One day to climb around Colorado Springs

I'm going to have one Saturday in July to climb, following a horsepack trip with my sister. I'll be in Colorado Springs, and my sister is not a climber. I'd love to find a partner with all the gear, or hire a guide so all I need to bring is my own shoes/harness/helmet. Suggestions on places to climb (follow 5.8 and under), and guide services in the area?

Thanks!

What Saturday are you talking about? I should be able to help you out.

Front Range Climbing guides at Garden of the Gods, which is a cool place to crag. I have not used them, but maybe others can chime in.

I have a guide friend in mind, too, if you want to go that route. Bill Olszewski is his name. He also runs the local climbing club. I would definitely climb at the Garden and do Montezuma Tower, New Era on Grey Rock, and then climb the routes in that area since it's the best rock quality in the park. But the tower is a must do.

Front Range Climbing Co is a very poor guide service who primarily hires very under qualified "guides" who often put their clients in dangerous situations. I'v seen this first hand many times in the garden. There are alternatives to FRCC, like Colorado Climbing CO, First Ascent Mountain School, and Pikes Peak Alpine school. FRCC talks a good talk and even made up a bogus in house certification to sell people, don't buy in!

Thanks to all for the info. July 21 is the date. I'm going to look up the route info on the Tower. I had heard it mentioned somewhere else as a good route, too.

Wow, Buster. That has to be the most glaring violation of Mountain Project’s Rule #1 I’ve ever seen. Never mind that your statements regarding Front Range Climbing constitute libel. Nor will I rehash in this forum the many reasons you were fired from Front Range. What fascinates me is that you suggest that 5 days of instruction by a specific accreditation outfit, or in your case, 25 days of instruction, is the only viable means towards becoming a safe and competent guide; that Brian’s 20+ years of experience, having learned under such climbing pioneers as Jimmy Dunn, Harvey Carter, Layton Kor, Stewart Green and myriad other icons in the Colorado climbing scene is somehow lacking. While the certification process you underwent is certainly one way to learn to become a climbing guide, your opinion, that imparting the knowledge and wisdom learned from these pioneers, to new guides, somehow qualifies as “bogus in house certification” is, well, bogus.

Edited to stay out of business that has nothing to do with me. I'll only say that Buster's review didn't seem like libel, and I appreciate honest review of gear, routes, areas, services, etc. on MP.com. Rule #1 isn't meant to silence negative review if it's honest.

I'd also recommend the Garden, and Montezuma's is a great choice. The stuff over by New Era is also killer, but for scenery you want to be climbing the stuff that faces the Piker in all its glory, especially around sunset.

If not the Garden, head up to The Martyr.

YES
Montezumas, NewEra,West point (well at least the first two pitches) or just stay around
New Era plenty of. Good stuff there fer sure. just resolve yourself to the fact that tons of tourists will be taking home butt shots of you and you'll get barraged with questions like
"how do ya get the rope up there" the std garden climbers response is
1) rope gun .... Man didn't you pay attention to the movie Cliffhanger????
OR
2) trained squirrels

Heck I'd be down for that myself , I should be back in the springs by then( I work in Nevada as underground miner/ driller/blaster and do 28 day rotations out there , then get to enjoy 14 off)

Too bad Jimmy's off digging minerals , he would most certainly be an awesome springs
Climbing/ guide experience for you..

Anyway have fun and don't forget to visit the main visitors center n get your free climbing permit first! The rangers are cool but have been known to hand out $500 ticketsTo people not holding a permit.
Cheers

Montezuma's is one of the most unique 5.7s I'v ever heard of... Be careful of the traverse on the first pitch. Its easy but a fall would be ugly. Two ropes 40m or longer or a single 70 will just get you down from the top.

Also, thanks to the Rocky Mountain Field Institute for the sweet new access trail on the north side of the tower!