TRIP REPORTS: THE MATRON

Climbing The Matron (North Face, 5.5), South Flatirons, Colorado

At 8:10 AM, Brian, Fabio and I met up at the South Mesa parking lot where we sorted our gear and readied ourselves for the approach. Fabio packed a light rack and Brian and I each packed a 70m rope. After hiking for a short time on the South Mesa Trail, we followed the Shadow Canyon Trail to the base of The Matron (see the opening photo in this trip report)

After flaking the ropes and grabbing a bite to eat, Fabio took the first lead (pulling both ropes). The crux came early in the climb as Fabio traversed a diagonal crack (see photo #288) to the base of a small roof (see photo #292) that Gerry Roach rated 5.5 (but is probably a grade or two harder). After pulling the roof, Fabio put in a few more pieces of pro and continued to the top of the ridge and around a rope drag inducing corner where he found a well protected belay spot. Brian followed next and I followed behind him after he pulled the roof. After the three of us had reached the top of the first pitch, the remaining two pitches contained scrambling and easy (but less protected) climbing. Brian led the second pitch and I let the final pitch to the summit.

Soon after reaching the summit, the ominous clouds that had been lurking all morning started to shed rain. Using two bolts with rap rings as an anchor, we tied both 70m ropes together and tossed them over the ledge to the (supposed) ground. Fabio rappelled first, followed by myself and then Brian (see photo #’s 290, 291 and 293). Due to the overhanging nature of the rappel (about 55m total), a significant portion of it was free-hanging and airy. After our triad had reached the ground, the “real crux” of the day began as we fought substantial rope weight/drag. It took the remaining strength and weight of all three of us (pulling hard at the same time) to pull the rope down to the ground. We re-traced our steps back to the cars and headed into Boulder for some good Mexican food…another successful day in the Flatirons.