Silver Plume

Description 

Climbing can be had primarily on the large buttress 800 ft above the tailings, this is Monument Rock, and on the West Slabs which are only 200 ft above the tailings. Several other surrounding crags have seen sporadic development, but without yet turning up anything noteworthy. (NB: if you are looking for new things to develop, then look around Georgetown and Guanella Pass!) Named for their inverse character, Monument Rock holds several long slab routes while the West Slabs hold several steep and difficult lines. These two rocks face South and pick up great sun, however, being at 9,000 ft elevation, climbing is largely restricted to the warm summer months. For a quick escape from the frenetic pace of Front Range climbing these crags offer a terrific alternative.

Getting There 

The Silver Plume climbing is, logically enough, located at the various crags around The Silver Plume Mine. Take I-70 West of Denver. After passing Georgetown, the road steepens and runs along a rocky embankment that has been the scene of more than one highway fatality due to rock-fall. The Silver Plume Mine sits at the top of the rise and on the right. There is an exit off the highway that dumps you out below the tailings pile, and trails can be found through the tailings or up the obvious wash leading to Monument Rock.

The Classics