Mountain Project: Climbing Estes Park Valley

This prominent 250 foot spire on the west flank of the Palisades can be seen for miles from Drake and the eastern plains. It is quite an adventure just to arrive at its base. Best approach is from Cedar Park. Take FR128 past Combat Rock into Cedar Park proper, eventually making 2 rights onto Snowtop Dr. Park at an end pullout across from a Forest Service access with views of Cedar Park Slab to the north and within a few steps to the south, a stunning panorama of both the Front Range and the Big Thomson Canyon below.

Getting There

Get you bearings, where from the plateau top you can see the pyramidal Horseshead due east. No trail exists and it is very rugged, but one must walk east across the plateau, cross a deep draw (drop down) then negotiate a barrier of rock walls (some 4th class) before thromping up a steep gully that leads to a ramp at the west toe of the Horseshead. Allow 1 hour if the path of least resistance is followed.

Per Lew Strong: Take Storm Mountain past past Combat Rock until the "T". Take a right. Drive about 1/4 mile, passing 2 bear statues on pedestals. Take a right on Snowtop Drive. On my odometer, I went between 1.0 and 1.1 miles to a left turnoff. It is marked by a prominent "No Trespassing" sign (every part of the road, parking, approach, and climb is unequivocally on public land). Drive up about 50 yards to the forest service entrance. Walk straight down the double track for perhaps 1/4 mile. Shortly after passing a 6 foot diameter boulder in the middle of the road, you will note a sapling with a large cairn. Walk straight east on a faint trail. The route finding crux is staying on the contour on slightly rocky ground. At the ridge, trend left on some rocky ground as you drop down the dirty hillside. Watch for cairns, and head somewhat left at the bottom before crossing the talus. Cross the talus, and find more cairns before proceeding across another patch of forest and rock rib. Head up the next gully. It is all marked by cairns. Any deviation from the trail will put you in 4th class hell. The elevation gain and loss is the same coming and going.

With the trail improvements, the approach may take as little as 30 minutes.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Horseshead:

De-Virginizing Stud Pony 5.7 Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet

Ponyboy Arete 5.8- Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Glue Factory 5.8- Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet

Blondie 5.8 Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet

Playing Timmy Sticks 5.9- Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet

Neighsayer 5.10a/b Trad, 2 pitches, 225 feet

Sea Biscuit 5.10 Trad, 2 pitches, 110 feet

Kentucky Derby 5.10 Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet

Oh Wilbur 5.10+ Trad, 1 pitch, 90 feet

Breeder's Cup 5.10+ PG13 Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet

Funky Gold Patina 5.10d Trad, Sport, 2 pitches, 200 feet

Tijuana Donkey Show 5.11- Trad, 1 pitch, 90 feet

Feeling Loopy 5.11 Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet

Comments on Horseshead

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By highstreet
Apr 4, 2010

That's all private property. Hike in from the road below and allow 2-3 hrs.

By Scott Matz
From: Loveland, CO
Feb 21, 2011

If you stay south and hug the ridgeline, it's national forest. You'll see an old fence that marks the Private P. more towards the north.

By Lew Strong
From: Loveland/Vail, CO
Jan 22, 2012

The approach to Horseshead has been worked out by unknown climbers, to whom I am grateful. It took us 35 minutes at a leisurely pace. No 4th class at all. The effort required is comparable, or easier, than getting to the Monastery.

Take Storm Mountain past past Combat Rock until the "T". Take a right. Drive about 1/4 mile, passing 2 bear statues on pedestals. Take a right on Snowtop Drive. On my odometer, I went between 1.0 and 1.1 miles to a left turnoff. It is marked by a prominent "No Trespassing" sign (every part of the road, parking, approach, and climb is unequivocally on public land). Drive up about 50 yards to the forest service entrance. Walk straight east down the double track for perhaps 1/4 mile. Shortly after passing a 6 foot diameter boulder in the middle of the road, you will note a sapling with a large cairn. Walk straight east on a faint trail. The route finding crux is staying on the contour on slightly rocky ground. At the ridge, trend left on some rocky ground as you drop down the dirty hillside. Watch for cairns, and head somewhat left at the bottom before crossing the talus. Cross the talus, and find more cairns before proceeding across another patch of forest and rock rib. Head up the next gully. It is all marked by cairns. Any deviation from the trail will put you in 4th class hell. The elevation gain and loss is the same coming and going.

By 1rsties4life
From: CO
Jan 27, 2012

We did all of the trail work, and I am glad to see it is getting used. It took a lot of man hours to make that happen combined with a lot of sweat and beers. The first time I went to Horsehead it took a little over 2 hrs. to find. About 35 minutes seems correct these days with the trail work.

By Guy H.
From: Fort Collins CO
May 4, 2012

Thanks for the trail work. It is now a casual 30min hike, with some uphill both ways.

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Horseshead

Description

Getting There

The Classics