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The Mortuary Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Mortuary

L › R R › L A › Z

	Coroner, The T,S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Crypt, The T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Dirt Nap T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Hatchet Job T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Plant Food T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Under the Knife T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a

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Elevation:	6,047 ft
GPS:	40.18577, -105.3331 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	4,528 total · 31/month
Shared By:	Tony B on May 23, 2012
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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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…

Access Issue: The Orange Tower is on private property Details

Per Ryan Gajewski: the Orange Tower is on private property.

Description

The Mortuary is a mid-sized crag for the SSV and hosts just over a dozen routes if you are willing to count projects. If you are to inquire about the number of routes a mere mortal might enjoy, that number is closer to ten. These all face North, at least predominantly, and include both trad and mixed lines. A few prominent wide climbs send the invitation for someone to haul up larger cams, from 5" to as large as you would like to bring, though one of each of the two largest Camalots seemed plenty to me.

The routes here have not seen a lot of traffic so while they lie on fairly good stone, some lichen and chips are still present. Keep your eyes open.

Getting There

The directions to this crag are not precise, and there is not a single well-worn trail. The approach might be 10-15 minutes and is achieved something like this:

Park at The Observatory (5.2 miles up canyon at a large pullout on the right side), and begin the approach for that crag. Rather than going up to access the climbing there, continue around the right end of the crag well below its base and about 5 minutes further, passing to the lower side (North) of some large boulders, hugging their bases until a large cliff appears out of them, rather suddenly, you arrive at the clif at its left end, near the climbs The Crypt and Cryonics, which both start with a wide crack behind a tower that creates the right-facing corner in a small slot, or 'box canyon' of sorts.

Per Ross Swanson: Park at Observatory Rock, and take a trail that heads up Coffintop Gulch, after 2 minutes take the left trail up a steep slope and gully between cliffs. Hike to almost the top of the ridge. About 200 feet below it, find a passage between the cliff bands that leads around corner on right side of ridge to trail and the beginning of Mortuary cliff band. Once around corner, you will find a short buttress with crack and a bolt at its end, some unfinished, very hard route.