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Is Boulder Falls Trail (Lower Dream Canyon) still closed?

Original Post
John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392

Seems like the trail to LDC has been closed for one reason or another for several years. I'm not sure the status on the MP page is current... I mean, can it still be closed due to the floods?

Adam Reke · · Boulder, CO · Joined May 2013 · Points: 10

The fence closing the path isn't very tall, if you're a rebel you can step over it and go climb :)

J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926
J Marsella wrote:This is surely the best way to ensure future climbing access.
Yeah, it is a rare occasion that I drive past the falls and don't see multiple parties climbing in LDC, and you know that all of them arrived there via jumping the fence. The question I have is whether the powers that be are letting this slide because they really just want to keep tourists from running up there and getting hurt, or conversely, whether it is just a matter of time before they start cracking down on "trespassers". I have sort of avoided LDC because I don't want to endanger access nor incur a fine, but I really would like to know whether I am needlessly avoiding the amazing climbing to be had up there.
Dave Holliday · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2003 · Points: 1,078
J. Albers wrote: Yeah, it is a rare occasion that I drive past the falls and don't see multiple parties climbing in LDC, and you know that all of them arrived there via jumping the fence. The question I have is whether the powers that be are letting this slide because they really just want to keep tourists from running up there and getting hurt, or conversely, whether it is just a matter of time before they start cracking down on "trespassers".
It's possible to scramble from the highway to Plotinus without using the Boulder Falls trail. Legal? I'm not sure but at least you're not jumping a fence or using a closed trail. I believe it's still legal to climb at Plotinus so I don't think someone could be cited just for being at the crag.
J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926
Dave Holliday wrote: It's possible to scramble from the highway to Plotinus without using the Boulder Falls trail. Legal? I'm not sure but at least you're not jumping a fence or using a closed trail. I believe it's still legal to climb at Plotinus so I don't think someone could be cited just for being at the crag.
Yeah, I have hiked in without using the Boulder Falls trail, but that really that seems like a poor work around. Besides, correct me if I'm wrong, but the sign says that the whole area beyond the trail end is closed, which would include the Plotinus wall regardless of how you got there.
John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
J. Albers wrote: Besides, correct me if I'm wrong, but the sign says that the whole area beyond the trail end is closed, which would include the Plotinus wall regardless of how you got there.
Thanks to everyone who replied. I guess we'll go elsewhere.

Is LDC part of Boulder Open Space? I can't tell from the map in the guidebook.

If not, then they really can't close the cliffs just the approach, and they may be obliged to allow access. (Can't remember the legal term.)
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

This thread should be deleted

Guy H. · · Fort Collins CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 8,318
www-static.bouldercolorado.…
mountainproject.com/images/…

It looks like Plotinus Wall is not under the closure area, if you can get there.
Steve Levin · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 952
Lower Boulder Falls is currently closed due to the tourist trail washing out during the 9-2013 flood. This is the primary reason the area remains closed.

Please respect the closure. Last I checked, there are a couple of other areas to climb at around Boulder.

The BCC (Boulder Climbing Community) is actively negotiating with land management agencies (Boulder City & County, NFS) to repair the tourist trail and construct a climbers trail to Plotinus. If all goes well, trail work will be completed in 2015. This is a big project that has taken a lot of time and energy to plan. It will be an expensive effort to complete.

If you want to see a sustainable climber's trail established and the area reopened, consider making a monetary donation to BCC:

boulderclimbers.org
Mike Gilbert · · Bend, OR · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 21

thanks for the info

Eric Klammer · · Eagle, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 2,070

You can access all of LDC from above as well. It's not super hard, but it's not easy either. It may be a nice hike on a warm day though as the area up there is beautiful with a couple small waterfalls and cool pools. If I remember correctly it's somewhere around a 30-45 minute scramble depending on how wet you get your feet.

Decent little class C canyon as well, I believe there is a picture on the LDC page of my partner rapping through the upper falls.

John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
Steve Levin wrote:Lower Boulder Falls is currently closed due to the tourist trail washing out during the 9-2013 flood. This is the primary reason the area remains closed.
Thanks Steve.

Steve Levin wrote: The BCC (Boulder Climbing Community) is actively negotiating with land management agencies (Boulder City & County, NFS) to repair the tourist trail and construct a climbers trail to Plotinus. If all goes well, trail work will be completed in 2015.
Sounds good, thanks again.

To those who suggested accessing LDC from above, that too apparently has access issues with private land. Since LDC itself isn't actually closed, a helicopter or ultra-light might do the trick. ;-)

To those who suggested deleting this thread... Why?
Eliot Augusto · · Lafayette, CO · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 60

You can definitely do it legally. Bring a headlamp. At the bottom of the wall of winter warmth is where the trail runs out. And by trail I mean scary(for me) gullies.

Start off where you would for UDC and take the trail towards the canyon. At the endish there is a game trail leading off towards LDC. After 10-15 minutes you hit the first of three "fingers", super small ridges, that probably wouldn't show up on a map. On the third you scale down the gully to the wall of winter warmth. We also think that the black and white outline is wildly confusing and doesn't represent the shape of most things down there.

But there is a traverse that can be protected from the near and far side. That goes over the creek. There is a large slab before the traverse. The traverse isn't hard, but its unprotected and you'd get wet. We turned back there since we didn't feel inspired to do it. Looks doable for the motivated individual. Most of the good stuff is still accessible without risking hypothermia.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
John Byrnes wrote: To those who suggested deleting this thread... Why?
I appreciate Steve's response and the efforts of the BCC.

I think it's irresponsible to suggest that climbers should violate a closure by stepping over the gate.

I also think it's incorrect and damaging to assert that cars parked at the falls lot are climbers violating a closure. There are other cliffs accessed from that parking and there are other ways to approach LDC. So just because someone sees cars parked and climbers climbing it DOES NOT mean the climbers are ignoring the signs.

If I were to see someone crossing the barrier, I'd try to speak to them privately and not make random accusations on MP that potentially cast climbers in a bad light.
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

I do believe this area was closed well before the floods last year and I vaguely remember a hiking injury. Nonetheless, if you drive by there on any nice Sunday, there are dozens of tourists of all ages, including small children, blowing by the closed sign to see the falls. If you think the county is unaware of this, you are kidding yourself. If you avoid the closed gate and enter further west, you are on the verge of private property. This may be better or worse, depending on your opinion.

Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883
Boulder Falls is closed
Jul 05, 2013, 2:57 PM
I have been remiss in reporting this (sorry). I thought the trail was open based on the # of cars and people I see there every week.

I called Parks & Open Space and they do not have a projected opening date. You can see the falls from the road. It is a very bad idea to crawl over the gate.


From the OSMP website:

Boulder Falls Trail remains closed. The trail was scheduled to open on May 1, 2013, but will remain closed for some time. While OSMP hoped to be able to open the trail on May 1 as usual, due to the unusual number of snow storms and amount of snow received in April this year, the scaling that needs to be done before opening the trail was not possible. This work will be completed as soon as it can be arranged so the trail can be opened.

Indeed it was closed before the floods.
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

^^^ Yet the reason it closed in the first place was not due to the floods, nor was it mitigated. But, now the floods are the reason? Hmmm.

J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926
Mark E Dixon wrote: I appreciate Steve's response and the efforts of the BCC. I think it's irresponsible to suggest that climbers should violate a closure by stepping over the gate. I also think it's incorrect and damaging to assert that cars parked at the falls lot are climbers violating a closure. There are other cliffs accessed from that parking and there are other ways to approach LDC. So just because someone sees cars parked and climbers climbing it DOES NOT mean the climbers are ignoring the signs. If I were to see someone crossing the barrier, I'd try to speak to them privately and not make random accusations on MP that potentially cast climbers in a bad light.
Mark, its not an assumption and my stating as much doesn't cast climbers in a bad light. What casts climbers in a bad light is the fact that some climbers so blatantly (and dumbly IMHO) make their way to LDC in a way that I can see what they are doing virtually every time I drive past on a sunny day. There is no way that land managers don't know this, so me stating as much on MP is far from letting the cat out of the bag.

Greg D wrote:I do believe this area was closed well before the floods last year and I vaguely remember a hiking injury. Nonetheless, if you drive by there on any nice Sunday, there are dozens of tourists of all ages, including small children, blowing by the closed sign to see the falls. If you think the county is unaware of this, you are kidding yourself. If you avoid the closed gate and enter further west, you are on the verge of private property. This may be better or worse, depending on your opinion.
Exactly.

Steve Levin wrote:Lower Boulder Falls is currently closed due to the tourist trail .... reopened, consider making a monetary donation to BCC: boulderclimbers.org
Thanks for the info Steve.
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
J. Albers wrote: my stating as much
But exactly what good outcome are you trying to produce by making these statements?
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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