Devil's Head is a relatively new granite climbing area with perhaps the highest concentration of three star routes anywhere in the front range. While lying in the South Platte, Devil's Head granite presents a super fine-grain textured granite that only rarely reveals the typical South Platte crystalline matrix. The rock is remarkably featured with roofs, cracks, edges, and flakes that, unlike most of the South Platte, offer up tremendous amounts of excellent, exciting face climbing. Devil's Head climbing occurs largely on the South and East facing slopes of Devil's Head mountain, and the climber could not ask for a more serene place to climb. The crags face South, West, or East and overlook Pike's Peak with all the rest of the Rampart Range hills spread out in unbroken splendor as far as the eye can see. The area possesses well over 100 routes, with the balance of new route activity devoted to bolt protected sport climbing, although nearly 20 of the routes are superb granite crack climbs on bomber trad gear. While the emphasis in climbing is largely on the upper 5.11 and 5.12 range, difficulty pretty much spans the gamut, and it is a good bet that some under-rated 5.13 lies on the hill as well. Development of new routes started nearly 8 years ago spearheaded by the relentless energy of Tod Anderson, author of the area's only guide book, "The Devil Made Me Do It". The roster of first ascentionists that Tod dragged up the hill includes (in no particular order) Tom Hanson, Scott Sills, Rich Magill, Richard Wright, Alan Nelson, Mike Lane, Janice Harnak, Ernie Moskovitz (Ziggy), Frank (Tripp) Collins, Martin Birch, Dave Fields, Eric Leonard, Pat Burwick. Other notable developers include Pete Takeda, Ken Trout, and probably some more great climbers as well. Of more than a dozen developed crags, the most notable routes lie on the following crags: The Headstone; The Crimpfest Wall; The Red Wall; The Starcastle; and The Shaft.
Getting There
From Denver, the best way to reach Devils's Head is to take highway 85 south to Sedalia. Then head west on highway 67 to the North entrance of the park, about 10 miles. The ranger station booth marks the North end of FR 300, the Ramparts Range Road. Take this South for approximately 9 miles to the turn off for Devil's Head campground and the Fire Tower. Be aware that the Rampart Range Road will be closed from the first Monday in December to sometime in April due to snow pack. From Colorado Springs, FR 300 can be reached from the Garden of The Gods, but is a fairly torturous 20 miles North. Once at the parking lot, head up the tourist trail toward the Fire Tower about 1.5 miles. At a saddle well below the Fire Tower the trail forks right (to the tower) and left to the Zinn Overlook. Head for the Zinn Overlook along a well defined climbers trail. At the overlook, trails will fork directly toward the Headstone formation (left) and right, through the woods, toward the Red Wall, Starcastle, and The Shaft.
This route is located at the edge of the west and south faces of The Crag Ranch where the south face reaches its lowest point. This route is LONG so TIE A KNOT IN THE END OF YOUR ROPE BEFORE YOU START. It is possible to do the whole thing in one continuous pitch from the ground, but you'll need a bucketload of draws. The part up to the first set of anchors, call it the first pitch if you like, is ten bolts and about 5.11c following granite tufa...[more]
On July 19, 2002 Devil's Head and most of the Pike National Forest reopened. Devil's Head was not burned and retains its previous natural character. The view from the firetower provides an amazing view of the now mostly burned South Platte area.
One of the interesting side areas that I found on Devils Head is on the west side, just to the east of the gully opposite Topaz Point. Or, for those who have been in the area for more than 10 years, Virgin's Bath. The Forest Service had to change the name on the sign because unthoughtfull city slickers and their cousins keep tearing down and stealing the signs to take home and hang on their bathroom door. But for those of you that are here because they love what I call 'Extreme Hiking', follow Rampart Range Road to the sign leading to the trailhead parking area, but take the route to the right.After a couple of zig-zags and big 'S' curves, you'll come up to the area marked Topaz Point. Stop, you went too far. Back up about 100 yards or so and take the usable 2 wheel drive trail that takes you to the dig site of Topaz Point. Leave the non-climbers here to dig in the dirt for findable quartz and topaz crystals while you take the short 10 minute wall across the small gully due east. Once you hit the face, it doesn't matter if you go left or right, there's a fresh assortment of granit cracks and chimneys that will test your will and patience all day long, and give you fantastic views into the Westcreek / Deckers area.There is plenty of climbs on this side of the rock that havent been destroyed yet. All I ask is Please pickup your trash so my kids dont have to.
The new guidebook to Devil's Head is now complete and available in stores. There are over 200 routes listed. The book contains many new topos and pictures as well as all of the details on how to find the new climbs. So far it's available at The Bent Gate, Mountain Sports, Mountain Miser, & Neptunes. Hope to see you up there this summer.
DH crew, just wanted to say what a great job you have done creating and marking the trails around here. I have been to DH several times over the years and it is one of the more complicated places to figure out where the hell you are. I've been climbing in the West Valley the past three weeks and along with the new guide it has been a piece a cake getting around back there. Thanks for the back breaking work.
Regarding a new bolted line put up on the Headstone on Saturday, September 11 ... PUT UP SOME ANCHORS. Your new route probably goes at 10c (onsightable for most 5.11+ climbers) and is well-cleaned, but it stops well before the top of the wall without anchors. If you're going to bolt a route and not finish it, leave out the first few bolts, not the anchors. Climbers are likely to mistake the route for something marked in the guidebook and wind up having to traverse down to the anchors on the arete when they reach the last bolt.
You might be talking about h-flake, 30' left of rock nazi. I was unable to finish pitch 2 due to weather, hope to get up there in the next few weekends. I'll post it here when it's finished. Sorry for the inconvenience.-JH
Went back to The Head on Sunday. I truly can't believe that areas like The Sport Park, Clear Creek, The Monastary, even Shelf get so much action when Devils Head has, by far, the best sport climbing in the state. This is, of course, my humble opinion. But really, The Head has about two hundred and twenty sport climbs (5.9 - 5.13) and dozens of stellar trad lines. The rock is the best granite face climbing I've seen in Colorado. It must be the forty minute approach that keeps everyone away. It's too bad that a mere forty minute approach would prevent people from experiencing what is the best sport climbing in The Front Range. If you haven't climbed at The Head you are cheating yourself. Make it your next destination.
Went there on 7/30/06 and the flies were everywhere. If you were silent, it sounded like you were in the middle of a beehive with all the swarming. They were not black flies but annoying nonetheless and swarming all over you as you climbed.
By Sorden From: Inside the Bubble, Colorado Jul 31, 2006
Hey you forgot to mention how hot it was there yesterday! (Other than the swarms of flys and ants). What a cool place! I'd like to know what the locals know; but in the future I will avoid Devil's Head during hotter months. Dirty quality rock, bolted cracks, obscure trails, no water; I loved it! I'll be back in Autumn.
In my 15 years of climbing at Devil's Head, the flies were by far the worst I've ever seen. However, if you stayed in the shade there were very few of them. I've also experienced way more flies in Aspen and Tensleep Canyon recently than ever before too, maybe they're the cause of global warming.
Bolts are too close together and the routes are rated on the easy side although you will still find me clipping them. We measured the distance between bolts at the Starcastle to be 42 inches apart, clipable from almost the same stance.
Yes, there is a raptor closure but I don't know the specifics of which formations.
By Shane Neal From: Colorado Springs, CO. Jul 10, 2008
I believe the raptor closure is on Devils Head proper- the trad climbing destination in Hubbels book. Aka- the Dariush of Balanat. A great must do 5.9+. Closed March 1st to July 31st. The sport area has no closure that I am aware of.... Have fun!!
Devil's Head
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