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Elevation: 9,200 ft 2,804 m
GPS: 39.1005, -105.52328
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 80,583 total · 898/month
Shared By: Arlo F Niederer on Jun 20, 2017
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

Description Suggest change

Badger Flats is located about an hour west of Colorado Springs and northwest of Lake George. It is about a 30 minute drive from Eleven Mile Canyon if you need a break from the canyon.

Due to the elevation, the best season is similar to Eleven Mile Canyon - summer and fall, but winter and spring on south-facing rock with decent weather.

The rock consists of Pikes Peak Granite and pegmatite of variable quality, similar to other South Platte rock. However, most of the rock is good quality and some is excellent. It varies from smooth and fine grained to covered with chickenheads.

The area has sport, trad, and mixed climbing routes. Although there has been climbing in the area for decades, most of the sport routes have modern 3/8" bolts and anchors at the top.

Protection is from bolts, cracks, and slinging chickenheads.

There are two major formations - Valley of the Chickens and Feral Petunia. Valley of the Chickens consists of five areas - The Egg, Going Away Party, Chicken Rock, Rooster Tail, and Left Wing (from East to West walking along the base).

Feral Petunia consists of four areas - West Feral, Annual Bonus, East Feral, and Upper Feral (from West to East).

There is primitive camping close to the base of both of the formations.

The only published guidebook is a pamphlet by Bob and Carrie Robertson in 2015. The nomenclature here is consistent with their pamphlet to facilitate sharing of information about this area.

Getting There Suggest change

There are numerous roads in the area, but the major ones are labeled - either with a Park County sign or the flexible Forest Service vertical fiberglass poles.

To get to Valley of the Chickens From Colorado Springs, take US Hwy. 24 west to Woodland Park, Florissant, and Lake George about 29 miles. Proceed about 6 3/4 miles past Lake George to Park County 31 on the right. The turnoff is a little past the Round Mountain Campground and between mile posts 258 and 259.

Turn right (north) on Park County 31 and go north about 5 miles to FR 44 on the left. The road is usually well maintained and similar to the road in Eleven Mile Canyon. Turn left on FR 44 (La Salle Pass Rd. Note that on Google maps this road is labeled 46).

Go about a mile to where the road "spiderwebs" into 3 roads. Take the middle road, FR 227, which is marked with a flexible, vertical Forest Service marker. The road roughly parallels a power line heading west. Also, the cliff is visible from here, so that helps to find the cliff.

Proceed along this road until it forks and turn right to head to the cliff. Turn left on the second side road which heads towards the cliff.

It is possible to park east of the formation in an open area and follow a faint trail along the base of the cliff to the various rocks. Alternatively, drive farther in and park in the trees and take a trail directly up to Chicken Rock.

Both of the approaches are only 5-10 minutes.

To get to Feral Petunia from Lake George, go about a mile to Park County 77, and turn right (north) toward Tarryall. Park County 31 will be on the left about 12-13 miles from Lake George.

Turn left on Park County 31, and head southwest about 1/2 mile to FR 231. Turn right on 231 for about a mile. Turn right on 231B, and follow it until the cliff is visible. FR 231B forms a loop to the north off of FR 231. There are side roads leading up to the cliff - which one you choose depends on which area you plan to climb on.

The approach is 10 to 15 minutes.

To help with the directions, it is useful to look at Google Maps with the satellite image turned on. Depending on the cell service provider, data coverage may or may not be available.

Valley of Chickens location: 39.101375 -105.519190.
Feral Petunia location: 39.108629 -105.502184.

79 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Badger Flats

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V6 7A R
 4
Goodnight Cowboy
Boulder
V9 7C
 5
Dr. Manhattan
Boulder
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 24
Checkenhead Route
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 36
Just Flew the Coup
Sport
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 28
5.7 Crack
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 48
Down on My Cluck
Sport 2 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 17
Plummer's Crack
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 34
Three Amigos
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 7
Menace to Sobriety
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 32
Missing Chickenheads
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 7
Alfa Dog
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 7
Beta Chicken
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 16
5.11b
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 7
Kevin's Celtic Kindness
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 6
Astrophage
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Goodnight Cowboy Feral Petunia
 4
V6 7A R Boulder
Dr. Manhattan Feral Petunia
 5
V9 7C Boulder
Checkenhead Route Valley of The C… > Chicken Rock
 24
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Just Flew the Coup Valley of The C… > Chicken Rock
 36
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Sport
5.7 Crack Valley of The C… > Chicken Rock
 28
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Down on My Cluck Valley of The C… > Chicken Rock
 48
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport 2 pitches
Plummer's Crack Feral Petunia
 17
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Three Amigos Valley of The C… > Chicken Rock
 34
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
Menace to Sobriety Upper Feral
 7
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Missing Chickenheads Valley of The C… > Chicken Rock
 32
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Alfa Dog Valley of The C… > Left Wing
 7
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Beta Chicken Valley of The C… > Left Wing
 7
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
5.11b Valley of The C… > Egg
 16
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Kevin's Celtic Kindness Valley of The C… > Egg
 7
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Astrophage Upper Feral
 6
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
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