This area is NOT closed Dec. 1 – Jan. 31. MORE INFO >>>
This area is posted as NO LONGER “closed for hunting” Dec. 1 – Jan. 31 as confirmed by a Jefferson County Open Space ranger in March 2011.
As of Dec. 2011, the parking area is closed here. The signage indicates that the Mayhem Gulch Trail and Centennial Dome are closed due to hunting. According to a JeffCo ranger, the access to the ice climb is open. You will have to figure out legal parking which may be further away.
This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.
BETA PHOTO: This is a picture of the climb from about half way...
Description
This is not a reliable destination due to the fact that it is south-facing and receives full sun all day. This means it comes in and out depending on the weather and doesn't come in at all some years. It only freezes up with ample snow on the ground, several days of cloudy skies, and very cold temps.
When in, this area consists of 110 feet of WI 2 or 3, depending on the quality of the ice, which makes it a great beginner lead area.
It can also be top roped via a scramble up and around to the right or hike up and scramble (or rappel from a tree) down from the left.
Anchor and rappel off the tree at the top of the climb, a 70m rope is a must.
Two of the best things about this area are: that you can't see or hear the road and I've never ran into another climber. There is also some great dry tooling available on both sides, but rock pro is extremely thin.
If you find it in, have fun, but swing lightly, since it doesn't continue to fatten up all winter like the shady climbs. Everything you knock down limits the next climber that comes along.
Getting There
Use the pullout, on the North side of US Highway 6, for the Mayhem Gulch trail. This is about 3 miles West (up canyon) from Tunnel 3 or 2 miles east (down canyon) of the junction of US 6 and CO 119. The climbing area is about a 10 minute hike up Mayhem Creek. Do not take the Mayhem Gulch hiker/biker trail.
During the hunting season (Dec. 1 - Jan. 31), do not go beyond the 1st icefall!
The line is obvious. Ascend up fifty feet of less than vertical but often thin ice to a ledge, then breeze up some steps to a short vertical section that climbs past a rock horn, and then climb up the last short section to the top. The crux is either the odd-angled climbing sometimes needed to get around the rock horn on the second tier or the thinness of ice on the lower section.If in thick, this is a great beginner route. If thin, which it often is, it can be sketchy. ...[more]Browse More Classics in CO
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