US 36 (between Estes Park & Lyons)

Bob Horan on 3rd ascent of Randy Leavitt's Animal ...

Description 

US 36 is a popular through road connecting Denver to Estes Park and continues into Rocky Mountain National Park. Along the stretch from Lyons to Estes Park is a canyon littered with rocks that draw the eye. Many of these crags lie on private property or are only reasonably accessed through private property, so check first.

The rock here varies from granitic to harder, metamorphic, igneous varieties that are more challenging to characterize. Crags here may range from micro routes to perhaps 1000 ft.

Some of these crags include the River Wall (once called the best crag in Colorado) at Button Rock Reservoir, other scattered crags near Button Rock, boulders at Big Elk Meadows (east of Estes Park along FR 118). There are some scattered crags in the area of Pinewood Springs which have had less-heralded ascents. Apparently, some will never be climbed legally, according to their owners, like Mt Olympus (towering above US 36 just east of Estes Park).

Getting There 

To get there, you can go east from Estes Park along US 36 or west from Lyons along US 36. To access this area from Denver, head north on I-25, go NW on US 36 through Boulder to Lyons.

Food 

Options are limited along this stretch but a couple fairly high-end restaurants oddly sit along this stretch in Pinewood Springs. These are the Villa Tatra (with smoked delights) and the Le Chaumiere (French Cuisine)....

Other activities 

There is a Ciatano Winery located along the St. Vrain River at the Rock'n River just outside of Lyons with wine tasting from grapes grown from the Western Slope. Nice Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and Viogner. $3 for 5 tasting. They have a picnic area with large trout in their pond. 11-5 F-M in Winter & 10-6 daily in Summer. 303.823.5011. Nice for apres climbing or early rainout days.

The Classics

Featured Route For US 36 (between Estes Park & Lyons)

New Horizon 5.12d  CO : Estes Park Valley : ... : River Wall II

New Horizon is everything a sport climb should be- beautiful, natural, aesthetic, and challenging. Slap the arete and hug the crack past fairly positive, yet widely spaced holds until it is no longer possible to span between the two features. At this point commit to the arete, lieback past the last bolt, and then traverse left to the anchors. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of US 36 (between Estes Park & Lyons) Slideshow

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BH on south overhang of the House Block, Allen's P...

BH on the classic hand-crack, Conquer Crack, House...