ABSTRACT
Technical rock climbing, though the esoteric pastime of a handful of devotees, was firmly established in Colorado by the mid-1950’s. Eight miles to the south of Boulder lies Eldorado Springs Canyon. Of all the rocks in Colorado, the steep walls of Eldorado have been pre-eminently important in the overall development of rock climbing. In size, character, and importance in the development of Colorado rock climbing, Redgarden Wall is comparable to “Cloggy” in Great Britain. In 1956, four Colorado climbers, Chuck Murley, Cary Huston, Dick Bird, and Dallas Jackson began attempts to climb Redgarden Wall. The existing hard routes in the area, the Northwest Passage and the Northwest Overhang on the Maiden, were both relatively short climbs, relying on direct aid. Ray Northcutt was a rock climber from Boulder who began his climbing career while doing military service with the mountain troops at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.
