A collection of mostly large boulders nestled in the trees at the foot of the flatirons. The trees and flatirons provide nice shade for warm days, and the seclusion of the area is a welcome change from the bustle of Flagstaff. The quality of rock here is awesome with a great variety of holds including slopers, crimps, pockets, slabs, and flakes.
The area was primary developed by Jay Droeger and is AKA Droegerland. Many problems are highball so bring the crash pad (or pads if you can). We spoke with Jay about the route dev here and the potential for new lines is still out there...
Getting There
To be honest, the best description and topos for this area were made up by Jay and are available in a little fold-up map from Rock and Ice or visit:
Begin in underclings on the large flake near the right side of the boulder. Move up the seam making strenuous moves on mostly good holds then move out left to a good rail. From the rail, make a committing move back right and top out on good holds. ...[more]Browse More Classics in CO
Over the past two days I went up to Terrain twice, first by going via the Slab route and returning east to the Mesa Trail, next by doing the reverse. I'm a little befuddled as to why the OSMP ranger would prefer the Slab route as I found it to be pretty nonexistant as a trail and the route seemed to go through some sensitive areas such as the thick stand of five foot ferns and the deadfall area. Is it better to bushwhack through those areas (I wish I had a machete) or use the well worn trail up the ridge from the Mesa Trail? I did note that there are no trail markings adjacent to the Mesa Trail for at least a hundred yards to the west, so it's not likely that much of the general public would find their way up there. Also, I noted a large proliferation of flag markers in the area of the Mesa-to-Terrain route, what kind of work is going on up there and why the hundreds of flags?
I don't know anything about the flags or the work being done, but I, too, have just this summer abused myself by bushwhacking through the stand of five foot tall ferns. My conclusion: we're the only people near nuts enough to go up there in the heat of the summer and it's usually a winter destination when the ferns die off. I think I'll definitely be heading up there a bunch this winter and I am sure that the slab approach will be far less severe. I've also done the east ridge approach as I knew nothing of the access angst regarding this area at first, and found it to be much more amiable. I think the reason it gets the flak it does is because it's an Open Space park and the trail that would surely be created by the boulderers is not a sanctioned open space trail (i.e. it is an obviou ssign of RULE BREAKING!). I bet if we could get it passed, the OMSP would have no problem with letting us build a quality trail up there. They probably just think the ones there are already good enough. Anyone wanna start a petition?
I was at the Terrain Boulders yesterday with my partner and a bear was strolling about, just 20-30 yards away. So if anyone is going up there, just be careful and don't bring any food, as we didn't either.
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