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What are the best routes to climb at rocky mountain?
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Hello guys, I'll be in the Rocky Mountains national park on the first week of June with another climber friend. We're gonna be there for three days and since there are so many routes I wanted to ask locals or people that climbed there several times: which routes should I focus on? We're looking for sport (no cracks) routes, in the range of 5.7 to 5.10/11, maybe some 2-3 pitches routes. Basically fun stuff with pretty views and not too hard. What would be some of the must-climb ones? Thanks! |
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Someone can tell me I'm wrong but I'm fairly certain you won't find a single route matching that description IN Rocky Mountain National Park. 99% of the rock routes are multipitch trad, most of them grade III. And in June with this much snow, you'll need tools and crampons. For multipitch sport in the first week of June, check out Boulder Canyon and Clear Creek Canyon. |
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Check out Jurassic Park. Technically in the Park and fits the bill… |
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Wizards Gate could also be good for that description but could be a little chilly. |
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Lots of things are very very much buried. |
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Cool! Wizards Gate and Jurassic Park look pretty fun. |
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jurassic park is ok but not great single pitch only a half hour uphill approach and sunny a few easy sport climbs if u can find them way back on the top and good lines if u try the 5.11 overhanging in the gully wizards gate is a much better area and both the 5.8 multi pitch is easy and kinda fun however the approach is hard and steep and one hour uphill if u can find it and in the shade and will feel cold cold golden staircase is super good too if u want an adventure the iron clads area has lots of sport routes if u can find them good luck with the high elevation approaches and thunder storms maybe start early and drink a gallon of water everyday lots of good multi pitch climbing driving to and from estes park like tall green wall and clear creek mission wall the route ride the snake and i70 royal flush |
K R wrote: The OP is looking for sport routes, and in my opinion there are very few sport routes at Jurassic Park. Quite a few bolted trad routes though... |
John Byrnes wrote: Have you been up there in a while John? Aside from Edge of Time and a couple other old routes on the Fin, there are plenty of closely bolted sport climbs. A good day for the OP might include: Coloradodity - 5.6 Stout Blue Vein - 5.8 Gilded Lily - 5.8 Middle Toe - 5.9 Purgatorus - 5.9 Critical Morass - 5.10 (A personal fav) Copradelite - 5.10 Slabbed upside the Head - 5.11 (so good) All these are closely bolted. Don't let Edge of Time's reputation let you think this is some hard man area. Its a great little sport crag... |
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Mary's Bust is a few miles down Route 34 from Estes. It has good multi-pitch sport routes in the 10/11 range with a very short approach. It's not actually in the Park, but neither are Wizard's Gate, the Ironclads, Clear Creek, or Royal Flush. |
Hal Tucker wrote: I don't think I did any of the ones you mention. We did Edge of Time and a handfull of 10s. What I remember is that the routes I led were probably bolted on lead. There were ground-falls, ledge-falls, pendulums and cheese-grater falls over and over. So maybe they were "old" routes but I'm old too. Too old for that. |
Hugo Bayer Reichmann wrote: Tp the OP: Everyone (almost, anyway) calls it "Wizard’s Gate", but that's just a small section of one cliff (LowerGreatFace) of The Crags. The Crags is a huge area with a lot more good climbing out there. |
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You can climb Edge of Time at Jurassic Park in two pitches. The hanging belay at the pin is pretty good, though can produce a lot of exposure. I would recommend bringing a ledge too. Defiantly worth it. 5 star climb. Pitch 2 being the money pitch. |
Matt Coghill wrote: I second this. Forgot the ledge my first time and wish I had brought it. I would also suggest bringing approach shoes for the rappel. It can be pretty tiring on the feet I thought pitch 1 was the money, the view is 5 stars but the climbing is 6. |
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The first pitch of Edge of Time actually ends on top of the tree, then for pitch two you down-dyno to the first bolt then pull the technical crux. Pitch two ends at the piton and bringing the ledge makes for a comfy belay while you and your partner swap lead burns on the mental crux. The exposure isn't that bad, even if you're soft. Don't bother asking other climbers to snag your picture while you're on the Edge, because the climbing is so spectacular that pictures don't do it justice. 5 out of 4 stars, best 3 pitch moderate in Estes... maybe all of Colorado. |
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If I could, I'd like to weigh in on this. Considering I am a fully medaled Single Pitch Instructor, I know quite a lot about the single pitch terrain in the Rockiest National Park. I agree with you mister OP, screw the cracks. Head straight for Mary's Lake. The TR options there are world class. And the views of the all the other dank rock are inspiring. I'd also like to echo what some of the other locals have already stated in this forum-- pitch out the Edge of Time. Just be careful on the raps. There's major rope snag potential in the P1 tree. |
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https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106004374/the-golden-monkey A lot of great climbing up here, & you can switch lines as you like along the way |
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Indeed, never a dull day at the classic stomping grounds of Jurassic P. In fact it's rumored to of been the location for the premiere of Jurassic Park in 1990, Michael Chrichton having personally projected the film directly onto the Rock formations for a small number of Estes locals. Also rumored is Jeff Goldblum soloed all 3 pitches of the edge barefoot that night on acid, spending over 3 hours on top of pitch one, on top the tree. |
