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Crosier Mountain Crags Rock Climbing
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| Elevation: | 7,800 ft |
| GPS: |
40.43405, -105.38757 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
| Page Views: | 62,354 total · 540/month |
| Shared By: | Ken Duncan on Oct 26, 2014 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: Access issue - Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc. - open since 2023
Details
Update: per Bruce Hildenbrand: the area has been open since 2023.
Per JF M: as of May 2022, there is no signage on-site, nor information on the USFS webpage for the Cameron Peak Fire (nor on their published map of closures) that indicates the area is closed.
Per Bruce Hildenbrand: it appears that the Forest Service has closed access to all the climbing areas accessed via Storm Mountain Road (Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc.) until they can clear all the dangerous dead trees from the Cameron Peak fire.
I worked this issue with Eric Murdock at the AF, and it looks like the Forest Service picked Devil's Gulch Road as the southern boundary even though all the climbing areas on MP.com were not burned.
Per JF M: as of May 2022, there is no signage on-site, nor information on the USFS webpage for the Cameron Peak Fire (nor on their published map of closures) that indicates the area is closed.
Per Bruce Hildenbrand: it appears that the Forest Service has closed access to all the climbing areas accessed via Storm Mountain Road (Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc.) until they can clear all the dangerous dead trees from the Cameron Peak fire.
I worked this issue with Eric Murdock at the AF, and it looks like the Forest Service picked Devil's Gulch Road as the southern boundary even though all the climbing areas on MP.com were not burned.
Description
Crosier Mountain Crags are located in a beautiful foothills setting reminiscent of Lumpy Ridge but without the crowds. They lie roughly across the NF Big Thompson valley from the Monastery. Located on USFS land they provide Big Thompson climbers with one to three pitch routes ranging in difficulty from 5.4 to 5.12. The rock is granite, much of it bulletproof, but with areas of lesser quality stone containing quartz crystals and mica. In many places, the rock is covered with chickenheads and alligator skin type plates. Some of the slabs are as good as any in northern Colorado.
The crags face south thus tend to be hot in the summer (though there are shaded areas) and because of the elevation tend to be cold in the winter. Spring and fall provide the best weather but a sunny and still winter day can be nice.
Most of the routes are mixed bolts and gear with a few sport routes and some pure trad lines. Most of the mixed gear routes have the cruxes protected by bolts. The majority of climbs are equipped with rap anchors or have anchors nearby. ***A 60m and occasionally a 70m ROPE IS MANDATORY FOR MANY RAPPELS.***
A standard rack consists of a set of nuts and cams ranging from TCUs to three inches. Occasionally micro nuts, tricams and Loweballs are helpful.
There is a large area of boulders and short cliffs below the main crag and scattered on the surrounding hills that should prove of interest to boulderers.
A few routes with unknown history are located on the east slab of Main Crag and on Trailside Crag. There is also a crag you walk under about one mile from the trailhead (Approach Crag) that has a few unknown bolted routes (see photo). Most of the remaining development occurred in 2013 through 2015.
The crags face south thus tend to be hot in the summer (though there are shaded areas) and because of the elevation tend to be cold in the winter. Spring and fall provide the best weather but a sunny and still winter day can be nice.
Most of the routes are mixed bolts and gear with a few sport routes and some pure trad lines. Most of the mixed gear routes have the cruxes protected by bolts. The majority of climbs are equipped with rap anchors or have anchors nearby. ***A 60m and occasionally a 70m ROPE IS MANDATORY FOR MANY RAPPELS.***
A standard rack consists of a set of nuts and cams ranging from TCUs to three inches. Occasionally micro nuts, tricams and Loweballs are helpful.
There is a large area of boulders and short cliffs below the main crag and scattered on the surrounding hills that should prove of interest to boulderers.
A few routes with unknown history are located on the east slab of Main Crag and on Trailside Crag. There is also a crag you walk under about one mile from the trailhead (Approach Crag) that has a few unknown bolted routes (see photo). Most of the remaining development occurred in 2013 through 2015.
Getting There
From Drake, drive 2.2 miles west on CR 43 towards Glen Haven to the Crosier Mountain Garden Gate Trailhead. This is located on the south side of the road 5.9 miles east of Glen Haven.
From the trailhead, follow the Crosier Mountain Trail about two miles, first east then back west, crossing a large meadow where the crags become readily visible to the northwest. About one mile from the trailhead you will pass under Approach Crag.
The easiest approach to climbs on the east side of Main Crag (from Levitation to Auspicious Sunrise) is to cross the large meadow on the approach. When you first enter the meadow head for the left edge of the buttress right of and behind the Main Crag (see photo). There is a cairn at the edge of the meadow with more behind it leading up the hill.
To reach Trailside Crag, continue up the trail passing a jumble of short cliffs and boulders. The crag is located in the trees about 100 feet north of the trail shortly after passing the cliffs and boulders.
The easiest approach to the left side of Main Crag and West Crag is to continue past Trailside Crag until just before the trail crosses the drainage and heads up the hill to the south. At this point follow cairns (these may have been knocked down) up to the right until you see a double cairn just below a big down tree. From the double cairn follow more cairns back right to reach the Main Crag at the base of Squat Tower. To reach the West Crag, continue angling up and left from the double cairn, over the down tree, following cairns to the base of the crag. To reach the Upper Tier of Main Crag follow the West Crag trail about 100 yards past the double cairn until under an obvious "nose". Head up to the cliff and follow a trail along the base.
The approach takes about one hour.
From the trailhead, follow the Crosier Mountain Trail about two miles, first east then back west, crossing a large meadow where the crags become readily visible to the northwest. About one mile from the trailhead you will pass under Approach Crag.
The easiest approach to climbs on the east side of Main Crag (from Levitation to Auspicious Sunrise) is to cross the large meadow on the approach. When you first enter the meadow head for the left edge of the buttress right of and behind the Main Crag (see photo). There is a cairn at the edge of the meadow with more behind it leading up the hill.
To reach Trailside Crag, continue up the trail passing a jumble of short cliffs and boulders. The crag is located in the trees about 100 feet north of the trail shortly after passing the cliffs and boulders.
The easiest approach to the left side of Main Crag and West Crag is to continue past Trailside Crag until just before the trail crosses the drainage and heads up the hill to the south. At this point follow cairns (these may have been knocked down) up to the right until you see a double cairn just below a big down tree. From the double cairn follow more cairns back right to reach the Main Crag at the base of Squat Tower. To reach the West Crag, continue angling up and left from the double cairn, over the down tree, following cairns to the base of the crag. To reach the Upper Tier of Main Crag follow the West Crag trail about 100 yards past the double cairn until under an obvious "nose". Head up to the cliff and follow a trail along the base.
The approach takes about one hour.
Classic Climbing Routes at Crosier Mountain Crags
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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