side of the face (5.7), a groove splitting the black wall may be nice for those more bold than me, but the gear looked marginal every time i stepped into the groove.  We belayed at a large tree with a single sling.

P2 started with an interesting finger crack that ended too soon, and deteriorated into slogging through choss.  After about 80' of walking the interest comes abck as a large block looms above.  Pull the roof on the right and belay.

P3 for us went up the interesting corner just on the left finishing very near the rap slings (nicely placed between boulders out of the sun).

To get down, either rap off these slings to any tree (all have slings, just be careful of getting double rope raps stuck, or knocking cobbles down when pulling ropes) and continue tree to tree to the ground (2-4 raps).

Note: This route is not on the tower proper - see "Location" below.

Hand- and fist-jam the lower section past a prickly raspberry bush, pull through a steeper section in the middle (crux), then continue jamming big hands until you reach the end of the crack. From here, slab out right to the final small pinnacle and pull up on top.

This route has good climbing on each pitch, generally solid rock and an airy finish.

Start to the left of the rappel gullies on a clean, less than vertical crack covered slab. A small tree can be slung for the first piece of pro.

Pitch 1: 110' 5.7

Climb low angled cracks straight up to a rampy crack system heading for a ledge with small trees. Just before the ledge pull a bulge/lie back move (5.7). Belay from trees.

Pitch 2: 100' 5.7

Move left from belay and follow crack system to a short vertical section just below another ledge with trees.

Pitch 3: 120' 5.7

Step left from the ledge and gain a steep crack system with a couple loose blocks. Move carefully up to a another steep corner section in a gap just below the summit. Belay from fixed anchors.

Descent:

Scramble down to climber's right to gain the large notch visible from the ground, and find a sling anchor and rap. Three more single rope raps from trees will bring you to the ground.

Description

Protection

Routes in McCurdy Park Tower