The Yellow Spur

This is one of the most popular routes in Eldo, and for a good reason. It is long, not too sustained, and a beautiful direct line. The climbing is all pretty straight forward. The 5.10 variation on the second to last pitch is kinda stiff for .10a, but is really well protected on bolts. The last pitch is runout but easy. The direct start is not too bad, more of a high boulder problem than anything, although I had a friend who sprained his ankle on it once.

P1 direct. Scramble onto it and arrive shortly at some caked-on chalk and pin scars below a break in a long roof band. This was Kors original start; it is 5.10 and protects with tricky small stopper placements.

P1 standard. A much easier start ascends a short dihedral 20 feet to the right. Cut back left, then climb further up huge holds over the exciting roof, and head right to a tree belay-5.9 (about 30 feet of elevation gain).

P2. Go up left, then up a fantastic dihedral, with face moves at the end, to another tree, 5.8.

P3. Head up cracks and corners to a rotten band; continue over a scary bulge and another crack to a beautiful, exposed ledge, also 5.8.

P4. Fifteen feet right of the belay, ascend a large, moderate dihedral. Hand traverse right, avoiding a huge overhang, and climb another 5.8 corner up and then right to a small, exposed stance. You can also belay on a large ledge 10 feet lower with less exposure.

P5. Climb straight up, make a delicate step right into a thin crack (with several pitons) and ascend that (the crux) to a scary detached flake [now gone]. Make a beautiful ascending 5.7 traverse up left to lower angle terrain and a belay on the arete, or climb straight up past bolts at 5.10 and reach the same belay.

P6. Head up the spectacular 5.6 arete to the summit of Tower One.

Standard rack up to 3".

Per

Danny Gilbert

: there's a lot more fixed pins on this route than (6). I know the route pretty well, and from memory:

P1 - 3 pins (one before the traverse above your head, and two at your feet before you pull the roof).

P2 - 2 pins (one just before the 5.8 dihedral, and one right in the dihedral).

P3 - 1 pin (old style, with the ring on it in the first open book).

P4 - 2 pins and a bong (one pin in that easy low 5th section, one pin just before the hand traverse. The bong is at the top of the hand traverse).

P5 - I think there's 5 pins? All of them in the 'Pin ladder'. Then you've got two finishes, the bolt ladder has 3 or 4 bolts and the Robbin's Traverse has at least one pin before the belay.

I can't think of any on pitch 6.

If this is actually useful at all, I can get more exact info.