The Choss Files, Retro-Edition – The Narrows

With the new Western Sloper guidebook coming out, I thought it would be fun to go back and revisit how some of the new crags were found. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of finding a new cliff and envisioning all the potential lines that can come of it. First up, the Narrows.

It was the fall of 2002, and I had been in Carbondale about a year. Given that we are surrounded by mountains, I wondered why there wasn’t any rock closer than the Pass or Rifle. I had asked some folks about the Narrows, and didn’t get any positive feedback, but figured it was worth a look anyway. I hiked up into the obvious gash you can see from the road, and was pleasantly surprised to find some really good stone! The gully was too steep to be a good spot to hang out and crag, but at least I knew there was good rock in the area.

Fast forward to the following spring, when Luke Laeser and I decided to go in for a closer look. As we moved around the different walls, we ran about like little kids in a candy shop! We saw perfect slabs, cracks, faces! Wow, was this really only 15 minutes from town?!?! We were super psyched, and let out little hoots and hollers as we rounded each corner. This wasn’t the next Rifle, but it was some good looking cragging that was close to home. We went to work on the obvious trad lines first, and the rock proved to be somewhat flaky, but after you got the looseness off, the routes were really fun! We started in the Notch, as it was the most dramatic zone we had seen, but soon branched out to other walls. Our “snobbier” friends refused to come check it out, given how chossy it looks from the highway. Fortunately, the climbing takes place on the good walls that are hidden from view.

It since has turned into a wonderful place to crag in the hot summer months, given the abundance of shade, and the setting is incredible. For many years I’ve mostly had the place to myself, but I hope more folks will come see what it’s all about when the new book comes out.