Boulder Canyon, 1982. On the right side of Security Risk, Eric Eriksson and I climbed Comfortably Numb (120 feet, 5.12a), featuring 55 feet of overhanging face moves along a thin crack. The climb had previously been cleaned and one bolt placed on rappel by Randy Levitt. On Coney Island Crag, Eriksson and I climbed Coney Island Baby (60 feet, 5.12a) a severely right-leaning arch (right of Quintet) involving thin reachy lieback moves with a potential 20-foot fall (that was taken) off crux moves. This route was also the product of massive lichen removal on rappel with a wire brush. Many of the last generation of Boulder Canyon routes have involved substantial cleaning. In the future undoubtedly new lines will have to be unearthed and few clean lines will be found. Elsewhere in Colorado, many granite crags can be found where massive cleaning won’t be needed.

Mark Rolofson