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Best areas in the front range to boulder with beginner grades, short approaches, and good landings?

Original Post
Johnny Utah · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 0

Recently started climbing outdoors again with a focus on bouldering, which is pretty new to me, and so far only in the flatirons at the satellite boulders. However, the approach to the satellite boulders while carrying a pad and heavy backpack has made it a bit difficult. I would love to boulder in some areas more ideal where I can save myself some physical and mental energy for the actual climbing while getting used to falling on a crash pad. 

In order of importance for the criteria for me would be short approaches > good landings > a variety of boulders with beginner grades (V4 and lower). Also if anyone would like to boulder or climb sometime in the front range, hit me up! 

Thank you 

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Johnny Utah wrote:

short approaches > good landings > a variety of boulders with beginner grades (V4 and lower). 

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105744361/mount-sanitas

Johnny Utah · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 0
JCM wrote:

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105744361/mount-sanitas

Should have mentioned mount sanitas was on my list to try out next haha. Anywhere else you would recommend after sanitas? Thanks! 

Prav C · · Arvada, CO · Joined Sep 2019 · Points: 124

Guanella Pass. Short approach, generally flat landings, and plenty of fun climbs in the V0-4 range that aren't sandbagged. 

Three Sisters around the Eggs area is pretty flat and not a long hike, and has some nice V0-4s.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 984

Flagstaff has very short approaches and a reasonable number of lower grade routes, although grades can be a little inconsistent.

The online guide is excellent.

Guanella and Three Sisters are also good in this grade range.

I'm not personally a fan of Sanitas- not a lot of problems, and often the landings are tiered, requiring good spotting.

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 669

Some easy stuff in the Satellites as well as nearby. I've put up some real easy stuff nearby Sunset.

MattH · · CO mostly · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 1,339

Flagstaff and Sanitas are the obvious answers. Park at the Crown Rock trailhead and walk 100 feet in any direction towards visible rock and you've got a new set of moderates to climb. 

After spraining my wrist last fall I found a good little easy rehab circuit there that I could fit in an hour before work and felt comfortable climbing either padless or with one pad and no spotters. Here's my loop:

- The v0-3s on the left part of Tutorial Rock

- The stuff on One-Arm rocks (climbed with two arms)

- The easy west overhang on the Beer Barrel 

- The easy west overhang on Distant Dancer

- The largely unnamed stuff below the tree slab (there's a cool easy highballish thing down there and lots of other v0 stuff to play on)

- The Tree Slab

- The Monkey Traverse

Garth Sundem · · Louisville, CO · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 25

MattH's circuit looks super fun! Great recommendations. What I love about Flag is that it's SO accessible, you can dial in multiple circuits over time, then work a few climbs each session that you'll eventually add to your circuits. Things that feel impossible start to feel easy and you find yourself getting stronger along the way. (Also: No better place to farm finger skin. After taking time off Flag, I find it takes like three weeks to build skin back to the point that fitness and not finger skin is a session's limiting factor...)

Prav C · · Arvada, CO · Joined Sep 2019 · Points: 124

Flag is good too, but don’t be surprised if you get shut down on V0-4 climbs in the old school areas (e.g. Red Wall, Amphitheatre). Holds have broken or changed in character since they were FA’ed in the 1960s, and some of them are just plain sandbagged.

If you go to Flag, I’d check out the Dark Side behind Cloud Shadow so you aren’t blasted with sun in the summer heat. There are some easy slab problems on Nook’s Rock and some fun V4 overhang problems nearby.

Cory N · · Monticello, UT · Joined Sep 2018 · Points: 1,118

Not great for summer but Morrison has a large subset of mediocre easy problems https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105745708/the-dark-side 

Flatirons Climbing Council · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 57

Flagstaff requires some advanced planning if anyone wants to climb after the 9pm parking restriction. Parking permits need to be secured 7 days in advance from OSMP.

Parking permits available at:

https://bouldercolorado.gov/pilot-flagstaff-nighttime-use-permit-application

Johnny Utah · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 0

Great suggestions - super appreciated! This helps a lot 

Dan Nelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2022 · Points: 0

3 Sisters in Evergreen has a really easy approach and lots of easy climbs. 

Steve Williams · · The state of confusion · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 235

What's bouldering?

Maybe Consider · · Forgiving Yourself · Joined Aug 2021 · Points: 0

evergreen three sisters and chicago lake park at echo lake

and buy the bouldering guide books from wilderness exchange locally owned by a climber named Don

Alex Quinn · · Boulder, CO · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 0

For anyone who finds this old thread through a search, I put a list of quality (IMO) and safe boulders together at frontrangemoderates.com. Hopefully you find it useful!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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