All Locations > Colorado > Lyons > St Vrain Canyons > S Fork of St Vrain Ca…

Pilot Knob Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Pilot Knob

Lower Tier 7 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

Second Tier 8 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	6,622 ft
GPS:	40.17427, -105.3612 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	13,118 total · 85/month
Shared By:	Tony B on Aug 24, 2011
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: MM 23-29.5 - now ended daily CO 7 highway closure/delays Details

Per Kai Bouwman: the daily CO 7 highway closure/delay access issue is no longer a problem according to CDOT the construction finished as of Nov. 11, 2022.

From CDOT: Colorado Highway 7 is closed daily from MP 23-29.5. Motorists can only travel through the area between 6-8 am and 4-7 pm. During these timeframes, pilot cars will lead alternating one-way travel. Drivers should plan for delays, and this schedule will remain in place through Memorial Day 2022.

During the closure, motorists need to take US 36 to CO 7.

codot.gov/projects/co7-lyon…

Description

A primarily shady crag, Pilot Knob faces Northwest. With that aspect comes some of the usual suspects: vegetation, lichen, moss, etc., on some of the crag. Other parts of the crag are clean, strikingly good stone, and good climbing. This applies particularly the upper tier. Despite the short (and presently dry) approach, lack of ivy, and solid stone, and moderate grades, this crag hasn't seemed to have gotten popular. I suppose it is still waiting to be discovered by the masses. Perhaps the lower pitches that gate the best climbing above keep the masses away, but it is, nonetheless, a great crag for a pair of climbers to dedicate a day to.

The better climbs there were the following moderates:

Stress Fracture (5.7)
Touch and Go (5.7+)
Scoop Up a Little Sky ("5.8+" (+++))
Ejector Seat (5.9+).

Getting There

Drive 7.3 miles up canyon to mile 25.8. Park in a long paved pullout on the left and look across the creek to see the 'Stewardess Convention Crag.' Just downstream of that, back down the hill to your left, is an obvious pinnacle around which the stream bends Southward. That is the Pilot Knob.

While the traditional approach is to wade the stream below Stewardess and then walk down a ways to Pilot Knob, presently there is a very large tree that has fallen across the stream and one can climb into its end, then walk "down" the tree to cross the creek completely dry. From there, it is a 3 minute walk to the base of the crag.