PHOTOS: Classic bouldering on Independence Pass
Beau Toepfer/The Aspen Times
Independence Pass is known for world-class alpine bouldering, much of which is a short walk right from the road, close to the river, and secluded enough to give climbers a boulder to themselves.
The 19-foot Husky Boulder is part of the World of Hurt bouldering area, hosting the ultra-classic John Shermin climb, “The Ineditable.” The Husky Boulder hosts another Independence Pass classic boulder problem, “Husky,” which is less renowned than Shermin’s famous testpiece but still draws attention for strong boulderers looking to test their strength.
It is likely that a hold has broken on “Husky,” and climbers on the online forum Mountain Project generally agree the climb is harder than the proposed grade of V5-6. The boulder hosts several other climbs, including another easier classic, “Doberman Dihedral,” V2, which climbs up a 19-foot tall corner using a technique called a “finger lock,” where a climber slots their fingers in a vertical crack before torquing their elbow down to “lock” their fingers in the crack.
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