East Face Left

This is the longest route on the Third Flatiron, and one of the best. The climbing is similar to the

Standard Route

, although it is nearly twice as long and there are no fixed eye bolts, and no crowds. Due to a general lack of protection and fixed belays, this is not a good route for beginners. Once my wife and I were climbing and a thunderstorm hit us near the roof, and we endured a pounding while hunting for rappel anchors (we were able to get off by leaving only 2 slings).

Leave the Royal Arch Trail about a hundred yards past the Bluebell Creek crossing, thrash down into the creek and cross it, heading up a hill to the base of the face [after the 2013 flood at the crossing it is easier to simply walk up the creek bed, then head uphill]. You can also leave the trail before the creek crossing, but I find this bushwhack worse, and it is harder to navigate to the face. Make sure you do not end up under the Third Flatironette, which is a separate, small Flatiron before you get to the main face.

The start of the route is marked by a rounded rib of rock that angles north below the main east face. Head up this rib, then start straight up the east face towards an overhang which extends across the entire left side of the east face (visible in the lower left corner of the photo below).

You will reach the overhang in about 2 pitches. You can either run around the overhang on the left (south) 5.5, or tackle it directly at 5.7. There are several cracks visible in the overhang, take whichever one looks best to you (we took the left one). There is an ancient bolt with an aluminum hangar about 40' below the right hand roof crack (we didn't climb near it).

Continue upwards near the left edge of the east face for about 500 feet. This section is easier (maybe 5.2), but there is very little pro available. Expect to get in one 2 or 3 pieces a pitch, and choose your belays carefully. Eventually you will reach a rounded summit, the Dog's Head. This point is only about 50' south of the

standard route

, and you will likely hear and see other climbers on this route.

From the Dog's Head, step across onto the next piece of the Third Flatiron, and climb up 120' or so to join the regular route where it crosses the Gash to Kiddy Kar ledge. The last pitch is the same as for the

regular route

.

A light rack.