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Good inner mountain towns for summer climbing?

Original Post
Jake Duncan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 0

Howdy. I live in the southeast and been planning to do the spend the summer out west while working remote and climb a lot thing. Plans for Lander seem to be falling though. Are any of the Colorado ski towns good for summer climbing?

Open to all climbing disciplines. Moderate trad and up to 5.12 sport but preference for adventurey trad we don't have in the SE.

My partner and I would rent a place for 1-2 months. Mountain biking is also a plus.

Thanks! 

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

For long trad climbs in the summer,  RMNP area ( including Lumpy Ridge) is the main attraction in Colorado. And as such setting up a base in Estes Park would be a sensible choice. Finding housing in such a popular tourist town in peak summer season would be the biggest challenge. Though if you expand your acceptable driving radius a bit, that opens up Front Range towns such as Loveland, with much more housing options. However, the Front Range is just a different... experience than the central or western CO mountain towns.

If you are more interested in being over in western CO, anywhere in the Roaring Fork Valley (Glenwood Springs to Aspen corridor) would be great. Gives you access to the great summer granite in Independence Pass, difficult limestone sport at Rifle, and lots of great lesser known RFV crags in between. The climbing is more cragging oriented though. Also, resorty mountain town problems again, finding housing will be the crux.

The SW corner of the state is pretty amazing also. Durango-Silverton-Ouray. Doesn't really feature mega-destinations for summer rock like the other two zones mentioned, but still lots of smaller zones that will keep you busy. And the San Juan range is spectacular.

I know you mentioned adventurous trad, which definitely brings up thoughts of the Black Canyon, but be aware it gets very hot there in summer.

Avoid Summit County. A popular ski region, with lots of MTB also, but not good for rock climbing. That section of mountains is mostly all choss.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

Also, are you totally set on Colorado? For trad climbing and MTB in the summer, that sure sounds like Squamish is your spot. Much longer drive from the Southeast though.

California would have much to offer as well, especially around Tahoe or in Mammoth Lakes. At least in a normal year - this year we're buried in snow and will be for a while. If your timeframe is more on the late July into August side of summer though (by which point that snow should be melted) , it would be worth considering. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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