Mary's Bust Area Rock Climbing
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Elevation: | 6,917 ft |
GPS: |
40.41554, -105.37607 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 126,650 total · 758/month |
Shared By: | Leo Paik on Jun 29, 2010 · Updates |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: Access issue - Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc.?
Details
Per JF M: as of May 2022, there is no signage on-site, nor information on the USFS webpage for the Cameron Peak Fire (nor on their published map of closures) that indicates the area is closed.
Per Bruce Hildenbrand: it appears that the Forest Service has closed access to all the climbing areas accessed via Storm Mountain Road (Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc.) until they can clear all the dangerous dead trees from the Cameron Peak fire.
I worked this issue with Eric Murdock at the AF, and it looks like the Forest Service picked Devil's Gulch Road as the southern boundary even though all the climbing areas on MP.com were not burned.
Per Bruce Hildenbrand: it appears that the Forest Service has closed access to all the climbing areas accessed via Storm Mountain Road (Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc.) until they can clear all the dangerous dead trees from the Cameron Peak fire.
I worked this issue with Eric Murdock at the AF, and it looks like the Forest Service picked Devil's Gulch Road as the southern boundary even though all the climbing areas on MP.com were not burned.
Access Issue: Peregrine nesting on The Broadmoor
Details
2022: There are nesting peregrine falcons on The Broadmoor, affecting all the routes on Mary's Bust, Main Wall in Big Thompson Canyon. Please climb elsewhere!
Description
Construction Zone
This is an organizational entry to help with restructuring this section of the Big Thompson Canyon. It was suggested by one of the BTC developers.
The Mary's Bust area provides Big Thompson climbers with a wealth of different opportunities for climbs ranging from 1 to 6 pitches, trad climbs to sport climbs, slabs to overhangs, and from 5.6 to 13-. The rock is granitic with significant quartz intrusions and pockets of mica which can may holds flex. The rock is still shedding here. Consider helmets. The approaches are brief. Some climbers have remarked that this is Lumpy without the approach. The sun is often warm here, although you can chase the shade a bit here.
In this area, we'll include a number of crags that are accessed from the same parking area. Included are: Golden Hall (above and on the right side of Mary's Bust - left buttress), Mary's Bust - left buttress, Mary's Bust - main buttress, Tick Rock (to the left), Sugar Cube (to the right & below Mary's Bust), Moonlight Rock (above Mary's Bust - left buttress)....
Incidentally, there is nice opportunity to rinse off or wash down after a pleasant day out on the rock here.
Please email with any suggestions for improvement.
This is an organizational entry to help with restructuring this section of the Big Thompson Canyon. It was suggested by one of the BTC developers.
The Mary's Bust area provides Big Thompson climbers with a wealth of different opportunities for climbs ranging from 1 to 6 pitches, trad climbs to sport climbs, slabs to overhangs, and from 5.6 to 13-. The rock is granitic with significant quartz intrusions and pockets of mica which can may holds flex. The rock is still shedding here. Consider helmets. The approaches are brief. Some climbers have remarked that this is Lumpy without the approach. The sun is often warm here, although you can chase the shade a bit here.
In this area, we'll include a number of crags that are accessed from the same parking area. Included are: Golden Hall (above and on the right side of Mary's Bust - left buttress), Mary's Bust - left buttress, Mary's Bust - main buttress, Tick Rock (to the left), Sugar Cube (to the right & below Mary's Bust), Moonlight Rock (above Mary's Bust - left buttress)....
Incidentally, there is nice opportunity to rinse off or wash down after a pleasant day out on the rock here.
Please email with any suggestions for improvement.
Getting There
From Estes Park, drive ~7.7 miles east on US 34 from Mall Road. This decent-sized rock, Mary's Bust, will loom above on the north side of the road. There are pullouts both on the north and south of the road. There is a cairn marking the typical approach towards the east end of the cliff.
From the east, it lies ~9.4 miles west of the Beige Siphon Tube (BST) in the narrows.
From the east, it lies ~9.4 miles west of the Beige Siphon Tube (BST) in the narrows.
Classic Climbing Routes at Mary's Bust Area
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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