ABSTRACT
The year 1920 saw the start of the development of difficult technical rock climbing in the high mountains. Prior to 1920, the ascent of Capitol Peak in the Elk Range near Aspen, and some of the Needles in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, had required moderate rock scrambling. In Boulder, up to the early 1920’s, the attention of climbers had focused on repeating ascents of the Third Flatiron, and on making relatively easy ascents of high mountain peaks. During the early 1920’s, Albert Ellingwood continued his activities in other parts of the state. In 1916, he and companions had explored the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and had climbed Crestone Peak and Kit Carson Peak. On Saturday, September 3rd, 1927, they assembled their climbing equipment, loaded the motorcycles, and left Chicago heading west for the mountains of Colorado. Paul Stettner’s Ledges became, and has remained, a classic ascent.
