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Morrison/Evergreen

Submitted By: John McNamee on Mar 5, 2006
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Latitude: 39.6548  Longitude: -105.1950 
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Downtown Morrison


Description 

Morrison is well known as a classic Font Range bouldering area. A outdoor climbing gym with two distinctive atmospheres. On the Northern side of the road, it's rare to boulder by yourself, whereas the southern side I've yet to met anyone there.

The town of Morrison is a small but thriving town whose major industries are tourism and margaritas - especially in the summer. Visitors come for our restaurants, rocks, and/or rock concerts at Red Rocks. The population is about 500 people.

Evergreen is further up Bear Valley at 7200 feet, approximately 20 minutes from Morrison. It's considerably larger than Morrison with about 30,000 residents, although many of them are very spread out.


Getting There 

From Boulder, take CO Hwy 93 to Golden, US 6 to C-470 heading South, and get off 5-10 minutes later at Morrison. Take a right after exiting. One can also take a right just past Golden on Heritage Rd, which becomes a highway that goes by Red Rocks and spits you out into Morrison on the west side. Continue up CO Hwy 74 (Bear Creek Road) to Evergreen. Watch out for cyclists!

From Denver, take US 285 to C-470, then head north the the Morrison exit, and take a left into town. To get to Evergreen, continue up CO Hwy 74.

Map of Morrison and Evergreen


Resources 

This town is famous for its Margaritas and its Mexican food, and the one place to get them is the Morrison Inn. There is also a great Italian restaurant in town.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Morrison/Evergreen:
Breashears' Crack   V1     Boulder   Morrison Boulders : The Black Hole
Dihedral Problem   V2     Boulder, 10 feet   The Eggs : Trailside Egg
Breashear's Crack II   V3     Boulder, 19 feet   Morrison Boulders : The Dark Side
Guiding Light A.K.A Round Up   V3-4     Boulder, 15 feet   Alderfer/Three Sisters Park : Work and Play Area
Wisdom A.K.A. The Best Boulder Problem In Evergreen   V4 PG13     Boulder, 25 feet   Alderfer/Three Sisters Park : The Brother's Lookout South...
Missile   V5     Boulder   Morrison Boulders : The Black Hole
Squirming Coil   V5     Boulder, 15 feet   Morrison Boulders : The Dark Side
Air Jordan   V5     Boulder   Morrison Boulders : The Black Hole
The Captain   V5     Boulder, 10 feet   Alderfer/Three Sisters Park : Gilligan's Island
Helicopter   V5     Boulder   Morrison Boulders : The Black Hole
Dasani   V5-6     Boulder, 10 feet   Morrison Boulders : The Dark Side
Ghost Dance   V6     Boulder, 20 feet   Matthews-Winters Park : The Millenium Boulder
Double Arete   V6     Boulder, 16 feet   Morrison Boulders : The Dark Side
Air Loopis   V8     Boulder   Morrison Boulders : The Black Hole
Rupture - V5-V7   V? R     Boulder, 10 feet   Morrison Boulders : The Dark Side
Lover's Leap   5.7     Trad, Grade II   Lover's Leap
The Nautilus Cave Pitch   5.10     Trad, Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Morrison Boulders : Nautilus
Variety Show   5.11c     TR, 1 pitch   Deer Creek Crag
Unknown aka The Pump and The Pendulum   5.12b     Sport, 1 pitch, 30 feet   Deer Creek Crag
The Road Less Traveled   5.13a/b     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Deer Creek Crag
Browse More Classics in Morrison/Evergreen

Featured Route For Morrison/Evergreen
Chris working on the scoop problem.

Scoop aka Pack-man V6  CO : Morrison/Evergreen : ... : In Between Egg/Upper Eggs
Located on the Upper Egg this is one of the harder grades in the area. Climb the obvious scoop on thin edges to a vicious top-out. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of Morrison/Evergreen Slideshow Add Photo
Morrison, Colorado. This photo was taken in February/March 2005 on a warm day.

Morrison, Colorado. This photo was taken in Februa...

After almost grounding out <br />Ocelot Cliff 1978.

After almost grounding out
Ocelot Cliff 1978.


Grossman at Ocelot, 1978.

Grossman at Ocelot, 1978.

Somewhere at Ocelot

Somewhere at Ocelot

Hard face top rope at Ocelot

Hard face top rope at Ocelot

Tube chock at Ocelot.

Tube chock at Ocelot.

Ocelot.

Ocelot.

Bouldering above the town of Morrison, before a show at Red Rocks.

Bouldering above the town of Morrison, before a sh...

First ascent of "Cheeses of Nazareth" 5.11 b/c at Ocelot. Chuck Grossman climber

First ascent of "Cheeses of Nazareth" 5.11 b/c at ...

A very young Chuck Grossman at Ocelot 1978 or so.

A very young Chuck Grossman at Ocelot 1978 or so.

Future uber hardman Greg Lomme in his signature sweat pants belays at Ocelot.

Future uber hardman Greg Lomme in his signature sw...

Chuck pulls down another hard first ascent in the Evergreen area.

Chuck pulls down another hard first ascent in the ...

Bouldering Treasure Map.

Bouldering Treasure Map.

Luke Childers finding the simplest solution on his new classic "Occam's Razor."

Luke Childers finding the simplest solution on his...


Comments on Morrison/Evergreen Add Comment
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By Olaf Mitchell
From: Paia, Maui, Hi,
Mar 23, 2007

An alternative to the regular Morrison Bouldering/Climbing
Drive about a mile (west) out of Morrison up Bear Creek Canyon.
On the south side of the canyon (across the river) there is a severely overhanging face with two bolted routes on it.
The Bearicade, 5.12?, F.A. me and a bunch of my friends.
Kodiak Arrest, 5.13? F.A. Rufus Miller, Dave Twinum is on the right.
The climbs are about 100' above the river and can be spotted easier by driving past and turning around.
There is a large spot to pull off the road right under them.
These climbs are accessed by crossing the river any way you can(wading works). There is a dry way, but you have to cross a gated pipe.
We generally hike around to the top of the route and rap in. I haven't been there in a while, maybe some stuff to back things up. I do remember that the rap sling should hang over the lip and makes the last clip for a lead ascent. (you'll see). The bolts on the routes are good, the exposure is breath taking, the angle is steep!, the rock quality is very solid, and it is way pumpy! This is a great summer afternoon outing.

By Alex A
From: Bailey, CO
Aug 7, 2007

Has anyone climbed the cliffs above Evergreen Lake, they look good from the road,

By Tom Hanson
From: Castle Rock, CO
Aug 7, 2007

Hi Alex,
If you're into bouldering, there is some really good stuff, though hard to find, up at Alderfer-Three Sisters Park in Evergreen.
By the way, I see that you climbed for 25 years at The Lake.
Are you an ex-DLFA clubber?
I am a branch affiliate DLFA'er from Taylors Falls circa early seventies to 1982, when I moved to CO for multi-pitch.
Now living in Castle Rock as a founding foreskin of the DCCC
Rich Bechler bestowed upon me the unofficial title of Megalomaniacal Potentate of Fukness, so I am now unofficially "core" even if I am an over-the-hill-has-been.