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Elevation: 5,318 ft
GPS: 40.4215, -105.22599
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 965,881 total · 3,588/month
Shared By: Leo Paik on Feb 16, 2002
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC
Warning Access Issue: Access issue - Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc. - open since 2023 DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

US 34, the Big Thompson Canyon, is lined with miles of all sorts of beautiful igneous rocks. Granite & gneiss crags draw the eye as you drive west from Loveland to Estes Park. For the rockhounds, there's all sorts of interesting rock strewn about this canyon. Some rock is solid and some is suspect, so you have to use good judgment climbing here. Little published information exists on routes in this area. Let's start an online guide to this area.

Note, the main part of this canyon is along US 34 connecting Loveland and Estes Park. There is a side canyon, where Devil's Gulch aka CR 43 goes with some additional climbing.

Apparently, like many places in our beautiful state, property issues can come into play. Please check things out so as not to create conflicts with owners.

FYI, the placement of this subarea in the hierarchy is based upon locating this area closest to a city/town and how folks may access it.

Getting There Suggest change

From Estes Park, drive East on US 34. From Loveland, drive West on US Highway 34. Various crags line this beautiful stretch of canyon. Some crags like Combat, Monastery, & Seam Rock lie off US 34 a bit, up Cedar Park Rd. There is even a tiny bit of ice here.

Link to Big Thompson Canyon Ice

Crags (going uphill)

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Thanks for your patience.

US 34

The Narrows - multiple crags 0-1.3 mi W of BST = 17.1 mi E of MR

-Steep Triangular Face - private property; do not climb here

-60 Degree Slabs - private property; do not climb here

-White Dike area - private property; do not climb here

-The Borg

-Building Block area

-Ironing Board area

-Beer Slabs

-Sign Crack area

-Hightower

-Bridge Wall North (aka Practice Rock)

-Bridge Wall South

-Between Shark's Fin Wall & Bridge Wall North (Practice Rock)

-Dorsal Crack area

-Shark's Fin area

-Friendship 7 Wall

-Scoop Wall

-Iron John/Little Tree area

-The Ledges

Round Mountain - 3.5 mi W of BST = 13.6 E of MR => 2.25 mi hike

Palisade Mountain - N side - 5.1 mi W of BST = 12 mi E of MR

- Nancy's Rock / Cyclops Slab

- Ivy League

- Becker Wall

- Skull Rock

- Horseshead

- Jewel of the Nile Wall

- Jungle Wall

- Mikey's Island

- Skull Valley

- Subskull

- The Temple of Tao

- Unknown Crag at Palisade Mountain

- Gully Block

- Fairview Wall

- Saddle Tower

The town of Drake ~5.1 mi W of BST = 12 mi E of MR

Linger Longer Rock - N side - 6.1 mi W of BST = 11 mi E of MR

Erid Weatherin - N side - 6.5 mi W of BST = 10.6 mi E of MR

Five Point to a Fist Crag - N side - 6.6 mi W of BST = 10.5 mi E of MR

Salt Block Rock - 8.1 mi W of BST = 9 mi E of MR

Unknown Ridge - 9 mi W of BST = 8.1 mi E of MR

- Continuity Crag - S side

Daryle's Rock - 9.3 mi W of BST = 8.1 mi E of MR

Mary's Bust, Moonlight Rock - N side - 9.4 mi W of BST = 8 mi E of MR

- The Sugar Cube - just below Mary's Bust - N side

- Tick Rock - N side

- Moonlight Rock - N side

Stone Point - N side - 9.6 mi W of BST = 7.5 mi E of MR

- Stone Rock - N side

- Stone Slab - N side

Jug Dome/Anne's Rock - N side - 9.7 mi W of BST = 7.4 mi E of MR

Handicapped Fishing Access - ~10 mi W of BST = 7.1 mi E of MR

The Beach - N side - 11.1 mi W of BST = 5.2 mi E of MR

Caddis Cliff - N side - 11.4 mi W of BST = 4.7 mi E of MR

Glen Comfort Crag - ~13.6 mi W of BST = ~3.5 mi E of MR

Catch and Release Crag aka Montreat Crag, 16 mi W of BST, 1.1 mi E of MR

off Devil's Gulch Road aka CR 43 (joins US 34 near Drake) - Forest Service Rd (0. 

Combat Rock - W side - 1 mi from CR 43

Basic Training Wall - W side - 1 mi from CR 43

Elmer Fudd's Wok - W side - 1 mi from CR 43

Bobcat Ridge - E side - 1 mi from CR 43

S and M Wall - W side - 1.25 mi from CR 43

Cedar Park Slab - 2.5 mi from CR 43 -> L -> next major R

The Monastery - 2.5 mi from CR 43 -> L 5.1 mi up FS 128

Glen Haven Picnic Area - S side - ~1 mi E of Glen Haven

Town of Glen Haven

abbreviations: BST = Beige Siphon Tube; MR = Mall Rd in Estes Park.

Webcams

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You may find this webcam helpful to look at conditions: cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm. Click on the camera icon.

555 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Big Thompson Canyon

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 177
The Hot Zone
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 107
Diagonal
Trad 2 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 20
Pearly Burly Brooke
Trad 2 pitches
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 27
Neighsayer
Trad 2 pitches
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 29
Saigon to Pearl Harbor
Trad 2 pitches
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 383
Tabula Rasa
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 21
Friendship Seven
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 126
The Brown Palace
Sport 6 pitches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 11
The Temple
Trad
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 133
Stolen Land
Sport
5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a
 15
Crack a Smile
Trad, Sport
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
 112
Psychatomic
Sport
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
 7
Over the Rainbow
Sport
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
 15
The Quickening
Sport
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a
 10
Third Millennium
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
The Hot Zone Monastery > Catacomb
 177
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
Diagonal Combat Rock
 107
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad 2 pitches
Pearly Burly Brooke Palisade Mountain > Jewel of the Nile Wall
 20
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad 2 pitches
Neighsayer Palisade Mountain > Horseshead
 27
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Trad 2 pitches
Saigon to Pearl Harbor Combat Rock
 29
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad 2 pitches
Tabula Rasa Monastery > Vestibule
 383
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Friendship Seven Beige Tube Area… > Friendship 7 Wall
 21
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
The Brown Palace Mary's Bust Area > Mary's Bust - main bu…
 126
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport 6 pitches
The Temple Palisade Mountain > Skull Rock Area > Skull Rock
 11
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
Stolen Land Monastery > Vestibule
 133
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Crack a Smile Monastery > Catacomb
 15
5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a Trad, Sport
Psychatomic Monastery > Vestibule
 112
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Sport
Over the Rainbow Mary's Bust Area > Golden Hall
 7
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Sport
The Quickening Monastery > Vestibule
 15
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a Sport
Third Millennium Monastery > Vestibule
 10
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a Sport
More Classic Climbs in Big Thompson Canyon »

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