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Grand Junction


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Submitted By: John McNamee on Mar 2, 2006
Administrators: Jesse Zacher, Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Latitude: 39.0805  Longitude: -108.5220 
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Description 

Grand Junction, with a approximate population of 42,000, is the largest center on the Colorado Western Slope, unofficially serving as the capital of the region. The city located along the north side of Colorado River where it receives the Gunnison River from south.

Downtown Grand Junction is a classic western town, that is gradually evolving into an arts center, with gallery's and antique shops. The name "Grand" refers to the historical name of the upper Colorado used by locals in the late 19th and early 20th century. The city sits near the mid-point of 30-mile (48 km) arcing valley, known as the Grand Valley, that is a major fruit growing region, historically home to the Ute people and settled by white farmers in the 1880s. In recent years, several wineries have been established in the area as well. The Colorado National Monument, a series of canyons and mesas similar to the Grand Canyon, overlook the city. Interstate 70 connects the city eastward to Glenwood Springs and Denver. The Monument is a great place to hit some towers and climb some great desert cracks.

Spring and Fall are often the best times of the year to visit and climb here. Summers can be very warm and winters although mild compared to the rest of the state can be unpredicatable with cold winds.

On rest days, about 10 miles west of GJ is the town of Fruita, which has some good single track mountain biking, both at the Bookcliffs and above to the Colorado River. People compare it to Moab 10 years ago! It is the starting point of the Kokopeli Trail which is a great bike trip between Fruita and Moab of about 142miles. One good resource is bikerpelli My wife and I did it over four days last spring and had a blast.


Getting There 

Map of Grand Junction


Resources 

Summit Canyon Mountaineering is located downtown, as well as brew pubs and heap of eating choices. REI also has a store located to the East of the town center.

If climbing at the National Monument, camp at the campground,

Other places to stay include ...

There is also wine tasting in the area for those staying for multiple days.

Additionally there is the Western Colorado Climbers' Coalition (WCCC) which can be contacted for local information or updates on bolting rules etc.
Email: western_co_climbers@hotamil.com
Website: http://westernslopeclimbers.blogspot.com/


Weather 

You can try NOAA.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Grand Junction:
The Millennium Falcon   V1     Boulder, 15 feet   Dynamite Shacks : Main Area
Left Dihedral aka Dihedral 1 aka First Dihedral   5.8     Trad, 2 pitches   Colorado National Monument : Monument Canyon
Sun Dancer   5.8     Trad, 3 pitches, 160 feet   The Access Fund Trailhead : Sunday Wall
Otto's Route   5.8+     Trad, Chipped, 5 pitches, 400 feet, Grade II   Colorado National Monument : Independence Monument
Interiors   5.9-     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Escalante Canyon : Interiors Wall Area
Sweet Sunday Serenade   5.9     Trad, 3 pitches, Grade II   The Access Fund Trailhead : Sunday Wall
No Name Route   5.9     Trad   Mother's Buttress : Lower Mother's Buttress
Steppin' On it   5.9+     Trad, 1 pitch, 85 feet   Colorado National Monument : Liberty Cap
Questions and Answers   5.10     Trad, 3 pitches, 400 feet, Grade III   Mother's Buttress : Upper Mother's Buttress
F/S   5.10c     Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Colorado National Monument : Liberty Cap
S Crack   5.10c     Trad, 1 pitch, 65 feet   Escalante Canyon : Cabin Wall
Renaissance   5.10d     Trad, 2 pitches, 210 feet   The Access Fund Trailhead : Fortress Wall
Long Dong Wall (aka Bell Tower)   5.11a     Trad, 5 pitches   Colorado National Monument : Kissing Couple
Desert Solitaire   5.11a C1     Trad, Aid, 6 pitches, 350 feet, Grade III   Colorado National Monument : Monument Canyon
Jagged Edge   5.11-     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Mother's Buttress : Middle Mother's
Cool Breeze   5.11-     Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet   Colorado National Monument : Liberty Cap
Sundial Dihedral   5.11b C1     Trad, Aid, 6 pitches, 400 feet, Grade III   Colorado National Monument : Independence Monument
Never Cry Wolf   5.11c/d     Trad, 1 pitch, 65 feet   Colorado National Monument : Liberty Cap
Osiris   5.12a/b     Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet   Colorado National Monument : Liberty Cap
Medicine Man   5.12b     Trad, 4 pitches, Grade III   Colorado National Monument : Sentinel Spire
Browse More Classics in Grand Junction

Featured Route For Grand Junction
George Bell finishing off the crux on the last pitch.

Otto's Route 5.8+  CO : Grand Junction : ... : Independence Monument
A nice climb in four short pitches finishing with the last exposed and dramatic prow to the summit. It's on the shady side of the monument, so warm days are preferable. The FA, Otto, drilled and chopped many holds in the soft sandstone to aid up this route with pipes in the holes, but now just the holes remain, which gives the route a moderate rating.P1: Start on the NW side near the East end at a right-angling ramp (5.4) past chopped steps to ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO