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Visiting Boulder

Original Post
Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

Hello climbers of Boulder CO,

I will be in Boulder Nov 29-Dec 5 with a rental car and all the free time anyone could ever want. I am looking to do as much climbing, hiking, skiing as possible!

I was wondering if anyone over there could recommend a few things?

A good mid-week deal on lift tickets? I have been on skis for only 3 years so I am not looking for anything crazy. A nice mountain with cool views and reasonable lift prices.

A good guide service in case I decide to hire a guide?

A fun, awesome mountain to solo? I am looking for adventure here!

If anyone is free and needs a belay, wants to make a friend, or show an out of towner some cool spots shoot me a message or just post something here.

I will pick up the bar tab at the end of the day and will also drive.

Thanks again for your time and advice

Stoked!
Francisco

Thierry · · Pocatello, ID · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 10

Would the weather permit climbing outside in early December? Not ice climbing? Wondering because I may be there from Dec 6-11.

Chris Sheridan · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 1,693

The weather could be awesome, or it could be crap. It was near t-shirt weather today in Eldo until the clouds rolled in, and a few days before it was dumping snow.

As for a good mountain to solo, you'll want to look for one with little to no avalanche danger. One option that comes to mind would be to climb Flattop Mtn in Rocky Mountain National Park, then traverse south along the continental divide and climb the west face of Hallett Peak. Good summit, great views, and very little avalanche exposure.

bag · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 0

For skiing consider Loveland, it's inexpensive and relatively close to Boulder. Don't know what the single day ticket price is but you can get a completely transferable 4-pack for around $120, which means you can use them on the same day if you're skiing with someone else or sell any leftovers on Craigslist after your trip. It's on the divide so it can be cold and windy but has good terrain and is a great time when the snow is good.

Boulder weather can be week to week, so keep an eye on the forecasts and be ready to make the most of whatever, be it skiing, ice or sunny rock climbing, or a little of all of it.

coppolillo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 70

yo man, right on...hopefully we'll have good weather...

Wind Ridge, Rewritten, Long John Wall in Eldo...all of them 5.8 or easier and classic, great early afternoon routes.

guides: call Tom Sciolino through Exum (ExumGuides.com) or get a hold of Joey Thompson at the Colorado Mountain School (totalclimbing.com)--they're both great guys and great guides...Markus Beck at Alpine World Ascents (alpineworldascents.com) is an IFMGA guide, great dude, and will teach you a lot...

send me a personal message with your number and if i'm climbing, i'll drop you a line.

rob coppolillo

talkinrocks · · Boulder, CO · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 80
coppolillo wrote: or get a hold of Joey Thompson at the Colorado Mountain School (totalclimbing.com)--they're both great guys and great guides...
+1
Joey is a good friend of mine for years and I always learn from him when we go out.

The Flatirons are classicly Boulder if the weather is good and the snow has melted off the east faces.
Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

Thanks for the info!

I will definitely keep my eyes on the weather forcasts a week or so before I leave.

Chris, thanks for the info on those mountains....that is probably going to be my main focus that week so i'll do some research on those two as a starting point.

Keep the advice coming if you have any

Francisco

NickinCO · · colorado · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 155

Good post, I'm leaving Chicago to move to Boulder on the 30th. Hoping to be all unpacked by the 1st (at least have the trailer emptied) and my fingers are crossed for some decent weather my first weekend out there. Climbing, hiking, snowboarding, whatever. =)

Mark Wyss · · Denver, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 255

Good weather beta.

14ers.com/php14ers/weather.…

Matt Barna · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

sorry all full. go home

Evan S · · Denver, Co · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 510
Matt Barna wrote:sorry all full. go home
Well, in that case I think the correct procedure would be for you to leave, opening a space for someone more pleasant and friendly. Unless your joking, in which case it's an inside joke I don't get, and I apologize, but you gotta understand how your post sounds...
Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781
Francisco Di Poi wrote:all full of what? elitist hippie bullshit? I'm pretty sure that with an attitude like yours the city of Boulder would rather have me living there than you. You must be pretty bored to go on mountain project to tell me to stay home.
Ignore him. Actually, in my (limited) experience, very atypical of people from the Boulder/Denver area. My husband and I took a trip out in July and basically put out the same kind of feeler post you did. We ended up meeting up with an amazing local climber from MP that spent more time with us than we could have hoped and totally made our entire trip. Everyone we randomly ran into was also very cool, relaxed and welcoming.

The climbing was impossibly good, breathtaking views, not crowded at all. Let's just say, I was already ready to relocate by the time we left. I'm sure tons of people will disagree with me, and have a millions stories about real jerks, but I LOVED it there!!! (Nick M. has the right idea!)

Edit - also, if you promise to give it back, I could lend you my Eldo guidebook. It's gorgeous, though, and worth buying even if only for the trip. Not sure if it will be too cold to hit rock by that time.
Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

Alicia, you are right. It is best to ignore people like him, not feed it with a response like I did. I have already received a few nice personal messages from people offering to show me around and even put me up for a few nights. I know Boulder is full of friendly people with the occasional outlier such as Matt. But that is true for most places I have been to. I am very excited to go and explore this beautiful area!

Joe Huggins · · Grand Junction · Joined Oct 2001 · Points: 105
Matt Barna wrote:sorry all full. go home
Try and relax Matt-he's coming for a vacation;no need to be a jackass yet.
BTW...you moved here from...?
Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20
Sven Yakomn wrote: Try and relax Matt-he's coming for a vacation;no need to be a jackass yet. BTW...you moved here from...?
The main reason I am going is for a job training for three days in Boulder from Nov 26-28. I asked the company if they could extend my return flight another week so I can enjoy the mountains (we don't really have any in CT) and they told me they could for no extra charge.

Matt, how about I buy you a beer when I get there and we can have an adult conversation about why you don't want people visiting your town. Then I can give you a few examples of how being nice to strangers has helped me out in many situations.
percious · · Bear Creek, CO · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,190

lol,

Matt is definitely kidding guys. Seriously, you need to chill out a bit if you are going to hang with the CO crowd. Frequently folks will say there is also nothing really to climb here. They are right!

Anyway. As a transplant from CT myself, I can tell you it only took 1 visit to this fantastic place to decide to move here. It might be the same for you unless you climb ice. There's definitely no ice here ;-).

The skiing is crappy too. And it's always cold, Sept, thru May, except when it's exceedingly hot (May-Sept.). You'll never find a shirtless day in February. Ever.

Hope you have a nice visit.

cheers.
-chris

Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

Sarcasm doesn't translate well on the internet....but if there is one thing I am good at is taking a joke, so I should fit right in

coppolillo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 70

yeah, barna and those types are all native american, grew up here, drive priuses, and are just way more In Tune.

the New Boulder is full of guys like this, but just ignore 'em, find the good folks, and enjoy....

Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

bump...im on town!

Francisco Di Poi · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

bump bump...hello boulder...free tuesday...who wants to climb?

Steve Bond · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 45

Can't climb during the week but....bump, to keep it up top. Good luck, have fun.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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