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Elevation: 10,000 ft
GPS: 39.0261, -108.1732
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By: Alex Garhart on Jul 3, 2012
Admins: Jesse Zacher, Bradley Mark Edwards, Nick Reecy, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description Suggest change

Grand Mesa is a prominent, east-west landform capped by hard, volcanic basalt. The original basalt field may have had a surface area of up to 750 square miles, but due to extensive erosion, the present-day remnant is about 53 square miles. This remnant has a "Y-shaped" outline, with Crag Crest on the east forming the stem, and the Palisade and Flowing Park lobes forming the branches. Thickness of the in-place basalt ranges from about 600 feet near Crag Crest to less than 200 feet on the western tips of the lobes.

In general, the basalt is highly fractured and climbable buttresses are rare. However, occasional large volcanic flow events deposited layers of basalt up to 70 feet thick, creating steep, featured walls with amazing rock quality.

Reference: Cole, R.; Weston, K. Geological Society of America Meeting Abstract (2007).

Getting There Suggest change

The Grand Mesa is most easily accessed from Grand Junction by driving east on I-70 to Exit 49 and heading south on CO Highway 65. The drive time is ~1 hour.

To access the western edge of the Palisade Lobe and the Land's End Area, it is recommended to drive south from Grand Junction on US Highway 50 ~13 miles, past the town of Whitewater, and head east on Kannah Creek Road. Follow the signs to Land's End, ~18 miles. The drive time also ~1 hour.

110 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Grand Mesa

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 8
Rapa Nui
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 9
The Pika Strikes Back
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 4
Charlene’s Dreams
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 9
Mass Wasting
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 5
Ft Mac Gravy Train
Trad, Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 10
Jungle Gym
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 4
Vesicle Joyride
Sport
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 9
Tribal Wisdom
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 9
Candy Striper
Sport
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 4
Punctuated Equilibrium
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 4
New Vision
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 5
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 4
Ultramafic
Sport
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 4
The Glass Menagerie
Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 4
Fantasia
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Rapa Nui Land's End Area > Beyond Civilization Wall
 8
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
The Pika Strikes Back Land's End Area > Kaleidoscope Wall
 9
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Charlene’s Dreams Land's End Area > Dr. C’s Classroom
 4
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
Mass Wasting Land's End Area > Paleosol Wall
 9
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Ft Mac Gravy Train Land's End Area > Paleosol Wall
 5
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, Sport
Jungle Gym Land's End Area > Paleosol Wall
 10
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
Vesicle Joyride Land's End Area > Paleosol Wall
 4
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Tribal Wisdom Land's End Area > Beyond Civilization Wall
 9
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Candy Striper Land's End Area > Kaleidoscope Wall
 9
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Punctuated Equilibrium Land's End Area > Paleosol Wall
 4
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
New Vision Land's End Area > Beyond Civilization Wall
 4
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Sport
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds Land's End Area > Kaleidoscope Wall
 5
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Sport
Ultramafic Land's End Area > Paleosol Wall
 4
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
The Glass Menagerie Land's End Area > Kaleidoscope Wall
 4
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Sport
Fantasia Land's End Area > Kaleidoscope Wall
 4
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport
More Classic Climbs in Grand Mesa »

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