Like the Black Canyon, Rifle is for advanced climbers, not rookies. All rights reserved. Web Design by Tommy Stewart Creative, LLC. Nearby, North Table Mountain’s basalt cliffs contain nearly 500 routes, most of them easily top-roped. Day pass: $18

Routes that necessitate more advanced techniques. Indoor gyms’ relatively controlled environments are a decent place to start learning (more on that below). Click on "Ascents" for a RSS feed of all new ascents recorded in this category. South Platte Climbing: The Northern Volume and South Platte Climbing: Thunder Ridge and Turkey Rock Edition. Find more trad options at Turkey Rock, a crack climber’s paradise. Signature Features: The Boulder Field in the front room lets newbies practice their top-out techniques before moving on to some of the steeper stuff. Professional climbers operate in this realm. Signature Features: A 25-foot-long horizontal “roof” tests the forearm (and ab and leg) stamina of climbers. Whether you’re looking to dip a sticky-rubber-clad toe into Colorado’s climbing scene or you’re a newly arrived transplant with a crag addiction, this insider’s guide to exploring Centennial State stone delivers the practical information every beginner needs before chalking up. 5.5 to 5.8 = Moderate. Most of the rock is a skin-chewing granite variety, so be prepared for a little rawness. Cracks and crimps are features often found on sandstone formations. Day pass: $22 5.9 to 5.10 = More difficult. That means looking up while you’re yakking at the base of a problem and when you’re getting ready to step onto a problem or route. Be forewarned: Some gyms don’t even allow street shoes on holds because, well, who knows what you stepped in on your walk through RiNo? Trango Zenith Helmet $100

1675 Larimer St. Stiffness: Softer or more flexible shoes that bend more at the midsole and forefoot allow for greater sensitivity when climbing, which can help encourage proper technique, especially on overhanging terrain. A “rack” is a specific set of protection for a climb. (“She sent the route on her second try!”) (9). There are national forest campsites on both the Twin Lakes (east side) and Aspen (west side) of the pass. If not, let the American Mountain Guides Association direct your search.

Hard rock, with pretty good friction, that often forms vertical faces and slabs. Rocky Mountain National Park: Estes Park Valley: The Climber’s Guide, South Platte Climbing: The Northern Volume and South Platte Climbing: Thunder Ridge and Turkey Rock Edition. Consider the sunny Cactus Cliffs for popular moderates like Crynoid Corner (5.7) and LaCholla Jackson (5.8+). Lead: Being the first roped partner up a route; this person clips the rope into bolts or protection she places as the climb progresses. Climbing Independence Pass by bike is one of the more scenic bike climbs in CO and US. The second climber removes the gear as he ascends. To find the ideal pair, visit a store with a wide selection (go later because feet swell as the day goes on) and try on a variety of models.

Bouldering Scale: The American bouldering rating system is known as the V scale. The routes here often feel more difficult than their ratings (climbers call this “sandbagging”), which makes ascending them all the more satisfying. Independence Pass Rock Climbing II. But if you weren’t born with a belay device in hand, where do you begin? Then shuttle back to the hotel to rest weary muscles while watching the sun set on Mt. Beginning bolt-clippers will like Chicken Head Ranch at Devil’s Head and the sport routes on Elevenmile Dome in Elevenmile Canyon. Visit independencebouldering.com or purchase the Independence Rock Climbing II guidebook, for detailed maps, at the Ute Mountaineer. Visit the Cat Slab for a smorgasbord of 5.5 to 5.9 routes. Nobody wants their crux covered in foot fungus, so pull your shoes on before you put your dogs on the wall. Experience classic Colorado climbing* within a one-hour drive of Denver. Monthly: $75, The Breakdown: 12,000 square feet of top-rope and lead climbing (more than 100 routes) and 3,000 square feet dedicated to bouldering.

Some things to know: Crag accessibility varies with creek levels; be prepared to ford it in some cases. Find it: Clear Creek Canyon, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Granite Take turns. The Canal Zone, near the canyon’s entrance outside Golden, holds tons of 5.8s and 5.9s (a few are trad) and stays in the shade until about 2 p.m. Clear Creek Canyon | Traditional, Sport, Bouldering. Most climbing gyms will be able to recommend a guide. From $1,518 (two people, two nights, and climbing), The Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s committing routes are only accessible to advanced climbers, but that’s where Cement Creek, Taylor Canyon, and Gunnison Mountain Park come in.

Denver, CO 80202, One of the Best Young Para-Athletes in the World Is from Colorado, Royalty Exchange Wants to Make Music the Future of Smart Investing, A Scientific Look at Your Brain on Shrooms, 4 Front Range Bakeries to Visit Right Now, Rainbow Militia Will Bring the Circus to Denver’s “Art Deserts”, This Bay Area Bakery Is Bringing Its Viral Treats to Colorado, Your Go-To Guide to Colorado’s 2020 Ballot Measures, How Twin Pandemics Transformed Denver’s Black Leadership, The First Wave: Inside Colorado’s Initial Response to COVID-19, Front Range County Jails Have a Suicide Problem, Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities. From Denver Drive I-70 West to 91 South through Leadville, to 24 South, west onto Highway 82 over Independence Pass (open only during the warm weather months) into Aspen. The areas surrounding Breckenridge have fun Bouldering and sport climbing for all levels. When you look at it from the side, the shoe will appear fairly flat on the bottom, like this one from La Sportiva, an Italian brand that—like fellow Italian company Scarpa—planted its North American headquarters in Colorado. ), 1050 W. Hampden Ave., Englewood (4). For a little less pucker, head to the Jurassic Park–Lily Lake area’s bountiful short (and largely sport) routes. Trango offers two types: the Sicuro and the Zenith. Click on "Routes" to subscribe to a RSS feed of all new routes added to this category. Typically, the thicker the rubber, the more durable the shoe. The in-house adventure team takes anyone wanting to sample Colorado Springs stone to one of a host of venues. Estes Park Area | Traditional, Sport, Bouldering. *Where’s Rifle? The trailhead is to the Independence Pass viewing deck is located at the Summit parking area, which is about 20 miles from Aspen and 24 miles west of Highway 24 on the Leadville side. Signature Events: In March, Übergrippen hosted the Sendy McGriffy’s youth competition; this year, 250 kids competed over a weekend. Find it: Independence Pass, South Platte, Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder Canyon, Limestone (2), Bouldering: Ascending large rocks, typically up to about 20 feet in height, or traversing a low rock face with no ropes. A community grill and an outdoor fire pit allow for post-climbing picnics. Sport climbing: A form of climbing with a harness and rope in which the lead climber clips the rope into bolts that have been drilled into the rock to protect potential falls. And Improper City is next door, so the commute to that post-sending beer is mere steps.

Quintessential Colorado climbing* you won’t mind logging highway time to reach. The Durango bag maker even created places for crampons and ice tools, should you trade your shoes for boots come winter. Fee-based camping on the Aspen side of Independence Pass is available at Difficult Campground, Weller Campground, Lincoln Gulch and Lost Man Campground. *Only if you know what you’re doing; else, go with veteran climbers or a guide. Rule #3 The Safari area’s Little Five zone offers “slabby” (less than vertical) terrain that stays below 5.5. Boulderers protect their falls by placing large, thick mats—“crash pads”—near the base of the problem.

Don’t poach a route or a problem just to show off. Signature Events: This second Spot iteration plans to host an event similar to the Boulder location’s Psychedelia each year (think: costumes, black light, neon paint, and competition. Routes on boulders are called “problems,” and a single boulder will often have multiple problems on it.

Man climbing rocky mountain on Linkins Lake trail on Independence Pass near Aspen, Colorado in early summer of 2019 with snow Rock climb Independence Pass Countless routes for trad, sport and bouldering—and stellar mountain views—make Independence Pass home to some of the best rock climbing in the state. Campgrounds on the east side of the Pass, including Parry Peaks, Twin Peaks, and Twin Lakes area campgrounds, were opened to the public on … Independence Pass’ sun-soaked showpiece, Grotto Walls, presents routes at about every grade level. But fear not if you’re a first-timer; you’ll stick to the slabbier options on the east end of the impressive wall.