Climbers Campground

Hey Guys.

My girlfriend and I want to visit the climbing areas of Colorado and Utah in Sep14.
Is there any campground near the City of Boulder, Grand Junction or Moab Area where we can met other climbers or where the local climbing scene mets?

I hope you can help me.

Best regards.

David

None of those have a "climber" campground. For Moab, you'll have luck camping in indian creek. Anywhere else, you'll be mixing it up with climbers, jeepers, and cyclists.

For Grand Junction, I don't even know where to camp. Unaweep might be OK. I've camped on the backside of Co natl monument and it was nice. Nobody else was around though.

For Boulder, you'll most likely end up sleeping in your car in a dark parking lot. Meeting climbers is easy there. Get a dead cat and swing it. The first second and third person you hit with it will all be climbers.

Why doesn't some enterprising climber, or ex-climber with property, develop and open a climbers campground in the Boulder area? Do they have tough city laws that forbid such an endeavor?? I'd think someone could make a bundle of money with one. Just in saving gas to drive all the way up the canyon to Kelly Dahl forest campground, or off to something halfway to Estes Park, etc...seems that it would pay off for the climber too. How can there not be one after all these decades I wonder..

If I had a place there I'd offer to let you camp in my yard for beer or other things like beer.

Check with Colorado Mountain School in Estes Park. They have a climber's hostel.

It's not uncommon to find many climbers spending the "season" in Rifle Mountain Park and staying either in the park or somewhere else in the area. The camping fee was increased to $10/site/night this year but I suspect many folks will still be up there this year.

-K

As far as meeting climbers in boulder, go bouldering up on Flagstaff Mtn. On a nice day there are lots of peeps about.
There is a bunch of camping by Grand Junction, but no "climbing" camps. A better spot ( considering my sensisbilities ) would be camp near Fruita. Mostly mountain bikers, but generally a good time.
In Moab, you can camp on Potash Road at the Goldbar campground. This is near Wall Street, and there are ususally some climbers around.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:Why doesn't some enterprising climber, or ex-climber with property, develop and open a climbers campground in the Boulder area? Do they have tough city laws that forbid such an endeavor?? I'd think someone could make a bundle of money with one.

Obviously you are new here!
In a word, to answer your question, "yes" there are tough city (and county) laws (regulations, restrictions, provisions, provisos, etc etc etc...) that prohibit such.
The city/county will not approve a any plan for land use that will not generate a significant amount of revenue.
Not to mention that you can't (seriously) even put a light out on your property without planning and approval from a aboard. I would know...
And then there is the question of property price, not to mention water and sewer tap fees.
It is (not unintentionally) out of the question.

Not new Tony,,,just old'. Figured that if it wasn't done decades ago when I was out there on a regular basis,,,that there must be severe city laws that limited the possibility. Only has gotten worse I'd imagine to do anything,,,,besides the expected rise in property costs, property taxes, etc... for land use. Sad that a city filled with so much outdoor opportunity as Boulder can't come to grips with the need for camping somewhere around there. What's up..??,,the resorts, motels and rental facilities have a strong 'lobby' against any cheap visitor overnight stays? Sad it continues to this day, as bad as it was back in the 70's when I first started coming out that way each season.

I know you are not new here - just pullin' your leg - that's what I ask everyone who asks one of those types of questions...
As for the hotels and such - they don't need a lobby. They have the implicit/obvious support for a higher cost solution generating more tax dollars and Boulder not wanting 'Riff-Raff.'
There was a federla case recently already whereas the County wouldn't let a Church build on their own land since it would nto generate high county revenue. Of course, the County lost... but unless you have Millions to spare and time to get to federal appeals courts, don't expect to see a campground come to that level of a fight - like i said, property prices, taxes, (let's not forget who assesses the value, and can do so vs potential for other land use) sewer and tap fees, permits and zoning would all stop it anyway. Just for Water/Sewer out where I am (East side of the County, but only 50 feet from existing lines) you are talking $40k in "fees" to get a tap.

IE 1" Commercial tap $46k here:
ci.longmont.co.us/bldginsp/…