Deer Mountain South Side Rock Climbing

This is just the other side of the mountain from Deer Ridge Buttress, but it is entirely different. In reality, this is a lot of rock; however, the general low angle and scruffiness will make most folks pass on this. Still, if you like solitude, the ability to micro-explore, easier grades, and sunnier aspects, there just could be something for you here.

Though rather diminutive in height, there are still a dozen or more chunks of rock here, some of it is up to 2 pitches in height. Folks have been climbing here off and on (probably more off) from at least the 1970s. There is mention in a Fricke 1971 guidebook about this rock, "the low cliffs on its south side [South side of Deer Mt.] apparently offer only indifferent climbing." Also, Gillett mentions it both in the back of his 1st edition guidebook for RMNP and on p. 274 of his fine RMNP, Estes Park Valley guidebook. Until there are more routes submitted, we'll leave these under this one area.

From a brief explore, the best rock may be on the far right two crags. I have photos of the other bits of rock up here, but they weren't too photogenic. If you want to see them / are crazy enough to go up there, let me know, and I can email them to you.

The summit of Deer Mt. is about 10,000'.

This may be subject to closures for raptors.

L->R:

A. ??, 11-, 1p, 150', gear & bolts.

B. Crack, 9.

C. SSE Ridge, 2, 2p, 420', gear.

D. Common Potoo, 5, 1p, 150', gear.

E. Lonesome George, 7, 1p, 130', gear.