Continue with onX Maps
Continue with Facebook
Northwest Slabs Rock Climbing
Routes in Northwest Slabs
|
Bolted Arete T,S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
|
|
Cows are People Too T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 |
|
|
Cows in Space T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R |
|
|
Doctor Cow S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
|
|
Paint it Sad T,S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
|
|
Ribeye Flake T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
|
Sky Crack T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
|
|
Squid Skid T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
|
|
Stiffler's Mom T 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
|
|
Turbo Pup T,S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 |
|
|
Yellow Dihedral T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
Order Wrong?
Sort Routes
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
| Elevation: | 7,326 ft |
| GPS: |
40.7156, -105.294 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
| Page Views: | 19,626 total · 110/month |
| Shared By: | Aaron Martinuzzi on Sep 3, 2009 |
| Admins: | James Schroeder, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: 2024 Seasonal Raptor Closures
Details
From the Canyon Lakes Ranger District Forest Service:
Fort Collins, Colo. (March 7, 2024) – to protect nesting birds of prey, the U.S. Forest Service is implementing annual area closures in several popular recreation areas throughout the Canyon Lakes Ranger District. The closures include Triple Tier, south of CO Highway 14; Boston Peak, north of CO Highway 14; Grazing Allotment Crag, northwest of Prairie Divide Road; and Mt. Olympus, southeast of US Highway 34. See the closure map for more details. Effective through July 31, 2024, the closures protect established raptor territories to ensure the birds remain undisturbed during sensitive breeding and nesting seasons.
The Canyon Lakes Ranger District partners with Colorado Parks & Wildlife and the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving raptors space to raise their young.
Federal and state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors can help protect wildlife by respecting all closures. Signs will be posted at key access points into the closed areas. Additional closure information is available online.
A map: fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO….
Additional information: fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO….
Fort Collins, Colo. (March 7, 2024) – to protect nesting birds of prey, the U.S. Forest Service is implementing annual area closures in several popular recreation areas throughout the Canyon Lakes Ranger District. The closures include Triple Tier, south of CO Highway 14; Boston Peak, north of CO Highway 14; Grazing Allotment Crag, northwest of Prairie Divide Road; and Mt. Olympus, southeast of US Highway 34. See the closure map for more details. Effective through July 31, 2024, the closures protect established raptor territories to ensure the birds remain undisturbed during sensitive breeding and nesting seasons.
The Canyon Lakes Ranger District partners with Colorado Parks & Wildlife and the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving raptors space to raise their young.
Federal and state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors can help protect wildlife by respecting all closures. Signs will be posted at key access points into the closed areas. Additional closure information is available online.
A map: fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO….
Additional information: fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO….
Description
The Northwest Slab of Greyrock offers climbing similar to that on the South and Southeast faces, but with a much more adventurous feel, since you won't be visible to hikers on the Summit Trail. A bit more of a trek than the aforementioned areas, the Northwest Slab is definitely worth a visit to climbers of any level, whose Greyrock experience won't be complete without a trip up the stellar Sky Crack. This area catches awesome afternoon sunlight, and on a cool spring evening, chasing the sun from the The South Slabs to the Northwest Slabs would make for a full, enjoyable, and scenic day. Watching the sunset from Cow Pie Ledge is an excellent reminder of why one bothers gearing up and making the hike all the way out to Greyrock to bust out some pitches.
Getting There
Begin approaching the Northwest Face of Greyrock as for the The South Slabs, but continue past, heading for a rocky ridge that defines the skyline north of the South Slabs. Several "passes" will be evident along this ridge - aim for the arch along the ridge, and follow a rocky passage through the middle of the ridge at a cairn. More cairns mark the way north, and a final, larger cairn is in place on a boulder near the base of Sky Crack.
Descent from most routes is via a double-rope rappel from the largest bush/tree on Cow Pie Ledge. If you're looking to top out, the summit of Greyrock can be attained one of two ways - climb the Yellow Dihedral (5.9) off the left side of Cow Pie Ledge, or head right and climb/scramble up easy slabs (<5.5) until the angle eases enough to de-rope.
Descent from most routes is via a double-rope rappel from the largest bush/tree on Cow Pie Ledge. If you're looking to top out, the summit of Greyrock can be attained one of two ways - climb the Yellow Dihedral (5.9) off the left side of Cow Pie Ledge, or head right and climb/scramble up easy slabs (<5.5) until the angle eases enough to de-rope.
Descent
Per Rodney Ley 1: it is possible to rappel from the juniper on Cow Pie Ledge with a 70m rope to a reasonable (low 5th class) downclimb to the base, but be warned, it is a s-t-r-e-t-c-h with a 70m, if you have a 60m rope better to do two short raps in the gully between Arête Route and Sky Crack, or just suck it up and down climb to the SW and scramble back to the base.
Classic Climbing Routes at Northwest Slabs
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
Sun Angles Details:
Weather Averages
|
High
|
Low
|
|
Precip
|
Days w Precip
|
Prime Climbing Season
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
Photos
All Photos Within Northwest Slabs
Most Popular · Newest · RandomMore About Northwest Slabs
Printer-FriendlyWhat's New
Guidebooks (10)
1 Comment