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Montezuma Tower Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Montezuma Tower

L › R R › L A › Z

	North Ridge T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	South Ridge T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c X
	West Face Direct TR 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a

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Elevation:	6,035 ft
GPS:	38.8764, -104.88113 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	60,134 total · 203/month
Shared By:	Andrew Gram on Nov 29, 1999
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: 2024 Seasonal Closures - these are the same as 2023 Details

Per Bret Tennis, GOG Park Operations administrator: the seasonal closures are the same as in 2023 for 2024.

Previously per B. Tennis: all seasonal rock climbing closures in Garden of the Gods have been lifted for the season.

In 2023, they were the same as for 2022 and 2021.

Kindergarten/Gray Rock

2018-24 Sleeping Giant/Keyhole Rock & Gray Rock/Kindergarten Rock Seasonal Raptor Closures. Provided by the GOG City Staff.

2023 & 2024 Closure info from GOG staff.

2023 & 2024 Closure photo from GOG staff.

North Gateway

From Bret Tennis, GOG, Park Operations Administrator: North Gateway Rock expanded raptor nesting closure. Requested to post. This applies for 2024 as it did for 2018-2023.

Old info:

Previously: per Bret Tennis, as of 10/19/22: The Garden of the Gods has lifted all the seasonal rock climbing closures. Prior in 2020: seasonal raptor closures for 2020 were now lifted.

Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:

The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.

The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.

Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:

Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.

The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.

2020-22 Gateway Rock Seasonal Raptor Closures. Provided by the GOG City Staff.

2018-24 Sleeping Giant/Keyhole Rock & Gray Rock/Kindergarten Rock Seasonal Raptor Closures. Provided by the GOG City Staff.

The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.

Closures as of June 5, 2019:

The Northern end of North Gateway Rock is closed for raptor nesting.

2019 Raptor Climbing Closures. From: Larry, City Staff, Office 719-219-0108.

The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.

2019 Gray Rock/Kindergarten Rock Raptor Closures. From: Larry, City Staff, Office 719-219-0108.

Continued climbing closures from 2018:

The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.

Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.

The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.

The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.

Description

Montezuma Tower is the obvious skinny tower in the middle of Garden of the Gods. The North Ridge is one of the best moderate routes in Colorado, and it has some old aid routes Harvey Carter did as practice for the Fisher Towers. This is a pretty wild tower to have so close to a city.

Getting There

Park in the main parking lot and Garden of the Gods, and walk between the Gateway Rocks past the Twin Spires. Montezuma Tower is the obvious skinny tower next to the smaller Three Graces.

All chalk and chalk substitutes are not allowed!

The Park staff want to remind the climbing community that all chalk (calcium carbonate) and chalk substitutes are prohibited in the park due to visual impact starting in 2021.

When placing closure signange/notifications, our park rangers noted chalk stains on several routes in the closure area (Anaconda and Grapefruit Dance), as well as the Blowouts bouldering area (which were cleaned last year, meaning all the chalk here is new). We are again hoping that the community can come together and address this issue before it requires any action on our part. Access may come into play! We'd also like to thank the PPCA for their efforts to remove chalk stains in these areas last year and hope that local climbers might consider helping them remove chalk stains from the rock this season- check their website for more info on upcoming events- pikespeakclimbersalliance.o….