Denver Beta?

[underworld]

I'm going to be visiting Denver in a couple of weeks.

 

a) what are the mtn conditions in the rockies this time of year... ie... are the climbs on the diamond 'in'???

 

b) if i were to take my 4 year old nephew cragging for the first time... any suggestions on an area that is good for this?

 

thoughts? ideas? spray?

 

 

[plexus]

I'll send you a PM when I get back from my mtn biking trip to Fruita this weekend.

[mr.radon]

Used to live in Boulder. Try Eldorado Canyon for craging.

Around this time of year you will find snow, but all 14'ers are easy to climb any month of the year. Call the park for current info on the Diamond. You should not have a problem. However, bring some snow gear to assist the descent from the Keyhole route or whatever route you decide to take down. The routes probably still have snow.

Have an awesome time.

[matt_warfield]

The Diamond will most likely be wet this time of year but many of the south facing alpine classics should be in. Boulder area has scads of cragging and Lumpy Ridge in Estes could also be an option. For current conditions try climbinglife dot com which is updated at least weekly and gives RMNP climbing conditions better than the park service since it is written by the head guide at Colorado Mountain School. Have fun.

[JoshK]

Boulder Canyon is also a great area to crag at. Take US36 from Denver to Boulder, turn left when you get to Canyon St. and drive through town a few blocks. Past the courthouse area (on 9th I think?) the road enters in to Boulder Canyon. Enjoy the scenery, drive for a few quick miles, and you'll see climbs all around you. The rock is sticky, easy to climb, and as I recall, protects well.

 

Any of the 14ers remotely near to Denver will be snow climbs/slogs of some sort. They aren't very "mountainous" compared to here, but you'll get a great workout and some nice views. Just remember to drink a LOT of water, that's the main thing that will slow you down on the 14ers.

 

One 14er hike I really enjoyed was Mount of the Holy Cross. I ascended from whatever the standard trail is and walked the "Halo Ridge" around the cirque, summited then dropped down the other side, climbed back up to the pass (ugh) and out the trail again. It was a long day but I thought the scenery was great and the long traverse around the easy ridge (it's a walker) gave the day a nice alpine feel.

[slothrop]

http://climbinglife.com/current-rmnp-conditions/ is a good resource for the mountains. Lots of cornices waiting to drop, but conditions are still good for many mixed and rock routes. Windy as hell up there now.

 

Boulder Canyon is probably best for a youngun cragging for the first time. It's closest to civilization and has many easily topropable routes right off the road. Search mountainproject.com for route info.

[mneagle]

There's still a lot of snow in RMNP. I was post-holing around at 9,000 feet a few weeks ago. Eldo Canyon and Lumpy Ridge are in good shape and are recommended climbing this time of year.

 

There is some good BLM free camping and road-side sport climbing around Buena Vista that may be OK for a kid. Some of the easier stuff at Lumpy may be OK but you would have to hike some.

 

I live in Fort Collins, which is an hour north of Denver. If you need a partner, let me know. I may be available, depending on when you're going to be here.

[crazy_t]

In Eldo, there's a mini climb, a 25'+ slab at the west end of the park that's good for taking the minis tr'ing on. It's on the left, just before or at the turnoff for the picnic area at the back of the park.

 

Another option is the climb's on the Whale's Tail, where you can climb a 5.4, 5.6, and 5.2 from the same spot. It's exposed getting to the ledge at the bottom, and you wouldn't want him to fall off of there, so protect vs. that.

 

Breezy is a good choice too, leftmost climb on the Wind Tower, 5.5 with a walkoff.

 

Flagstaff would be another place to rig up some basic tr's too.