The Lion's Den  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  7,980. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Jesse Ryan on Jul 16, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 63° | 36° 61° | 43° 73° | 45° 75° | 45° 75° | 45°

Jeff hugging the bear.

Description 

Haven't found your fill of classic sport lines wandering the main corridors and spires of the Monastery? A few more gems are hiding out in the Lion's Den. Here you might find a little more solitude, more underbrush and scree beneath the routes and even better views. The lines tend to be short and spread about the maze that is the LD. Routes in the LD proper as well as the adjecent Nursery will be described here.

Getting There 

The LD lies uphill - northwest of the Guardian. The approach path(s) are quite faint. After reaching the Guardian, the first rock reached via the Monastery trail, head directly uphill passing the Catacomb on the left. Keeping close to the rock formations on the left, the Nursery will shortly come into view. Two superb bolted 5.6 are located here accessible to toproping. Climb further uphill past the last major rock formations (few or no routes currently) and drop down the hillside to the SW. You will reach a small crag with 2 sport routes (7 and 11a) and a 11a wide crack. Just downhill from this is Bearhug(11a), a sport line with a very nice position on a gently overhanging prow. Down a loose scree filled gully you will finally reach the sport lines on Wedding (a 7 and 9 sharing an anchor) and Barnacle Rocks (a 9+) Alternatively one can access these two rocks by dropping down from the main approach into the Catacomb past the routes the Gravestone and Mausoleum, and scramble right across and below several rock ribs.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Lion's Den

Bear Hug 5.11a  CO : Estes Park Valley : ... : The Lion's Den

Bearhug climbs a gently overhaning prow - a nice looking line and well worth doing. Located uphill from Wedding and Barnacle rocks and just downhill from Lion's Mane. Climb up the easy slab on the left to the first bolt, followed by some easy 5.10 climbing. The climbing on the prow proper is fun, pumpy and balancy. Well bolted, great moves, and decent rock, I just wish it were longer....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO