NBD is down the hill from

Contortionist's Forte

and about 5 or 6 routes down the hill on the west-facing arete.  Steep and sometimes slick rock adds in to the fun of this good-holded, endurance route.  Crux at the 4th bolt while turning the arete.

Natural Born Driller

Crack a Smile

Headstones

Saint Sixtus Scoop

Spider Line

The Hot Zone

Crypt

Abbaye d'Orval

Throw Me A Scone

Contortionist's Forte

Gravestone

The Mausoleum

Located on the west face of The Catacomb (aka Boneyard according to the topo), "Throw Me A Scone" climbs a prominent crack to the left of the bolted route "Natural Born Driller".  On p. 178 of Gillett's guidebook to the Estes Park Valley, it is the 'possible crack climb' noted on the topo.  Since a rack is rarely carried into the Monastery it seems likely that the route has remained unclimbed, however, it is well worth doing.  Begin this route with overhanging thin cracks (harder than it looks) which provide the tasty crux.  Soon, enter and struggle up a wide flare, then mantel onto a ledge with a small bush at 30 feet.  Continue straight up (10a), and where the crack arches left and turns into a seam, traverse 10 feet right on a ledge and belay at two bolts -- 50 feet.  Down and to the right of these bolts is another two-bolt anchor equipped for rappeling.  Make one 60-foot rap to the ground.

Stellar mixed line.  Rock reminiscent of Vestibule near Psychotomic.  Located on the East side of the Catacomb, also across from Gravestone and Mausoleum - and just downhill from Contortionist's Forte.  I started from the blocks and flakes, although the crack could be climbed to this same point.  Standing on the block one can place a nut to protect the move to the first fixed gear.  Climb past four (as of 6/6/04) pieces of fixed gear (leave em) on stellar fun laybacking and locks to a jug.  Clip the first bolt.  Pull through powerful and thought provoking moves past the two bolts to the anchors. Great line!

This is the furthest right route on the Sepulcher, up the hill from Gravestone.  6 bolts ascend the entire formation - the first four climb a steep face, which then leans back into juggy slab.  The anchors are over the edge and behind a block - bring up your second, rappel, and have fun pulling your rope.  Good route, otherwise though.

This climb is just right of the arete by

Natural Born Thriller

, and around the corner of the

Hot Zone

.  It follows 7 bolts to a 2 bolt anchor.  The climbing begins by pulling over a small overhang (you can clip the first bolt by standing on the rock if you are tall enough) and continues up.  Stem and smear up to just below the seventh bolt (crux), where you have to make a reachy move to a good hold.  You can avoid this crux by going out left of the bolt for some easier climbing.

Left of

Contortionist's Forte

(East side of the Catacombs) is another 3 bolt line.  Start on the same crack but then bust out left to the bolt.  The route has about 20 feet of the good, red-polished rock found in the Vestibule, before it turns into the sharp crumbly stuff more typical of the rest of The Monastery.

A Monastery classic.  Located about halfway up the SE corner of the Boneyard formation, the climb begins on a secluded, dramatic shelf perched above the valley floor.  The views are to die for - on the ground and on the route.  A bouldery start leads to continuous, inspiring climbing just right of the sharp SE arête.

Access to the climb is via a small shelf on the lower end of the Boneyard, found on the Catacomb trail.  Look for a bolt route (

Saint Sixtus Scoop

, 5.10b) which starts in a smooth scoop-like wall above the shelf.  Scramble up past the bolt route along the narrowing shelf and find the Hot Zone arête above.

To begin, climb back up to the entrance shelf, clip the 1st bolt and jump back to the ground for the full-on, feelin' safe crank - the direct start is a nice boulder problem right up the face, but the hardest moves of the climb can be avoided from the left.  Above the first bolt is the unavoidable crux move of the climb and takes one to easier - yet no less interesting - climbing along the right side of the arête.

Hang out from a two bolt anchor and enjoy the view then rap 60' to the ground.

This is an enjoyable route which is bolted for the leader at the grade. There is a unique quartz crystal formation which is climbed just past the fifth bolt.

Follow a line of 10 bolts.

Rappel 90' to the base of the climb.

This is the mixed route just to the right of

Hot Zone

.  Start up the funky crack where stoppers are ideal until face holds hit.  Clip a few bolts with some delicate face climbing 'til the bolts are in your face.  Diverse route.  Enjoy.

Located on the east side of the Catacomb, across from Gravestone and Mausoleum.  You will find two bolted lines with red hangers uphill from a crack with fixed nuts (Crack a Smile 12a).  The left line is spider line (11b also needs supplemental gear), the right is Contortionist's Forte.  Tossing in a nut just off the deck will provide security in reaching the first clip.  A few crimps and fingerlocks will deposit you below the scoop at the 3rd bolt.  The crux falls to contortions into the scoop.  A unique route.  Very unlike any other route at the Monastery.  The climbing above the crux is still very thought provoking and stemming oriented.  Don't expect a pulling fest.

Originally reported as "Right Sunny Niner (5.9)" in the R&I 80 (8/97) mini-guide, this short romp appears as a 5.7 in the 2001 Bernard Gillett guide.  Whichever, the quality of the route is no less diminished and you'll find wonderfully varied rock along its four bolt course.

Gravestone can be found on the West side of the Catacomb (right side when descending the Catacomb trail), about half way down the Sepulcher Formation.  The start can be identified by a large flake standing in front of the Sepulcher which appears as a wide tombstone when viewed from above.

The start begins behind this flake, then climb up easy shelves to the first bolt, and follow 3 bolts of crystal pinching and Needles-like knob grabbing.  The anchor is off to the left above the steep climbing, a two bolt affair shared with

The Mausoleum

. Rap 40' to the ground.

This is a very enticing line from the ground and an adventure for the senses when high in the air. Approach the climb from above, via a shelf and conveniently tilted boulder behind the flake mentioned in

Gravestone

.

The climb begins with the crux, a no-feet problem stepping over from the boulder to the wall. Bomber incut holds lead upward to a crystal museum of sorts, the rock changing in texture and patterns with height. The second crux can be avoided left, easing the grade, or straight up on awesome edges. Rap 40' to the ground.

Description

Protection

Routes in The Catacomb