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Colorado fires forcing an alternative climbing trip destination. Suggestions?

Original Post
Lou C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 20

I have a climbing trip coming up in three weeks to the Golden, CO area. We had planned to hit Shelf Road for a day and then we were staying in Golden Gate. We planned on climbing in the Golden area, Estes Park, and South Platte.

I am watching the fires and it looks like they will be spoiling the plans I had for Colorado. My partner and I are trying to find some alternative locations to climb/mountain bike for a week. We're from the Chicago area and Colorado was really as far as we were wanting to travel.

To give you an idea of the type of climbing we'd like to do... We were planning on doing sport and TR. We can TR 10s and sport lead up to 10a but would prefer a place that also has some 8s and 9s.

I thought about hitting Moab, but it would be too hot this time of the year. I was there last year in July and it was pretty brutal.

Thanx for any suggestions!

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
Lou C wrote:I have a climbing trip coming up in three weeks to the Golden, CO area. We had planned to hit Shelf Road for a day and then we were staying in Golden Gate. We planned on climbing in the Golden area, Estes Park, and South Platte. I am watching the fires and it looks like they will be spoiling the plans I had for Colorado. My partner and I are trying to find some alternative locations to climb/mountain bike for a week. We're from the Chicago area and Colorado was really as far as we were wanting to travel. To give you an idea of the type of climbing we'd like to do... We were planning on doing sport and TR. We can TR 10s and sport lead up to 10a but would prefer a place that also has some 8s and 9s. I thought about hitting Moab, but it would be too hot this time of the year. I was there last year in July and it was pretty brutal. Thanx for any suggestions!
Not sure how much is in your grade, but maybe sinks and wild iris in WY?
Andrew Gram · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,725

Go to the Black Hills in South Dakota. Rushmore, the Needles, and Spearfish Canyon have plenty at that grade. Rushmore is the best sport climbing area in the country for grades under 5.10 in any case.

Cor · · Sandbagging since 1989 · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 1,445

despite the fires, all of the places you mention are open for climbing.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

So how are your plans ruined again?? Golden gate isn't affected, Golden isn't affected, Estes Park isn't affected and the Spatte is a huge area.

Things that ARE affected (add please add what I'm missing): The flatirons are closed, and there's probably limited or no access to the Poudre (Ft. Collins) and areas of Eleven Mile.

I'm sure others can elaborate, but I believe most of the areas really affected are more trad and aren't on your list. Not 100% sure about the Devil's head / Rampart area.

I'm sure it seems like all of CO is burning (well it is kinda), but it's a big state with TONS of climbing. Theres no reason for you not to come and climb.

Lou C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 20
Scott McMahon wrote:So how are your plans ruined again?? Golden gate isn't affected, Golden isn't affected, Estes Park isn't affected and the Spatte is a huge area. Things that ARE affected (add please add what I'm missing): The flatirons are closed, and there's probably limited or no access to the Poudre (Ft. Collins) and areas of Eleven Mile. I'm sure others can elaborate, but I believe most of the areas really affected are more trad and aren't on your list. Not 100% sure about the Devil's head / Rampart area. I'm sure it seems like all of CO is burning (well it is kinda), but it's a big state with TONS of climbing. Theres no reason for you not to come and climb.
I know these places are still open. Just trying to make alternative plans if the fires get much closer. I saw a news article on fires in Waldo. I google mapped it and it was ~30 miles away. To me, that's close enough to begin getting an alternative plan together. If it comes down to the day we leave and the places I want to go are still open, then we will still hit CO.
ErikaNW · · Golden, CO · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 410

If you are planning sport and TR, Clear Creek Canyon in Golden has a ton of climbing within your grade and is completely unaffected by the fires. Golden Gate has no active fire close by currently.

Boulder Canyon should be fine as well since the Flagstaff fire looks to be no longer growing. Of course who knows what might happen in the next 3 weeks! Things are changing day to day around here.

You shouldn't have any trouble finding climbing/mountain biking within an hour or two of Golden even if there are some fires still going.

Mike Soucy · · Longmont, CO · Joined May 2006 · Points: 111

Nix shelf and golden cliffs for sure. Way too hot there. Devil's Head, Golden Gate and Boulder Canyon should be fine and have myriad options for moderate sport/tr.
Also consider Independence Pass as an alternative to Estes. More of what you're lookin for.

Andy Librande · · Denver, CO · Joined Nov 2005 · Points: 1,880
Cor wrote:despite the fires, all of the places you mention are open for climbing.
x2

However a back-up plan is not a bad idea considering all of these fires seem to come from no-where and become huge quick. Hard to say what may or may not be burning in a couple weeks.

Right now all the fires are concentrated on low-elevations and usually the high parts of the state will not burn.

Also in three weeks all of these fires could easily be put out. And your main concern should be temperature (and not the location of the fires) as the front range has been setting record highs for several weeks now and it is hard to predict the future weather cycles.

With that being said:
- Golden Gate has plenty of good climbing and is at elevation and is not near any fires right now.
- Devil's Head is another option with some quality sport routes
- Independence Pass is a great camping place and has some great routes. Worth the drive and is a much better "Colorado" experience then a lot of the other places
- Penitente Canyon could be an option if it is not too hot
- Lime Creek is at higher elevations and should be much cooler

Almost all of those places have world-class mountain biking next to them too (especially independence pass).

Colorado is a massive state and only an extremely very small portion of it is on fire right now.
Nick Votto · · CO, CT, IT · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 320

Second vote for Independence Pass, great stuff...
or I would say the Black Hills, Needles, Rushmore.
-Nick

Adam Stackhouse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 13,970
Lou C wrote: I am watching the fires and it looks like they will be spoiling the plans I had for Colorado.
Nevermind the people who either lost their homes entirely or have been evacuated to a shelter to await a possible doleful response from authorities.....

As they say, "just sayin..."
Lou C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 20
Adam Stackhouse wrote: Nevermind the people who either lost their homes entirely or have been evacuated to a shelter to await a possible doleful response from authorities..... As they say, "just sayin..."
Who said nevermind them? I don't see anything in my post about that. This forum is about climbing. My post was about climbing. I posted nothing to offend.

Way to twist my post for climing suggestions into a stab at those who are affected by the fire. I'd expect more from an admin. As they say, "Just sayin'..." =]
Lou C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 20

Thanx for the suggestions guys. I'm hoping the original plans are going to be able to happen by the time the trip comes along. I have another trip coming up in August. I will be looking into Rushmore, thanx to those of you who suggested it!

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520
Cor wrote:despite the fires, all of the places you mention are open for climbing.
Indeed. Hitting all of them myself this weekend.
Matt Roberts · · Columbus, OH · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 85

Lou,
I just got back from 2 weeks in Estes, and I wouldn't worry about changing your plans. If you were climbing at the Monastery, and the wind blew just right, it might annoy you a little bit, but I think it would still be worth it.

In the area of EP, and Boulder, too, most of the climbing areas are close enough to populated areas that there will be lots of resources put to those fires.

Have fun!

Matt.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425
Lou C wrote: I know these places are still open. Just trying to make alternative plans if the fires get much closer. I saw a news article on fires in Waldo. I google mapped it and it was ~30 miles away. To me, that's close enough to begin getting an alternative plan together. If it comes down to the day we leave and the places I want to go are still open, then we will still hit CO.
Yeah you are still good. I understand what you're saying though..from probably watching the news it looks that way.

Everytime there's an avalanche in CO, my east coast family worries it's me. LOL.
Michael Schneiter · · Glenwood Springs, CO · Joined Apr 2002 · Points: 10,406

Ditto what other people said about CO. Plenty to do regardless of the bad fires we've had here. Out here on the Western Slope we've been fire free (knock on wood) and the climbing in places like Rifle and Independence Pass have been great.

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

I just received a truckload shipment of Flaming Death Spray Napalm Psycho Rockets I was going to haul up the 3rd for the 4th of July. Who wants to help me?

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

Not to spoil all the internet jokes guys, but they've lost 346 homes in the Springs. I'm sure quite a few are climbers that would frequent this site if their computers and lives hadn't all gone up in flames.

It's only funny until it happens to you.

Eli Helmuth · · Ciales, PR · Joined Aug 2001 · Points: 3,441

The first mistake was to plan on a climbing vacation to the armpit of CO- Golden in the middle of a typically hot summer. Estes Park is avg. 15F cooler and the crags above town even more: Twin Sisters, Jurassic, Ironclads, Monastery, Lumpy...why travel anywhere else?
No fires, no smoke, no heat... Hermit Park is an awesome place to base out of, nearby Estes.
Climb on and love to all my bro's in golden who suffer in the shadow of the coor's pit.

Wilson On The Drums · · Woodbury, MN · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 940
Andrew Gram wrote:Go to the Black Hills in South Dakota. Rushmore, the Needles, and Spearfish Canyon have plenty at that grade. Rushmore is the best sport climbing area in the country for grades under 5.10 in any case.
+1
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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