This is an obvious line on a large boulder lying just SE of Hillbilly Rock.  We wandered past it on the way down from Ridge Two of Skunk Canyon.  Its siren-like appeal may have got the best of us.  If this is your line, please pardon me.  We gave it a name, because it seemed fun to climb.  Apparently, Gerry Roach did it previously & rated it F6.  We rated it 5.7- (it definitely is harder than 5.5, but Gerry is a hardman), but it isn't an option in the rating difficulties on the site.

Gerry Roach apparently mentions it on p. 185 of his Flatirons guidebook, which I don't own.  Thanks, Jason!  Rossiter references various boulder problems on p. 155 of his excellent Flatirons guidebook.  This is probably one of those.

Maybe he just soloed it?

Jason Haas' picturesque Climbing Boulder's Flatirons lists this as "HBF Front Boulder."

Nonetheless, this boulder's east face draws the eye as it is a bit steeper than your average E face in the Flatirons (except Square Rock).  There is a large, hanging, left-facing flake that you gain; however, it is mostly face climbing.  Note, your first real pro except for hanging a skinny sling over a small edge is about 20 feet up.  We did clear that 40 lb dangerous block near the top of the flake.  We descended it by simul-rappel.

Jessica's Line (aka HBF Front Boulder)

North Ridge (aka HBF Middle Boulder)

Hillbilly Warm-up

West Face

Joe Exotic

North Face

Deb's Day Off

Bear Hug

Tio Papi

East Face Center/Hillbilly

Jethro

Call Me Daddy (link-up)

West Face Right

Horsefly Hootenanny

Nephson

East Face South Side/Hillbilly

Tiger King

Billy Goat Arete

There are 2 cruxes for this route, first getting started, as for the traditional route on this rock, and a second one up just a few feet from the top, just before grasping the horn above the narrow rib of flat, red rock.

Pull onto the low spot on the face just left of a shallow, rounded corner, then head up that corner and to the right side of the rock, arriving at a flat and narrow stripe (2' wide) of bright, red rock. Climb directly up the arete over that red stripe, grabbing crimps and sidepulls on either side of it, encountering a second crux going to the jug at the top of the stripe.  Continue a few meters more on easier terrain to the summit.

This is a tiny, fun problem on the middle boulder of what some call Hillbilly Flatironette.  If you are in the area and want just a bit more climbing, this feature asks to be climbed.

Start from the slot between this middle and the upper (more west) boulder.  You can move to the East side after you pull aboard.  Work up the arete to its top.

To descend, the best option is probably to downclimb the route.

Currently, the top of the boulder has a series of cords and a sling around the westward-jutting bit.  You can back this up with a long sling tossed around the tree or a very long sling to double up on the sling.  The sunrotted sling around a broken branch was cleaned off.  At the moment, there is just the sling off which to rappel.  A quicklink or a second sling might make this feel safer if you rappel.

In Jason Haas' Climbing Boulder's Flatirons, this is listed as "HBF Middle Boulder."  The slight name change was just descriptive and was not intended to alter the name listed, plus there are multiple problems on this rock including a west face problem that are harder.

This is an 8-bolt climb at the bottom right of the west face, crossing West Face Right at its first bolt then continuing straight up the water-scooped green slab above where

West Face Right

moves left around the arete. The two climbs share an anchor.

Mantel up over a small roof, then climb a deceptively tricky face to round the arete. Stand up into

West Face Right

, then bust a thin-face crux on slopers and pebbles. The difficulty eases above, but the climbing remains fun and engaging on perfect rock. You could also link the start into

West Face Right

for a 5.12a (long draws on bolts four and five for drag) or do the trad start of

West Face Right

into the upper part of this climb at around 11c (bring a Metolius No. 3 TCU and a No. 1 Camalot).

Thanks to OSMP, the FCC, and the FHRC for making new-routing possible in the Flatirons.

This is a great little face climb that packs a lot of punch in its short lengthcrimpy and technical, sort of a mini-

Snake Watching

but with better stone. It's in the middle of the west face of Hillbilly Rock.

Stick-clip a high first bolt to start. From the ledge, bust through a tough, laybacky boulder problem to slopers under the bulging lip, then stand tall onto the nice, brown face. Two more bolts of sustained micro-crimping on a slightly overhanging wall take you to anchors under the roof. Look around: there are good holds here and there just when you need them.

Joe Exotic/Sis Wife is a harder companion route to

Tiger King

, which starts just to the right. It has two distinct crux sections and stacks of other challenging climbing, but also some nice rests.

Crank an opening boulder problem to a rounded boss, and catch your breath. Segue into some weird “bulging slab” climbing to a very thin, dynamic crux on poor holds to good incuts in a break (the right crux crimp kept crumbling; it used to be much better). Climb steepening terrain to a second, punchy crux through the bulge. Eventually you reach a good rest, and then share the exit crux and final three bolts with

Tiger King

, ending up over the lip.

Clip five is tenuous, difficult, and a little scary, as well as conditions dependent. If you blew it, it would not be good. There’s a giant stegosaurus rock down on the ground that you could, in theory, hit. You might consider starting with bolt five or bolt six preclipped. I did this eventually, as I was tired of the mental battle with this clip, though I did make it on multiple occasions. All the other clips are fine, however.

Many thanks to OSMP and the FCC for making new routing possible in the Flatties.

This is the shortest downclimb off Hillbilly Rock, but it is harder than some of the routes on the East Face!  The crux is only about 15' long, but it is quite steep and exposed and can be scary to downclimb.

Begin on the north side of the rock below the summit.  A weakness or trough can be seen diagonaling right below a major roof, this is the route.  Climb up dirty ledges past some trees to the start of the crux section.  There are some pretty large holds through the crux, but there are several large blocks that appear loose - fortunately they all seem to be quite solid.  After the crux, wander south on a ledge and easily reach the summit from the west.  Downclimb the route or rap 60' north from the top.  The rap should end pretty much at the base of the route.

If you're downclimbing this route, recognize the start of the hard section by a suitcase-sized block which is jammed in a 3 foot wide crack.  Lower yourself down off big holds on this block.

This is a nice extra after you rap down the north face.  It could still use a brushing.

Ascend a small face below a tree/shrub to the right of the North Face route.  The crux is below the shrub, but there are some balancy moves at mid-height.  Finish up to the left as for

North Face

.

Do the shared start with

Horsefly Hootenany

, but continue right along the diagonal slash to a crimpy crux surmounting the face. Sustained climbing on nice incuts leads to a rest on jugs out right, then step back left for more pumpy business along the lieback flake and over the rooflet above. Climb mellower ground to a high anchor.

Aka Uncle Dad.

This route starts in the middle of the East face, just right of a large, left-facing flake system.

Scramble up the rock climb the step onto the flake. Ascend by following the path of least resistance. Protection is adequate.

Descend as outlined on other routes.

This route has not been documented in any guidebooks, so I made up a name.  I am guessing someone has probably climbed this route in the past.  We started at the south end of the rock just north of a small Flatiron that leans against the main rock.  Head staight up for about 20-25 feet.  Pull a bulge to the right and piece together a right-angling, faint, flake system.  This flake system goes through smooth red rock and is protected by RPs and small cams (none of which are very good). This exciting pitch ends in the large, left-facing dihedral.  Do the last pitch of the East Face Center route and summit.  A one rope rap gets you on the ground.

Call Me Daddy is an uber-pumpy Flatiron link-up that also adds new, hard climbing to the wall. Climb the neo-classic,

Nephson

, through its crux to the 8th bolt, clip the 8th bolt, and crimp traverse directly left for the route’s crux before joining

Uncle Dad

. Once you get to

Uncle Dad

, cop a quick shake before continuing on through its crux and to the top of the wall.

The new climbing that is added to the wall is the leftward crimp traverse after the 8th bolt of

Nephson

. The traversing crimp crux alone may only be around V7, but it’s after doing all of the hard climbing of

Nephson

without any rest, so the pump is real! It may feel a little run-out during the traverse, but all of the falls are clean.

If you have good endurance, this might be more in the "fitness 13d/14a" range for difficulty.

As always, props to Pinklebear for all of the hard work in developing the routes at this crag!

This is a really good route in a nice setting. It starts with a 25 foot section of 5.8 to the first bolt. You need some gear for the start. After you clip the first bolt some intricate face climbing on cool crystals and edges leads around the corner to crux moves under the roof. Get an OK shakeout on some big holds after the crux, then get through one more tricky section to the last bolt. A moderate runout on 5.8'ish terrain leads to the anchor.

The Haas guidebook has this route graded as 5.12c. We didn't think it was nearly that hard, and I think it is probably closer to 12a.

Climb 5.10 ground past three bolts to a rising diagonal slash in the wall. Cut right a bit, then move up on crimps in the red-orange rock to a horizontal crease/rail. Make your way left (some campus, some heel-hook) to a tough clip and the redpoint crux. Hero jugs await on the colorful stone above. Finish at anchors below the tree.

This was named for the Cormac McCarthy book. It was originally named Nephson. Most people still call it that.

Stickclip a high first (or second bolt), and boulder up the nice chocolate-covered rock to a ledge. Crimpy climbing above leads to a distinct crux rounding the slab bulge, then more sustained terrain takes you steeply up the obtuse corner to a fixed draw in the purple rock and the redpoint crux. Above, encounter mini-cruxes separated by good rests. We stayed right for a harder sequence at the next-to-last bolt, but I think people go up and left now, grabbing the flexing flake in the roof--caution with this (I tired to pry it off, but it kind of stayed stuck). At the last bolt, move left onto the hanging arete on cool pockets for the better finish.

This climb is rated a classic by Gerry Roach.

Start at the low point of the East face (South side) The initial part of the climb takes place on a rock that is linked to the base of the Hillbilly.

Move up via the path of least resistance trying to stay close to the Left side of the East face. The rock is of great quality and perhaps a bit steeper than your average Flatiron scramble.

It is really easy to stray into much harder climbing if the correct path is not followed. Protection opportunities although available are sparse and dubious (thin flakes).

Descent - rappel 60' North to the ground or downclimb the North face route or the alternate descent (see comment on the North face route).

Eds. this is listed as "East Face Left" on p. 98 of Jason Haas' Climbing Boulder's Flatirons.

Tiger King is a long-ish climb (14 bolts) just left of West Face with lots of varied terrain from thin face climbing to pumpy roofs.

Start with a powerful opening boulder problem to a ledge (pre-clip the first and/or second bolt), then engage thin crimping up the vertical face. The crux can be done on the right or left and made easier by then straying right onto West Face (we shared just one handhold on our ascent—which felt like 13b). The roof above is cool and dynamic, then easier terrain leads to a fun traverse along a handrail and a strenuous upper crux along the hanging bulge/arete.

The route has four permadraws to help with drag and cleaning, but extendo draws or slings are helpful in spots, especially at the upper crux at bolt 12.

Many thanks to OSMP and the FCC for making new routing possible in the Flatties.

"Billy Goat Arete" is the arete on the north edge of the east face of Hillbilly Rock.  It could also be called the Northeast Arete.  I spotted this line today and it is a fun climb, but it is not in any guidebook.  There is a crack about 3-4' left of the arete that makes for great holds and also pro.  This would be an excellent first lead for a beginner, because unlike most Flatiron routes there is quite a bit of pro available.  You can get some good practice placing gear in cracks.

This climb is about 200' long.  Start at the base of the ridge and head up, staying just left of the Arete.  About 20' up you will reach the crack, which is generally finger sized.  Continue up excellent rock to the top which was draped with slings.  The fact that there was chalk in the crack shows this route is somewhat popular.

Descend by either rapping 60' north off the summit, or downclimb the North Face route.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Hillbilly Rock