Where is it dry?

Southeast Utah should be fine (at least according to official rain guages they're much better off than elsehwere). Worse case is they need Saturday to drain and dry. I'll let you know what we find!

Yeah, we'll need to be flexible in the AM heading out from the airport. It's possible 70 will be fine by then, if not we have a long ride south to Colorado Springs or Pueblo, then taking alt routes West to rejoin I70 where it isn't closed. Expecting to spend our first day in the car.

It's my first time to CO, so if there's any breaks in the sky I'll be pulling over to take lots of pics.

Kevin Heckeler wrote:Southeast Utah should be fine (at least according to official rain guages they're much better off than elsehwere). Worse case is they need Saturday to drain and dry.

Be aware, though, that the sandstone in SE Utah is very sensitive to moisture, and it is considered a major faux pas to climb there immediately after a big rain. That rock is quite porous, and needs several days to dry out before it should be climbed on.

JCM wrote: Be aware, though, that the sandstone in SE Utah is very sensitive to moisture, and it is considered a major faux pas to climb there immediately after a big rain. That rock is quite porous, and needs several days to dry out before it should be climbed on.

Duly noted. :-)

Thanks for the info so far. I am the other half of Mr. Heckeler's travel party. A gracious co-worker came in and worked the 2nd half of my shift so that I could go home and re-plan our vacation. I now have 4 hours to revise what was 5 months of planning.

Can anyone give any condition information on the Uinta Mountains? Unaweep Canyon?

What attracted us to the Front Range was the plentitude of easier climbs. We are both recovering from nagging injuries and wanted to avoid steeper rock. Can anyone suggest anywhere else?

I'm in a similar boat to Kevin and Valerie. Planning on showing up in Denver (by car from the East Coast) on Wednesday afternoon. Places near Denver and Boulder seem like they won't be good, due to rockfall danger and closed roads.

Does anyone know about the conditions further south, maybe near Colorado Springs? Might it be expected to dry out there by Thursday or so?

Also, what about the Winds? Anyone have an info on them?

Head to the South Platte...USGS automated rain gauge at the inlet to Cheesman Reservoir (general area of wigwam, turkey rocks, sheeps nose etc.) shows less then 2 inches of rain from this storm.

Phillip Morris wrote:Head to the South Platte...USGS automated rain gauge at the inlet to Cheesman Reservoir (general area of wigwam, turkey rocks, sheeps nose etc.) shows less then 2 inches of rain from this storm.

Excellent beta! Thank you so much! That was high on our list anyway!

I was feeling overwhelmed about the number of options for our trip, so I guess this rain makes it easier for me to pick!

To everyone out there who's suffering from this flooding (either with property damage, physical injury, or just lack of climbing), we're thinking about you back east; good luck!

Phillip Morris wrote:Head to the South Platte...USGS automated rain gauge at the inlet to Cheesman Reservoir (general area of wigwam, turkey rocks, sheeps nose etc.) shows less then 2 inches of rain from this storm.

We have reservation to camp in Eleven Mile Cyn Sat-Mon. I was going to cancel but perhaps I should keep them? Will the rock dry out fairly quick if it does rain?

A caveat: My advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

Regarding dry rock: hard to say...I fish 11 mile canyon more then I climb there. Lots of bullet proof granite there. I suspect you will find something to climb that is reasonably dry.

If it were me I'd pack a 9 foot four weight, 6x tippet, and numerous size 24 cul de canard trico dunn emerger flies and go abuse some trout.

Alec32 wrote: Does anyone know about the conditions further south, maybe near Colorado Springs? Might it be expected to dry out there by Thursday or so?

Any of the S. Platte areas will dry out fairly quick. Looks like better weather starting Monday. 11 Mile, Turkey Rock, Thunder should be good to go by then. I bet Shelf Road will be fine as well. Good luck & hope you find some dry stone!

Kevin Heckeler wrote:Southeast Utah should be fine (at least according to official rain guages they're much better off than elsehwere). Worse case is they need Saturday to drain and dry. I'll let you know what we find! Yeah, we'll need to be flexible in the AM heading out from the airport. It's possible 70 will be fine by then, if not we have a long ride south to Colorado Springs or Pueblo, then taking alt routes West to rejoin I70 where it isn't closed. Expecting to spend our first day in the car. It's my first time to CO, so if there's any breaks in the sky I'll be pulling over to take lots of pics.

oops, I meant SE UT - it has rained there non-stop since the labor day weekend I believe, I wouldn't go there.

Why has no one posted that vid of Dan Osmond soloing a water fall with his ice gear, yet?

Moab is NOT dry and even though it is not raining much the rock has not dried out in over a week and the forecast does not look promising

Chris Schmidt wrote:Moab is NOT dry and even though it is not raining much the rock has not dried out in over a week and the forecast does not look promising

Cool, perhaps we'll just stick with our plan to hit 11 Mile on arrival, poke around for dry rock, and eventually as time, sun, and lack of rain work in our favor maybe we'll squeeze in some routes.

Rocky Mt National Park is officially closed now too. Kinda saw that coming though. Just hoping the Denver airport stays open.

doligo wrote: oops, I meant SE UT - it has rained there non-stop since the labor day weekend I believe, I wouldn't go there.

:-)

Is there any chance that sport routes in the Flatirons will be dry tomorrow and approachable? And I'll be coming in from Denver.

Bueller, Bueller....

Daniel T. wrote: Got a text alert from the University saying Boulder Creek was at 5,000 cfs. Safe to say its probably too dangerous to kayak.

Not for some! youtube.com/watch?feature=p…

nicelegs wrote:Is there any chance that sport routes in the Flatirons will be dry tomorrow and approachable? And I'll be coming in from Denver. Bueller, Bueller....

Not a chance. I would stay away from Boulder and let some cleanup begin.

nicelegs wrote:Is there any chance that sport routes in the Flatirons will be dry tomorrow and approachable? And I'll be coming in from Denver. Bueller, Bueller....

I'll bet you can find something. I don't know the Flatirons well enough to suggest possibilities unfortunately.

Not Boulder Canyon though, still blocked by Police cars at the level of Eben Fine Park. IE a long ways from any climbing.

No good reason to stay away from Boulder.

I thought about climbing in the Flatirons tomorrow too but given the amount of rain we've had I'm a little concerned about breaking holds. We got more rain in 24 hours than the previous record for the month of September so it's likely that the rock is still wet and weakened.

I also think there might be better uses for my time around Boulder tomorrow than going climbing.