Cuban Tower Rock Climbing
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GPS: |
39.98195, -105.30157 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 2,325 total · 9/month |
Shared By: | Anonymous Coward on Feb 5, 2004 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: Raptor nesting lifted July 26, 2023
Details
Per Ryan Kuehn, Stewardship Director, Boulder Climbing Community: the seasonal raptor closure on the Third Flatiron will be extended beyond July 31st, 2023. The reopening date is TBD. This has been lifted as of 7/26/23 from the OSMP website per Zachary Henry.
bouldercolorado.gov/service…: lifted 7/26/23: Third Flatiron, including Queen Anne’s Head, W.C Fields Pinnacle, 1911 Gully and the Ghetto, the East Bench & West Bench, the East & West Ironing Boards, The Fin, Green Thumb and Jaws.
Update from the Flatirons Climbing Council July 2021: due to late nesting of peregrine falcons this year (2021), this area is closed until ~Aug. 12, 2021.
Information on OSMP wildlife closures, which help to protect sensitive habitats, can be viewed at:
bouldercolorado.gov/service…
maps.bouldercolorado.gov/wi…
The following crags are closed 1 February to 31 July:
First Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Second Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Flatiron
Queen Anne's Head
WC Fields Pinnacle
The Ghetto
East Ironing Board
West Ironing Board
The Fin
Green Thumb
Jaws
Updated details may be found here.
osmpwildlifeclosures.org.
bouldercolorado.gov/service…: lifted 7/26/23: Third Flatiron, including Queen Anne’s Head, W.C Fields Pinnacle, 1911 Gully and the Ghetto, the East Bench & West Bench, the East & West Ironing Boards, The Fin, Green Thumb and Jaws.
Update from the Flatirons Climbing Council July 2021: due to late nesting of peregrine falcons this year (2021), this area is closed until ~Aug. 12, 2021.
Information on OSMP wildlife closures, which help to protect sensitive habitats, can be viewed at:
bouldercolorado.gov/service…
maps.bouldercolorado.gov/wi…
The following crags are closed 1 February to 31 July:
First Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Second Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Pinnacle (Gregory Canyon)
Third Flatiron
Queen Anne's Head
WC Fields Pinnacle
The Ghetto
East Ironing Board
West Ironing Board
The Fin
Green Thumb
Jaws
Updated details may be found here.
osmpwildlifeclosures.org.
Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures
Details
The usual crags are closed for climbing for raptor nesting:
See: bouldercolorado.gov/service….
Click here for the trail closures. Some are M-F, some are 24/7. These impact the Bear Canyon/Fern Canyon regions primarily:
flatironsclimbing.org/tempo…
Click here bouldercolorado.gov/service… for the latest in raptor closures.
See: bouldercolorado.gov/service….
Click here for the trail closures. Some are M-F, some are 24/7. These impact the Bear Canyon/Fern Canyon regions primarily:
flatironsclimbing.org/tempo…
Click here bouldercolorado.gov/service… for the latest in raptor closures.
Description
The Cuban Tower is the southernmost formation in the group of formations known as the Sacred Cliffs and is host to two routes of high quality: Cetacean Mating Grotto (9), and Bay of Pigs (10+). The former route is north-facing the latter west-facing. The cliff is high on the southwest aspect of Green Mountain therefore the west face gets winter sun from about noon until sunset. When many other routes in the Boulder area are in the shade, Bay of Pigs can be pretty toasty. The rock is the standard conglomerate sandstone all Boulder climbers are familiar with, grainier than Eldo, but on par with many other Flatirons formations. The descent off Bay of Pigs can be done in one 140 foot rappel therefore requiring a second rope or one can climb over to the single bolt anchor atop Cetacean Mating Grotto and rap that route and downclimb a funky 4th class gully back to the base of the west face. Perhaps an intermediate fixed anchor could be established on "Pigs" to make this descent a little easier and safer. There is already a bolt and piton at the end of the first pitch, maybe somebody could bring some webbing up there and fix a rap station. This is a good crag to visit when you want to escape the crowds and don't mind a little hiking. Bay of Pigs is the route "to do" and requires a small rack and some draws for the fixed pro, and Cetacean Mating Grotto makes for a fun four bolt pitch.
Getting There
From Boulder drive west on baseline road up Flagstaff mountain to the Green Mountain West Ridge trailhead. The trail is approximately 1 mile beyond the Lost Gulch overlook on the left. Hike the west ridge trail past its junction with the Ranger Trail to the first sharp switchback (app. 1.4 miles). From here a faint trail leads south. It can be really easy to lose the trail due to its "faint" nature, but as long as one heads south and tends toward the ridge the other Sacred Cliffs and some cool looking boulders ought soon appear. There are three major cliffs that will be passed en route to the Cuban tower: Pebble Beach, Main Cliff and Moby Dick. The CT is the last, southernmost of the group. Total hiking time is approximately 1 hour.
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