All Locations > Colorado > Denver South > Castlewood Canyon SP

Coat of Arms Corner and The Rat Cracks Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Coat of Arms Corner and The Rat Cracks

L › R R › L A › Z

	Coat of Arms S 5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Crack Sweat T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Crack Up T,TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Danger Mouse T,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R
	Getting Rid of Your Rats T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Rabbid Rat Crack T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Three Blind Mice T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b

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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.

GPS:	39.34046, -104.75378 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Dan Mottinger on Apr 4, 2002 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Historical seasonal raptor closures with 2023 updates Details

Per Castlewood Canyon: there is a new closure for nesting raptors this year: Five and Dime will be closed March 1st through July 31st. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, Rachel Chaffee (Park Ranger) at dnr_castlewood.canyon@state.co.us or by phone at 303-688-5242.

Per Garrett Garner-Wells:

the current raptor closures, announced by CPW and reported on Denver7:

The following climbing route closures are currently in place:

- Morning Sun Wall is closed March 1-July 31.
- Porky’s Wall is closed March 1 - July 31.
- Vultures Wall is closed March 1-July 31. (per Rachel, CCSP Ranger, dnr_castlewood.canyon@state.co.use or 303-688-5242)
- Shakespearean Theater is closed March 1-May 31.
- Mind Meld is closed March 1-May 31.

As of 2020:

There is a very new and active nest of owls midway up the cliff at the north end of the Neanderthal Wall between Cro-Mag and Up The Red. There is no active nest around the south end of Neanderthal Wall.

As of June, 2017:

The 3 toprope routes at the far south end of Neanderthal Wall (far north end of Allied Wall) have a nesting pair of Snowy Owls. Please stay off these routes until further notice. The park has been notified and hopefully some signage will be put up. The route Rock Rat is included.

As of March 7, 2012:

Shakespearean Theater - restricted March, April, May.
Mind Meld - restricted March, April, May.
Porky's Wall - restricted March, April, May, June, through July 31.
Vulture Wall - restricted March, April, May.
Morning Sun Wall - restricted March, April, May, June, July.

Description

This area of Castlewood has a few routes of good quality that see little traffic. Like Castlewood, in these few routes you'll find sport, trad, and TR climbing. The Rat Cracks are a series of cracks that can be useful in identifying the area as well as providing some trad leads.

Getting There

Approach the area by parking at the furthest N. lot on the S. entrance to the wood. Take the Lake Gulch Trail N from the lot and follow it to the creek and Creek Bottom Trail. The area is on the North Rim and can be difficult to find. It is the furthest N. area along this sector of the rim. Try to identify the area by the unusual Rat Cracks.