Finding Friendship an Adventure in Boulder’s Flatirons

The rock faces are at a gentle enough incline that the trickiest moves are usually graded at 5.6 or lower on the Yosemite Decimal System. Wright describes the Flatirons saying, “These rocks, as far as I know, are unique in the world. They are so big, so solid, so gently angled that the average athlete, with practice, can be confident and safe scrambling them.”

Scrambling is not without risk, however. Not due to the rock face, but because of the unpredictable variables of individual ability and weather. Each person has their own risk tolerance and experience when it comes to climbing. Emotions can quickly change once you’re 100 feet above the ground.

Becca Droz a climbing guide for Denver Mountain Guides stresses the importance of checking in with yourself before climbing. She says, “One of the bravest things you can do is bail.” She has led many parties up the face of the First Flatiron, but with rope and rock protection. She enjoys sharing the experience with others and helping them achieve their goals. When a rope is involved, it allows the clients to focus on the climbing without the fear of falling. 

On the particular day Griebel chose to scramble, the winds were blowing at a sustained 100 miles per hour. Wright took Atalanta, the fastest route to the top of the First. He waited for a lull in the wind, crested the summit, and booked it to a sheltered hole where he could stuff the rope and prepare his rappel. Griebel was waiting for him 15 feet below, huddled in a sloping slot. He was freezing having lost feeling in his hands and feet.

Griebel was one of the best climbers Wright knew and the allure of a “grid” day ultimately led Griebel to a dangerous decision. As Wright got the rope through the rappel rings, he was careful not to let go of it. There was risk that the ends of the rope could blow over the front of the rock and get stuck. He lowered himself down, the wind smacking him into the wall and settled next to his shivering friend.

Kyle Richardson, a professional runner, has been known to seek fast times in the Flatirons. A fellow competitor and champion in Bill Wright’s Tour de Flatirons, he has dedicated the last eight years trying to master scrambling up the foothills efficiently. For Richardson, scrambling is like a recital. First, you practice the moves, then rehearse the entire sequence, and bring everything together in the performance. “I feel alive and in tune with what’s going on. Definitely tapping into a bit of a flow state when you’re really pushing it. You have to be on point if you’re deciding to go that fast.”

Wright’s tour has brought the scrambling community together. It happens every year in September over the span of five weeks. Each week, there is a new stage that involves linking up different Flatirons and competing for time. Wright says, “It’s a great group of people who love positive competition. They all want to go super hard. Tremendous pain can be fun.”

While scrambling can be competitive most individuals enjoy the social aspect of it. Wright describes it as a Via Ferrata without the cable. A distinctly European activity, a Via Ferrata is a protected climbing route comprised of steel cables, ladders, and other fixed anchors that assist even the inexperienced climber to ascend a rock face. Its ladder-like construction allows for people to be climbing in front of and behind you. When scrambling, Wright says, “You’re all together and you’re chatting up the rock.”

A group of friends meet atop of the summit of the First Flatiron for coffee and donuts. Image taken by Eva Krchova.