Frogland is the premier moderate mutli-pitch adventure on Whiskey Peak. The rock is superb, climbing varied, descent streamlined, and difficulty generally soft for the grade.
As mentioned in the header, Frogland is an excellent and gentle introduction to 5.8 multi-pitch climbing in Red Rocks. The line is entirely natural, with a scant two bolts save for the over-bolted first pitch. The 5.8 grade is accounted for by brief slab cruxes on pitches four and five. Otherwise the climbing is rather tame, but no less memorable. Tunneling beneath a massive chockstone on pitch five was a unique standout, along with an airy and photogenic belay above the crux roof on pitch four. Bobbi and I calmly climbed Frogland in four hours, descended in one, and returned to the car within roughly 6-7 hours.
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Lastly, as a Teton boy I appreciated the full absence of bolted belays on Frogland. I am not opposed to bolts where natural protection is unavailable, however, bolts next to a perfectly good crack makes little sense (cough cough… pitch one – what are all those bolts doing there?). Crafting strong anchors is a fundamental tenant of traditional climbing, and whenever possible, I do not think routes should be rappelled. Frogland is more akin to Teton climbing, a route that calls on many different techniques, and a degree of adventure not present on routes with bolted anchors.
This was an excellent carefree adventure enjoyed with my best friend. The muffin title refers to a zucchini muffin I packed for the summit, but promptly left on our last belay ledge. Fortunately, the terrain defending our muffin was trivial, so I could easily down solo to retrieve our snack. Two extra pitches in the bank – and one delicious treat!
Extra Notes
- Frogland is mostly 5.6 and easier climbing. A light rack is appropriate for those climbing at the grade.
- Many large features, traverses, and long pitches make linking pitches difficult (besides maybe pitch one and two).
- The route went into the shade at approximately 1:00PM on July 26th.
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DISCLAIMER
Ski mountaineering, rock climbing, ice climbing and all other forms of mountain recreation are inherently dangerous. Should you decide to attempt anything you read about in this article, you are doing so at your own risk! This article is written to the best possible level of accuracy and detail, but I am only human – information could be presented wrong. Furthermore, conditions in the mountains are subject to change at any time. Ten Thousand Too Far and Brandon Wanthal are not liable for any actions or repercussions acted upon or suffered from the result of this article’s reading.
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