Eagle/Vail/Leadville  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  39.6429, -106.379 Map Page Views:  202,712. Good page? (4 likes)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  John McNamee on Mar 4, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Near Vail Pass.

Description 

This area encompasses a geographic location with a variety of vertical type experiences. You probably have heard most about the Vail ice and you can find that under the CO ice/mixed section. In this section, you will find various rock cragging on sandstone, limestone, gneiss, schist, and even some granite. While this generally has little for a destination type of experience, there is still some interesting crags to find vertical pleasure.

Some of the climbing here is protected in information accessibility and locals may cringe to see non-Eagle county folks playing here. Nonetheless, we have to share amiably and symbiose.

Some of the better known areas include Lime Park's limestone, Wolcott's sandstone & Gilman's gneiss, but there is more for the exploring types.

Due to the increased elevation, most of the cragging in this area is limited to April to October times.

Getting There 

As a well-known ski area, this general location is easy to find. I-70 accesses this area from either east or west (100 miles West of Denver). From the south, you can access this area via CO Hwy 9 (past Copper Mountain) or US 24 (through Minturn). From the north, you can access this area via CO Hwy 9 (Silverthorne) or CO Hwy 131 (Wolcott). The ice cragging is mostly visible from I-70. Parking is challenging, since all street parking in Vail is subject to ticketing. Gilman, illegal to access, is reached via US 24 south from Minturn.

Weather 

You can check NOAA.

The Classics

Featured Route For Eagle/Vail/Leadville

The Bush League 5.12a  CO : Eagle/Vail/Leadville : ... : North Wall

The Bush League climbs like two routes in one. It starts with good holds on a vertical wall that disappear just before the fourth bolt. One or two hard moves leads to a large ledge. It is possible to camp here, so you might want to bring a chair and six pack to enjoy the scenery while you recover fully.Set off up an overhanging face with jugs to the top....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of Eagle/Vail/Leadville Slideshow

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Bouldering in Vail. It's not Photoshopped, I swear...	Some deepwater freesoloing.	Again some deepwater freesoloing on the Colorado R...
BETA PHOTO: Rock & Ice 1993 Vail article, page 1.	BETA PHOTO: Page 2.	BETA PHOTO: Page 3.