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Elevation: 9,084 ft
GPS: 40.29, -105.5457
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Shared By: Leo Paik on Mar 2, 2006
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description Suggest change

This stretch of crags includes a vast array of smaller crags with granitic, gneiss, and schist rock with routes up to perhaps 600 feet in length. For those seeking a quieter, more peaceful experience, there is much to enjoy here. We do share a minority of this terrain with a different crowd who enjoys motorized travel & teenage frivolity in the National Forests. Stretches of Twin Sisters are utilized in the fall by hunters. Some areas are better accessed with high-clearance 4WD transportation.

For the most part, these crags are traditionally protected, although a few crags along here have been tamed with fixed protection. Much of the cragging here lies at altitudes between 8-11,000 feet. Some stretches lies on private land (e.g. Fish Creek Pinnacles), so be careful to check on some of these lesser-known areas if you go exploring. There are few roadside crags along here, many rocks require an approach of up to 90 minutes.

Some of the more popular (still backwater) areas along here include: The Crags (Twin Sisters), Jurassic Park (Lily Lake), Ironclads (Allenspark), Lily Mountain, the Thumb & Needle (Prospect Mt), Deville Rocks (accessed with permission of Cheley Camps) but there is much more. So, come and explore.

Getting There Suggest change

CO Hwy 7 (which is part of the Peak to Peak Highway) extends from Estes Park, south through Allenspark, and veers east through South St. Vrain Canyon to Lyons. The section here describes crags between Estes Park and the top of South St. Vrain Canyon.

From Estes Park, head south on CO Hwy 7 off US 36.

From Denver, head north on I-25, go NW on US 36 through the town of Boulder to Lyons. At the T junction you have two choices. To access the southern crags, you can go left (south), up CO Hwy 7, winding up South St. Vrain Canyon. At the top of the canyon, you go straight which continues north toward Estes Park. To access the northern crags, you can go north at the T junction on US 36 to Estes Park. Then head south on CO Hwy 7 shortly after passing Lake Estes.

To access this from the central or western side of the state, you can drive up the Peak to Peak Highway off I-70, through Central City, Rollinsville, Nederland, etc., but this is a winding drive.

369 Total Climbs

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Location: CO Hwy 7 & Tributaries Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at CO Hwy 7 & Tributaries

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V9 7C
 4
Little Bear (subsequently called…
Boulder
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 111
Return of the King
Sport 5 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 834
Edge of Time
Sport, TR
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 29
Merlin's Magic Corner
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 134
Wizard's Path
Sport
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 59
The White Raven
Sport 4 pitches
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 4
Blackbeard's Arete
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 46
Electric Forest
Sport
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a
 75
Take Me to Your Leader
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 177
Andrology
Sport, TR
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 29
Afterlife
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 7
Paradoxical Movement
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 51
Magic Dagger
Sport
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
 24
Cloak and Dagger
Sport
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a
 6
Black Magic
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Little Bear (subsequently c… Prospect Mountain > … > Zone 2 > Cracked Boulder
 4
V9 7C Boulder
Return of the King Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 111
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport 5 pitches
Edge of Time Jurassic Park -… > Fin
 834
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport, TR
Merlin's Magic Corner Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 29
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Wizard's Path Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 134
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
The White Raven Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 59
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport 4 pitches
Blackbeard's Arete Crags > Treasure Island
 4
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Electric Forest Crags > Woodstone, Half… > Woodstone
 46
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Take Me to Your Leader Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 75
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a Sport
Andrology Jurassic Park -… > Fin
 177
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport, TR
Afterlife Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 29
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Paradoxical Movement Crags > Rib Rock > Rib Rock North, Lower…
 7
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Magic Dagger Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 51
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
Cloak and Dagger Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 24
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a Sport
Black Magic Crags > Lower Great Face > C. Wizard's Gate
 6
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a Sport
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