Coal Creek Boulders  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  4,369. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Alvaro Arnal, Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Michael Schneiter on Jul 28, 2008 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon 79° | 41° 77° | 39° 77° | 39° 77° | 39° 79° | 43°

Nicky Dyal on Orange Smoothie, V2, Coal Creek Boul...

Description 

The Coal Creek boulders offer fun climbing in a beautiful setting with an easy approach and a good range of grades. The boulders appear to be a Dakota sandstone (or something similar) in contrast to the cobblestone-featured sandstone of the Redstone boulders. The landings have taken some work but are generally safe. While this area is mostly inaccessible during the winter months, the boulders sit on a south-facing slope so the snow melts quickly in the spring and the rock is dry soon after a rainstorm. Also, the area sits at about 8,500' so the area can offer welcome relief to the summer heat and the tight confines of the valley walls can offer welcome shade in the afternoon on the hottest days.

Getting There 

Drive to the old mining town of Redstone. Just south of the south entrance to Redstone is Coal Basin Road, heading west from CO Highway 133. Look for old brick coke ovens and an old, large piece of mining machinery just before the road when driving from Carbondale. Drive up this road for several miles, first passing some tall red cliffs before coming to a large parking area/trailhead on your right after a cattle guard. Park just past the cattle guard and hike back down the road (east) to the large talus slope where the boulders lie.

10 or 20 yards from the cattle guard a faint trail, occasionally marked with cairns, heads up to the most popular boulders. It is also possible to head up the hill immediately after crossing the cattle guard, staying close to the fence, until a faint trail contours east along the slope to The Wall.

The Classics

Featured Route For Coal Creek Boulders

The Chossy Traverse (Long)" Project" V4  CO : Carbondale : ... : Spider Wall

This long version starts on the far left side of the lower tier of the wall on some ledges. (You can sit start just below the ledges.) You stand up and reach high and stem out right to a great foot hold, then you grab a two finger crimp with your left. There used to be a huge flake you could palm on, and in the process of making the route, the flake broke. It forced us to have to try to do the lower crack that starts to die out and has very crimpy finger locks. I personally think that the line w...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO