Is the front range lame?

Big job opportunity for me out in Lakewood. My biggest reservation about Colorado is crowds. If you’re climbing hard enough, can you dodge crowds and still have some privacy in spots like eldo or the splatte or lumpys?

You can dodge crowds everywhere if you’re willing to hike more than 10 minutes but yes, also if you climb harder than 11-

in comparison to NH? yea, its totally lame...

If you climb trad at a 10+ to 12a/b level then you can have privacy in the Splatte.  Maybe not “privacy” in Eldo but you’ll be able to climb whatever you want most of the time.  But Eldo is Eldo, so 5.11 can be very real.  Tons of stuff to do in the flatirons with no crowds, unless you’re trying to do any of the ultra classic 13’s.  The Diamond is busy but other places in RMNP aren’t nearly as busy especially if you climb into the 5.11 grade.

For sport, privacy is harder to find but you can still figure it out.

Lakewood is pretty nice.  

The front range is crowded but there’s a ton of stuff.  And weather will make it much better for more climbing days compared to the NE.

Good luck!

Tal M wrote:

You can dodge crowds everywhere if you’re willing to hike more than 10 minutes but yes, also if you climb harder than 11-

While hiking further and climbing harder certainly help, I can think of at least one 13+ with an hour approach that is quite likely to be taken on any given weekend when the weather is right. It is very doable to avoid crowds, but it is slightly more complicated than just assuming everyone in Colorado is lazy and weak.

Yes. 

Crowds, traffic, etc.

Adam, I lived on the Front Range from '05-'16. I still go back a couple times a year for work and family visits.

Happy to connect in person if you have questions, but bottom line, if you have a good job opportunity that you're excited about, and that will allow you to live within the economic realities of the Front Range I would go for it. That's what I did at 25 and I never regretted it.

Alex R wrote:

While hiking further and climbing harder certainly help, I can think of at least one 13+ with an hour approach that is quite likely to be taken on any given weekend when the weather is right. It is very doable to avoid crowds, but it is slightly more complicated than just assuming everyone in Colorado is lazy and weak.

I don’t think it’s assuming everyone is lazy and weak as much as it is recognizing that your available routes increases 10x when your grade range and approach distance increases so even if there’s the same amount of people looking to climb hard/hike far, the crowds are much more distributed

Weekend warriors probably have it the worst regarding crowds.

I agree with all of the other comments. Especially about sport climbing. Expect a fair amount of people in areas up to 13- on weekends. Sharing classic Flatirons routes during the weekdays even. 

Tal M wrote:

You can dodge crowds everywhere if you’re willing to hike more than 10 minutes but yes, also if you climb harder than 11-

I started sport climbing in CO in the 5.10s and I thought once I climb 5.12 I wouldn't have to deal with crowds anymore. Now I climb in the 12s and the crowds seem the same if not worse, because everyone has the same projects. Still waiting for the promised land of uncrowded grades. I'm guessing sandbagged 12d because people will avoid them to project soft 13a's? Seems like the only reliable way to avoid crowds on the weekend is long approach and/or climb at an off season crag, and even that's not guaranteed! 

They don't call it Crowdorado for nothing. 

Prav C wrote:

I started sport climbing in CO in the 5.10s and I thought once I climb 5.12 I wouldn't have to deal with crowds anymore. Now I climb in the 12s and the crowds seem the same if not worse, because everyone has the same projects. Still waiting for the promised land of uncrowded grades. I'm guessing sandbagged 12d because people will avoid them to project soft 13a's? Seems like the only reliable way to avoid crowds on the weekend is long approach and/or climb at an off season crag, and even that's not guaranteed! 

I am in a similar boat in grades and have never had an issue with crowds anywhere but at the Dungeon and maybe Doghouse/Graveyard (though I don’t really climb there). Classics everywhere are always going to have people on them but there are some fersure bangers around that barely have chalk on them because they aren’t on the front page of MP, even with short approaches

I used to live in NH and other spots in the northeast and have spent a good deal of time in the front range the past few summers. It's busy, but there's so much rock that I think a bit of effort can almost always get you to the kind of climbing you want to do without crowds. I don't know anything about Lakewood, but I love the northeast and the climbing there, and I would move to the front range for a good job. It looks like we are psyched on somewhat similar stuff as well - I think the people in real trouble in CO are those who only want to sport climb. If you prefer adventure I think you're good. 

grug g wrote:

They don't call it Crowdorado for nothing. 

And others say Chossorado. So either you stick to the 5% cleaned-up routes and fight with the crowds or you go adventuring on the 95% routes and "enjoy" the loose rock and lichen. More and more crags are getting the reservation entry requirement with a limited time window to enter, so don't expect the same freedom as in areas with less crowds.

its pretty lame tbh but i like it anyways

There's a reason it's so crowded here, and the "classic"  10-route roadside crags are regularly seeing 10(normal) to 30(high) person crowds on a fair-weather weekend...

If what you are looking for is a lifetime supply of climable rock within a 4 hour driving radius, living in Lakewood has that.

If what you are looking for is relatively easy access to 5 star routes, living in Lakewood has that.

If what you are looking for is access to grand, sweeping vistas and a sense of relative isolation, less than 2 hours from your driveway, living in Lakewood has that.

If what you are looking for is remote, isolated, in-a-day adventure climbs with an aura of contemplative serenity, living in Lakewood has that.

If what you are looking for is a relatively vibrant employment market and variety of urban/surburban/wilderness adventure opportunities, living in Lakewood has that.

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If what you are looking for is to be at a crag with roadside accessible, 5 star, PG-bolted climbs in the 5.9 - 5.12 range with less than 45 minutes of driving, living in Lakewood has that... just don't expect to be alone when you get there. 

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There are literally thousands more climbs available in a 2 hour radius of Denver than a 2 hour radius of North Conway NH....

If climbing is your be-all, end-all passion, you'll likely be too busy climbing to wonder if you're happy and made the right move.

If climbing is your occasional escape to wilderness therapy and meditative isolation, you can have that if you work for it.

If climbing is just part of your NorthEastern American Forest / Appalachian Davey-Crockett-esque day to day frontier woodsman reality... moving to Lakewood is going to be a big change.

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If you love 4 seasons all with loads of sunshine, rock climbing (and mountain adventure in general), creature comforts of suburban living, and don't mind navigating the occasional traffic jam or pivoting to a less crowded crag, you'll find plenty of joy here in the Denver area.

If you love: sylvan isolation right outside your back door; small, tight-knit communities; easily manageable cost-of-living; never being confronted with the realities of un-housed people suffering poverty, addiction...  Lakewood might end up feeling like a mistake.

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Also, it sucks here. It's super lame. The rocks are either razor sharp or crumbling, everyone is constantly hypoxic and sunburnt, and the rivers have all but dried up. Tell everyone. 

Front range has the best selection of 2 star choss and blue ski runs ; )

Nothing but choss on the front range

If the job is good, go for it, but be prepared for high levels of crowding at certain crags and routes. Colorado, while flatlining for in-migration overall, will never lack for an ample supply of overstoker new arrivals.

Make sure you don't live too far from a decent gym though. That's where you'll be doing most of your climbing.  

Jeff G wrote:

Nothing but choss on the front range

Looks like that has a 1 month / year climbing window. 

grug g wrote:

Looks like that has a 1 month / year climbing window. 

Spearhead is reasonably climbed from Early June through Late September and even into October depending on the season. Very few crowds in the shoulder seasons and yet very reasonable climbing conditions!

But yes, the front range is lame. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.