The Crystal Cave  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  3,452. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Pinklebear on Nov 25, 2001 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 82° | 52° 82° | 50° 82° | 55° 81° | 52° 66° | 46°

Sam Elias on Dumpster BBQ.

Description 

This cave hosts the shortest (25-30 feet) routes at Rifle but also offers some of the wildest stone, a bizzare formation of down-pointing blue and white fins and sporadic water pockets. While upon first glance these routes may not inspire you, they offer lots of sustained value from the ground to the anchors, and would be plenty long by Clear Creek cave route standards ;)

The arch in the center of the cave is the main attraction and home to the nicest line, Dumpster BBQ. Three other difficult routes grace the slightly chossier walls and bowls to the left and right, all short and powerful as well.

If you're sick of endurance climbing or never liked it in the first place, this is a good place to do some roped bouldering away from the crowds and un-ending pumpfests of most of the Canyon's other areas.

Getting There 

Park as for Bauhaus Wall. The parking lot is a pull-out on the right about halfway between the Wasteland and the Project Wall and has a roadside Porta-potty. It can also be recognized by the giant rock scar and (geologically) fresh talus field on the hill above the pull-out.

Talus hop up the aforementioned talus blocks then cut left at the top of the talus field onto super-steep dirt. Thrutch your way up and over the tasty dirt, then amble left to the cave.

The Crystal Cave is directly opposite Bauhaus Wall and is visible from the upper routes on the wall.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Crystal Cave

Dumpster Barbecue 5.13c  CO : Rifle Mountain Park : The Crystal Cave

This is the center route in the Crystal Cave and takes a direct line up the best rock (no choss here!). It is common to stick clip either the first or second bolt or both for rope management purposes. Since this is basically roped bouldering there's no need to chastise yourself if you start with the second bolt pre-clipped.Begin in the center of the cave and crank through the undercut bottom on blocky features. The good blocks soon run out and a crimpy move takes you to the "cigarette pack" just...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO