UKC

Thinking about Colorado as a summer climbing destination (mainly sport and bouldering).

Has anyone been? If so where would you recommend staying for a 3 week trip?

Any info would be appreciated especially not to miss crags, accommodation links and any good articles / destination guides.

Thanks

In reply to Sl@te Head:

There will be loads of places. I do like Durango which is in the SW corner but it can get a little hot in the summer. Easy enough to move up into the mountains from there though.

In reply to Sl@te Head:
You could easy do 3 weeks there. Getting reasonably priced accom is the hitch, or was when i went

In reply to Sl@te Head:
Having spent about 14 weeks (mainly climbing) in Colorado in the last 12 months, you could spend the rest of life climbing there and not get around everything so less than 3 weeks would merely prick the surface.
The Boulder area especially is well endowed with climbing and bouldering opportunities. Eldorado Canyon is a world class trad venue. Boulder Canyon has great sport routes on granite. There is more bouldering than you can wave a stick at and Shelf Road is a beautiful and top class sport climbing destination with about 500 routes. Loads more venues of course.

In reply to rockcat:

Thanks for your reply , just sent you an email

In reply to Sl@te Head:

Hi Ian,

Ive got an flatirons guidebook for sale here, if you are interested

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=577373&v=1#x7660878

Cheers

Si

In reply to Sl@te Head:
Hi Ian

I'be been fortunate enough to have about half a dozen 3-week trips to Colorado in recent years, usually in September as summer is too hot for my comfort.

I don't have much knowledge of accommodation, as I have a friend with a house in Breckenridge in the Rockies - this isn't a climbing area but is a reasonably good base to travel from. When we need to travel further afield we just use a motel for a few nights. Boulder is the hardest area to find somewhere to stay cheaply. That said, last year a couple of friends booked an apartment in Eldorado Springs - they arrived just in time for the floods!

I'm guessing you will be looking for a family holiday and not looking for too many soul-searching experiences, otherwise I'd say that it's the longer trad routes in Colorado that are by far the most memorable - places like Lumpy Ridge, Eldorado Canyon, Turkey Rocks, etc. But there is enough sport climbing to make a trip well worth while. You will need to find somewhere high up or in the shade in summer.

For a good selection of routes right across the state I recommend the Stewart Green guide Rock Climbing Colorado. Additional info from specific area guidebooks and the Mountain Project website.

Boulder Canyon - mix of sport and trad, shade & sun Sport Park is pretty scruffy but Tonnere Tower has longer bolted routes (but not in the Stewart Green guide). The grades of newer sport routes are fine at the usual UK/US grade conversions, but my experience is that old style 5.9+ is more like E2 than HVS.

Shelf Road, near Canon City - good reputation for sport climbing but I've never visited it.

Clear Creek Canyon, near Golden - lots of crags, sun and shade, nearly all sport. Low down so hot in summer. Near busy road but occasionally some "interesting" approaches. One good additional crag not in the current guides is Canal Zone (see Mountain Project), but beware of rattlers!

Red Rock Canyon, near Colorado Springs. Not great but worth while for a change of rock - bolted sandstone slabs.

South Platte - this is a huge area of granite walls and domes that most Brits have never heard of. Woodland Park might be a good base for this area. I would particularly recommend Eleven Mile Canyon near Lake George - there are several crags in this valley near the road and with stunning scenery. Mix of sport and trad. Beware the grades, especially on slab routes - 5.8/5.9 can sometimes feel like UK 5c.

Rifle - far too hard for me! Boring overhaging limestone.

Independence Pass, Monitor Rock, not far from Aspen - high up, so a place to escape from the heat, though the altitude of 10,000' makes climbing seem like hard work. Lots of bolted routes at 5.8-5.10.

Vedauwoo - actually in Wyoming but not far away. Again, stunning scenery and humiliating grades. Infamous for cracks and offwidths but there asre enough bolted routes to make a visit worthwhile.

Hope these comments give you some ideas.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

Not sure about the climbing as I went for work.
Durango is nice, there are some very good mountain bike trails (apparently rock shox tested there). Also go to the ore house, it was the best steak I have ever had.

Also if you want 'bag' a 14,000 and are lacking in energy or time you can drive to the top of Mount Evans*, lots of car company's use it for testing so you might be able to spy something exciting(have a look at the summit car park on google streetview)

*puts on nomex suit for suggesting this on a climbing forum

In reply to Rob Davies:

Thanks for the info, very useful.

Ian

In reply to Sl@te Head:

You can have a great three week climbing trip there.

As others have said the area around Boulder has loads of climbing in various styles.

It's also worth seeking out venues that offer climbing in a style unlike anything that you can find at home. For me, Vedauwoo in Wyoming (mentioned above) scored highly in that category. If you plan to make a trip there it would be a good idea to watch the crack climbing series of videos that were on here a while ago and learn how to tape your hands up.

Be aware that Colorado seems to get a lot of localised weather systems which can include frequent and dramatic thunderstoms in summer, particularly in the afternoons.