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Annex Boulder, The 
Bella Boulder 
Challenger 
Deviation, Lower 
Deviation, Upper 
Downclimb/Sentinel Pass 
East Ironing Board 
Easy Street 
El Primero Boulder 
Eyes of the Canyon 
Fin, The 
First Flatiron 
First Flatironette 
Ghetto, The 
Green Mountain Pinnacle 
Green Thumb 
Gregory Canyon (including The Amphitheatre) 
Jaws 
Macbeth 
Queen Anne's Head 
Saddle Rock 
Satellite Boulders 
Second Flatiron 
Sentinel Boulders 
Spy, The 
Sunset Flatironette 
Thing, The 
Third Flatiron 
Third Flatironette 
Tomato Rock 
Upper Satellite Boulders 
W.C. Fields Pinnacle 
West Ironing Board 
Willy B 
Woods Quarry 

North 


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Lat, Long: 39.9872, -105.293 Map
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Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Ben Mottinger on Jan 1, 2001

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Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Chance of Rain
66° | 45°
Partly Cloudy
79° | 46°
Chance of a Thunderstorm
75° | 52°
Chance of a Thunderstorm
82° | 55°
Clear
88° | 64°
Subject to Seasonal Closures: MORE INFO >>>


BETA PHOTO

Description 

This area includes popular and classic rocks such as the First and Third Flatirons, and the Amphitheatre in Gregory Canyon. Climbs here range from short newer-age sport climbs to long, trad, slab routes, including some of the longer trad routes in the Flatirons: the whole face of the 3rd, which is about 1300 feet and the Direct East Face of the First Flatiron which is about 1400 feet. Hard conglomerate Fountain Formation sandstone is the medium for your rock craft.


Getting There 

The usual approach to most routes in the North Flatirons area is from Chataqua Park (which can be crowded) or Gregory Canyon Trailhead (which charges parking fees for non-Boulder County registered vehicles). Take Baseline W. until you see a sign for the park on the left (you can't miss it since it's right below the Flatirons). For the Amphitheatre, continue on Baseline past the park entrance until Baseline curves sharply right up Flagstaff Mtn. Park on the road near here, or on the turn off to the trailhead on the left. You MUST pay for parking at the Gregory Canyon lot if you do not have Boulder County registration or you'll be ticketed by the Man.


Access 

Various of the Flatirons are closed for falcon nesting from Feb 1 up to July 31 and for bat nesting Apr 1 to Aug 31. Historically, some of these in this area have included Sacred Cliffs, East & West Ironing Boards, The Third Flatiron, Queen Anne's Head, occasionally Gregory Amphitheatre, and possibly others.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for North:
A7 -V1   V1     Boulder   Satellite Boulders
Underdog   V5     Boulder, 20 feet   The Ghetto
The Turning Point   V9     Boulder   Satellite Boulders
Fleshfest   V10     Boulder   Satellite Boulders
Freeway   5.0     Trad, 6 pitches   Second Flatiron
Winky Woo   5.4 R     Trad   Third Flatiron
East Face (Standard)   5.4     Trad, 8 pitches   Third Flatiron
Takin' Care of Business/ West Chimney   5.5     Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Green Mountain Pinnacle
East Face Left   5.5     Trad, 9 pitches, 1300 feet   Third Flatiron
Fandango   5.5     Trad, 4 pitches, Grade II   First Flatiron
Direct Route   5.6 R     Trad, 10 pitches, Grade II   First Flatiron
Friday's Folly   5.7     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Third Flatiron
College Drop Out aka East Face North Side   5.7     Trad, 6 pitches   Third Flatiron
Smoother   5.7 X     Trad   West Ironing Board
Waiting For Columbus   5.10c     Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 180 feet   Third Flatiron
Velvet Elvis   5.11a     Sport, 2 pitches   East Ironing Board
Death and Transfiguration   5.11b     Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet   Green Mountain Pinnacle
Direct West Face a/k/a Western Skyline   5.11b     Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 135 feet   Third Flatiron
Transgression   5.12a/b     Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Green Mountain Pinnacle
Slave to the Rhythm   5.13b     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   East Ironing Board
Browse More Classics in North

Featured Route For North
The Gil-o-tine, on the west face of Queen Anne's Head. South Face of the Third Flatiron in the background.

Gil-O-tine 5.13b  CO : Flatirons : ... : Queen Anne's Head
Five Year Plan's long lost brother, Gil-O-Tine climbs a short, thin crack near an arete and requires both strong jamming skills and finger strength. The rock, movement, and gear are great; throw in an excellent bouldering wall at the base for a warm-up (The Ghetto) and striking position, and it makes for an awesome day out. It's a short route but all business, and it gets 4 stars for a short route....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of North Slideshow Add Photo
2/7/2003 from near Foothills Parkway and Arapahoe (Eisenhower School)

BETA PHOTO: 2/7/2003 from near Foothills Parkway and Arapahoe ...

Snowstorm of 21 Dec 2006. <br />Find the leaping lion.

Snowstorm of 21 Dec 2006.
Find the leaping lion.


Boulder from 1st Flatiron.

Boulder from 1st Flatiron.

The First Flatiron is probably the most climbed formation in the North flatirons and perhaps one of the most beautiful at sunrise. Photo by Tony Bubb, 1997.

The First Flatiron is probably the most climbed fo...

Evening Sky looking North from the Flatirons

Evening Sky looking North from the Flatirons

The Third and the Ironing Boards as seen from the south.

The Third and the Ironing Boards as seen from the ...

Heading up the First Flatiron.

BETA PHOTO: Heading up the First Flatiron.

First Flatiron.

First Flatiron.

Bouldering on the BBC capstone of the Satellite Boulders, see Bouldering Colorado by Bob Horan for more info.

Bouldering on the BBC capstone of the Satellite Bo...

Valentine's Day, 2010.

Valentine's Day, 2010.

1st 2nd and 3rd

1st 2nd and 3rd

First and 2nd from a glider.

First and 2nd from a glider.

Flatiron sunset.

Flatiron sunset.

Looking down on Boulder from the 3rd.

Looking down on Boulder from the 3rd.


Comments on North Add Comment
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By Julian Smith
From: Colorado Springs, CO
Oct 12, 2003

Great climbing area, but probably not the best place to go when CU has a home game. Trying to get out of there along with all of the football fans is way epic.