South Fork St. Vrain Canyon, Lyons

Can anyone tell me about the Scout Rock climbing area? I'd like to try it out but will be bringing my family with small children so I need it to be a pretty flat area.

Thanks!

It's flat, but it's right by the road.

Thanks! I am totally unfamiliar with the area. Is it a busy road?

I've driven that road a few times en route to RMNP and seen climbers alongside the road at what I assume is Scout Rock. It looked as if the belayer could get hit by a car if he/she just stepped back a little too far to take in slack. Not a spot where I would want to climb, and I definitely wouldn't bring small children.

Read about it here: mountainproject.com/v/scout….

Definitely check it out yourself before you commit to bringing the family.

I spend a lot of time there, it's not the best place for small children if they really don't understand the danger of the road. Max width on the dirt is just a bit more than a car width, more of it is half-car width wide. Then it's a 2' shoulder with cyclists going by and then cars going 50MPH. Also, it's fully exposed to the sun in the afternoon, it'll roast the adults, much less the children.

Up the canyon 500m on the creek side is a shaded picnic turnout, if can recommend bringing the kids there (after they climb and are bored?).

PM me if you have more questions, SSV is one of my favorite canyons, I spent all yesterday up there fishing and climbing. Are there any fish in that creek? Ha ha.

Met a rattler at Scout. Blew my preconceptions that a snake would be in the sun on a sunny day! I would not take kids or dogs to this location for this reason in addition to the proximity to the road. Granted, there are snakes everywhere, but finding this guy in the shade in under rock large enough for a kid or a dog to enter easily, right next to the main area, stands out to me. We, two adults, departed the area as soon as we found him.

Hello Kate,

If you're looking for kid friendly areas in the St. Vrain drainages, you may be disappointed, particularly now as the rivers are raging. There are a couple routes at Observatory Rock. Upper Infirmary Slabs are kind of a difficult approach (with Ivy) but do offer moderates and are somewhat kid friendly. The Monkey Skull is OK for kids once you get there but there is quite a bit of poison ivy on the approach.

Many of the better spots are on the South side of the South St. Vrain which is flowing hard at the moment.

Due to all the moisture, the poison ivy is, shall we say, healthy this year.

Lily Lake off upper highway 7 is a good moderate spot but requires a strenuous 30 min uphill. Not sure.

Good luck!

Thank you!

I've gone to Lake Lilly twice in the last two weeks. Really great place to hang out once you get up there.

Scout does have a few routes on the Western Aspect that are away from the road sufficiently enough for a kid to stay out of trouble on.