Power Failure, Red Rocks Route Photo

Power Failure 5.10b

Ginger Buttress, Juniper Canyon

  • Power Failure Sun ExposureRoute quality:
  • Power Failure First AscentUriostes and friends, 1998
  • Power Failure Pitch InfoNumber of pitches: 3
  • Power Failure Approach TimeApproach Time: 1-1½ hour
  • Power Failure Climbing TimeClimbing Time: 2-3 hours
  • Power Failure Descent timeDescent Time: 15-20 min to base
  • Power Failure Sun ExposureSun exposure: Sunrise until beginning afternoon

    • About the Climb

    Power Failure is a great but short route that ascends the right side of the obvious large water streak. It has good rock quality and a nice variety to it, mixing bolts and gear on face, cracks and corners. This is a great late afternoon climb if you're looking for shade. It’s easy for the grade (well protected, bolted crux) and is great for climbers who want to break into easy 5.10 trad. It feels more like a 5.9 climb with the occasional and short 5.10 move. Our topo features information for both Power Failure and Unimpeachable Groping, because they are so close to each other and are climbed at a similar grade. Climbing these two routes back to back will deliver a fantastic day of climbing.

    Power Failure (Red Rocks) GearLoopTopo {Power Failure (Red Rocks) GearLoopTopo

    Low Resolution GearLoopTopo Preview

    Minimum order of 3 GearLoopTopos

    The GearLoopTopo

    There is no individual GearLoopTopo for Power Failure. However, the topo for Power Failure is included on the GearLoopTopos for Unimpeachable Groping (5.10b).

    Possible Combinations

    This is a perfect route to combine with it's two neighbors Unimpeachable Groping (5.10b), and Ginger Cracks (5.9). Power Failure is a great warm-up route for the similar but longer Unimpeachable Groping (5.10b). It is also the descent route for Ginger Cracks (5.9), so you can easily check out the climb during the rappels and climb it afterwards. It also offers a good alternative if any of these two routes are busy.

    Alternatively, you can also climb Power Failure if you are looking for a short route after climbing Crimson Chrysalis (5.8), located just around the corner only a few minutes away.

    Similar Climbs

    Similar climbs in lenght and grade include Y2K (5.10a) and The Gobbler (5.10a). A great short route at a bit higher grade is Sick for Toys (5.10d).

    Other great longer routes at a similar grade are Prince of Darkness (5.10c), Dream of Wild Turkeys (5.10a) and Nightcrawler (5.10c).

    The Eagle Wall in Oak Creek Canyon is home to 2 amazing ultra classic climbs with lots of face and crack climbing. Eagle Dance (5.10c, A0) is only slightly more difficult than Power Failure, but is significantly longer. This route has a short bolt ladder, but you can climb the 5 pitches below the aid section and rappel back down if you want. Another option is the famous Levitation 29 (5.11c), although this is quite a step up from Power Failure.

    Power Failure and Juniper Canyon, Red Rocks Back to Red Rocks overview

    1. Power Failure (5.10b)
    2. Unimpeachable Groping (10b)
    3. Ginger Cracks (5.9)
    4. Crimson Chrysalis (5.8)
    5. Black Dagger (5.7+)
    6. Nightcrawler (5.10c)
    7. Armatron (5.9)
    8. Myster Z (5.7)
    9. Geronimo (5.6)
    10. Olive Oil (5.7)

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