Hen and Chickens  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  14,457. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  ClimbandMine on Jun 5, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 79° | 43° 77° | 43° 77° | 45° 75° | 43° 75° | 45°

Season raptor closures MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed from March 1-July 31 or until further notice: Twin Owls, Rock One, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sheep Mountain, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Lightning Rock and Checkerboard Rock are currently closed. The closures include the named rock formations and the areas extending 100 yards surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes and climber's access trails to the formation. Alligator Rock is also closed. www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/area_closures.htm This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

BETA PHOTO: View from Gollum's Arch.

Description 

This crag sits below and just right of the Twin Owls. It is visible from the center of Estes Park, as a small spiky looking cliff. Up close, it's characterised by an arcing Y-shaped crack and a dihedral on the right side (the dihedral is Cackle Crack).

Approach as for the Twin Owls, and hike a short way past, then follow a climbers trail straight up to the base. The obvious, beautiful face with the Y-shaped crack (5.9/9+) will be right above you.

Getting There 

Approach as for the Twin Owls, and hike a short way past, then follow a climbers trail straight up to the base. The Twin Owls parking area at MacGregor Ranch no longer exists. Hike from the new parking lot towards the old parking lot, then go right/east to the 2nd branch trail towards the east side of Twin Owls. The obvious, beautiful orange face with the Y-shaped crack (5.9 or 9+) will be right above you.

The Classics

Featured Route For Hen and Chickens

Rooster Tail 5.9  CO : Lumpy Ridge : Hen and Chickens

This route is on the Hen and Chicken Rock (to quote one guidebook, when is a hen not a chicken?), which is the small, 100 foot high buttress (with pointy top) just below the SE corner of the East Owl. The approach that leaves the Gem Lake trail after about 1/4 mile leads directly to it. Rooster Tail is the prominent right-arcing hand and fist crack on the left side of the rock; near the top, follow a thin finger crack that slashes back left (crux). Walk off east....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO