Places to learn crack technique near Colorado Springs

Recently I've been thinking about taking a class to learn how to trad climb. But, wanting to get the most out of it, i want to try to develop some crack technique before hand. What climbs/places in and around the Springs offer cracks that can easily be set up for top roping or cracks that are also bolted? Thanks in advance

Michael West wrote: What climbs/places in and around the Springs offer cracks that can easily be set up for top roping or cracks that are also bolted?

go do snuggles crack in the garden of the gods.... its "bolted." Though you won't want to fall. also, anaconda is "bolted" though it might be a little spicy getting to the first pin, and it is a lot of face climbing, not so much crack.

Turkey Rock for sure. Access might be snowed in ,but lots of people go there so maybe...... Shelf road has bolted cracks . Warmer temps down there so access is most likely okay. I myself am old school and I don't like bolted cracks but you didn't ask for my opinion so ...... Shelf is the spot for you Mike . Good luck and Happy Jamming for many years .

Thanks a lot everyone... I understand what you are saying about bolted cracks but since i don't have any gear i'll take whatever there is

It's going to be difficult to set up topropes on any cracks without gear. At a minimum you will need something to sling boulders at say Turkey Perch in Turkey Rocks. But you can climb the first few feet of many of the lines there.

Also check out some of the crack climbs on Pinecone Dome and Hollow Flake (5.6) on Arch Rock.

If you do have sport draws, you can find a whole lot of good cracks at Shelf Road, but they won't be as nice as the granite at Turkey.

Shelf Road has tons of bolted cracks, I've been practicing placing gear a lot there lately.

There are plenty of good cracks in the Garden that will teach you a variety of crack techniques. Anaconda has a good fingers section at the bottom and an offwidth/wide section for the middle pitch. Monster Crack is a nice layback crack that you can practice some hand/fist/offwidth technique on. Cowboy Boot Crack has a short section of good crack that would make a great introduction and is not hard to set up a toprope on. New Era is fantastic, it's right next to Bob's Buttress Crack both are great moderates. West Point Crack has a great second pitch that's all chimney. Pete and Bob's Crack is a somewhat less pleasant, IMO, chimney/offwidth. Snuggles and Fall Crack are very fun as well. Fall crack being a fair bit wider than Snuggles. There are plenty of cracks in the Garden that will be friendlier on your hands more so than Turkey or Shelf. Once the snow melts I'd definitely suggest Turkey but you could always learn here in the Springs.

Hiring a guide is an excellent way to learn to place gear and further improve your climbing technique. If you want some info on guide services in the area I could help you out, just give me a PM.

Check with the local Colorado Springs RockRats. They are branching out with a new instructional unit, totally loaded with all the gear and know how for cracks and such.

Michael, I'd stay away from Monster Crack in the Garden since you are learning and don't have the gear . . . it is not something to learn on IMHO. I'd say Cactus Cliff has some really fun cracks but don't expect near the quality of Turkey Rocks. Both are baked in the sun when it's clear and are enjoyable in the winter. Shelf has some pretty fun wide stuff, too.

John, none of the cracks I listed are good to learn on if you don't have the gear, with the exception of Cowboy Boot Crack. What's wrong with Monster Crack?

Woodchuck,
Colorado Springs Rock Ratz doesn't technically exist any more. I don't know what the deal is because I'm no longer in the loop but I know they're operating under someone else now.

Thanks everyone, it sounds like i'm going to Shelf!

Shelf is indeed just what you seek. You even get the bonus of getting some more leading practice.

I found that the best place to get a solid hand jam down was, sadly, in a gym. It's a little easier to get to a gym in the front range than the Creek.

If you have access to a gym with any perfect handcracks, I suggest going and running laps on it sometime.

Learn to CRACK CLIMB in a GYM?????????????? That may be the most absurd thing I have ever seen on this site .

Bribe someone with a rack who can lead to take you up to the Martyr - this will give you an aspect of the trad experience that is one of the primary reasons many of us like trad, and that you can't get at most sport crags (or the gym): remoteness. Being out there.

The further you get from the road, the quieter your surroundings become, the more killer the views become... Then you find the gorgeous and natural line way out there, you stand at the base, you take a deep breath. These are kick-ass parts of climbing away from crowded areas and gyms. Trad climbing can open that door for you. Bolted cracks or the gym can't do it.

Kevin, once you get over the ridiculous sounding idea, it can actually be a good thing.

I'm probably at least as condescending as you against plastic pulling monkeys, but every now and then I remember that they do serve a good purpose...

I'm glad that I had enough endurance with handjams to make my first trip to Indian Creek enjoyable instead of a strugglefest to get up incredible or supercrack.

Ha ha i would bribe someone with a rack but i can't say i know anyone who has one... and i can't really say i like most gym's atmospheres so I'll be trying to stay outdoors.

Michael,

If you can get out to Indian Creek for Spring Break with a small crew of folks, it's like going to crack school. A little bit of friendliness goes a long way to there. Without much effort you can top rope nearly any climb in the area with the added bonus of watching lots of great climbers do the deed on the routes you're learning on.

Locally. I agree with anything south platte/shelf road/ and some of the GoG recommendations. Bob's Butt Crack is a must do every year for me.
Good climbing,
Tony

You can lead End of an Era (bolted sport route) and then top rope Bob's Buttress Crack with a directional. The anchor on End of an Era is up and left of Bob's anchor, pretty easy to throw a draw on Bob's while your being lowered off of End of an Era. mountainproject.com/v/color…
Tony is right...Bob's is one of the must do crack season warm ups. Rare sinker jams at GOG.

might be a little trciky to get to if theres snow in there now but if you go to the Slash in GOTG ( mountainproject.com/v/color…) theres some short cracks if you scramble out of the slash. The Woodland Park boulders have some cracks you can practice jamming on.
mountainproject.com/v/color…

and if the weather gets really bad the gym in Monument and downtown have cracks to play on.