Camp Bird Road  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  144,252. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Malcolm Daly on Nov 30, 1999 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 55° | 30° 50° | 34° 54° | 37° 61° | 36° 66° | 36°

Yield to mining vehicle traffic MORE INFO >>> Revenue and Camp Bird Mines have resumed mining activities further up Camp Bird Rd. A new sign posted in February 2013 caused some tension as described in: www.watchnewspapers.com/view/full_story/21840965/article-Ten>>> Please refrain from blocking the road, yield to oncoming mining vehicle traffic, and be careful of rockfall and icefall. Please share the road to minimize future access issues with the road's multiple user groups. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

BETA PHOTO

Description 

When you get tired of the 100 foots pitches, the gaggle of classes, and all the telephoto lenses in the Uncompaghre Gorge, keep heading up the road to the beautiful lines that surround the Camp Bird Road. There's stuff for everybody here with easy and sunny lines like Chockstone Chimney and Slip Slidin' Away to mega classics like Birdbrain Boulevard. If it's cold you can climb in the sun, if the weather is moderate and your feelin' frisky, head into the shade and try Birdbrain.

L->R: 

Starting looking down Camp Bird Mine Road:

A. Wake Up Call, M5+ R, 5p, 900', gear.
B. Tasty Talks, 8 M5 R, 8p, 1400', gear.

A. Hangover Helper, WI5, 1p, 110'.

Ribbon Area
A. Fall Creek, WI4, 1000'.
B. Out of the Mainstream, WI4-5, 1100'.
C. Unknown, WI5- M6 R, 7p, 1000'.
D. Attractive Hazard, 10 WI4-5 M6, 8p, 1200', gear.
E. The Ribbon, WI4, 4p, 500'.
F? Walkin' the Line, WI5 M6, 1000'.
G? Desperado , M6, 4p, 800', gear.
H. Birdbrain Boulevard, WI5 M5-6, 7p, 1100'.
I. Dirty Minds, 9 M6, 4p, 800', gear.
J. Racing Stripe (Right), WI5 M6, 4p, 800', gear.

Talisman area
K. O'Donnell Route, WI4, 2p, 225'.
L1. The Demon, WI6 M7 variation.
L2. The Talisman, WI6+ M7. 3p, 600'.

M. Camp Bird Mine Pillars, WI4-5, 100'.

Sneffels Creek Canyon Area
A. Scenic Cruise, WI4, 130'.
B. Sneffels Creek Sheet, WI4, 100'.
C. Sneffles Creek Pillar, WI5, 50'.
D. Potosi Peak Couloirs, WI4-5, 1000'.

Skylight area
A? Thin Slice, WI4-5, 2p, 300'.
B? 99 Problems, M5-, 1p, 50', gear.
C. Chockstone Chimney, WI3-4 R, 2p.
above B. Skillet's Revenge, WI4, 1p, 50'.
D. M7 Crack, M7, 1p, 110, gear.
E. Mile 4, M6, 1p, 30', bolts.
F. Weak and the Weary, 8 M5+ R, 2p, 300', gear.
G. Chock Up Another One, WI3-4, 1p, 200'.

H. AC/DC, WI5+ M6, 200'.
I. M6 Corner, WI4+ M6, 2p, 200'.
J. Slippery When Wet, WI4, 1-2p, 100'.
K. Heart of Darkness, WI5, 160'.

L. Slip Slidin' Away, WI4, 2p, 200'.

M. Shattered Dreams, WI5+ M8, 1p, 70'.
N. Fractured Fairytales, M6+, 1p, 100'.
O1. The Sky is Falling, M9+, 1p, 90'.
O2. Tourist Trap, WI4-5 M5, 1p, 80'.

P. Another Climb, WI3-4, 100'.

Q. Chopped Suey, WI5, 160'.
R. Choppo's Chimney, WI4-5, 1p, 190'.
S. Killer Pillar, WI5+ M5+ R, 1p, 160'.

T. Going Retro, M6, 1p, 50'.
U. The Local Scoop, M9, 1p, 50'.
V. The Skylight, WI5 M5, 3p, 300'.

W. Dumpster Diver, M5, 1p, 55'.

X. Maid to Order, M7+, 1p, 60'.
Y. Unknown, M7, .

Z. The Cleft, WI3, 1p, 200'.

AA. Road Warrior aka Duncan's Other Route, WI4-5 M6, 200'.
BB. Sans Nom, WI4 M5, 220'.
CC. Ass in Space, M8, 80'.
DD. Dirty Bird, WI3 M9-, 1p, 110', screws & bolts.

Poser's Lounge
A. Cavegina, M8+, 1p, 60'.
B. Troglodyte, M9, 1p, 100'.
C. Goldline, M10, 1p, 100'.
D. Fistful of Steel, M10, 1p, 100'.
E. Cinammon & Cider, M11, 1p.

F. Senator Gulch, WI3-4, 1p, 100', open!
G. Weekhawken Creek, WI3-5.

Getting There 

Head South from town (Ouray) and turn off onto the Camp Bird Road within 1/2 mile. This road can be death so watch out. Most of the time the county plows it but when the avalanches are booming there's nothing to do but hang out at the Groundskeeper for a third round of 'spro or head to the Gorge. Follow the CB road to where it's usually closed at Senator Gulch. 1/2 mile of hiking up the moderate road will get you to the Skylight area. If you're heading to the Ribbon/Birdbrain area, drop down into the main drainage then contour up to the start of the routes. You did check the avalanche danger, didn't you? They just boom down from the collection basin directly above the Ribbon so if you didn't get recent conditions while in town, it's not a bad idea to hike up the road for a visual. At worst, you'll wast five minutes--at best, you'll save your life.

The Classics

Featured Route For Camp Bird Road

Skylight WI4+ M4-5  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : Camp Bird Road

About 15 minutes up the road from where you leave your car below Senator Gulch, you'll start to see ice on your right. Most of it forms up in clefts in the cliff. The Skylight is the prominent double-tiered route with the big chockstone defending the top of the first tier. This area is one of the few ice climbimg areas on the planet where you actually belay in the road. P1 is easier than it looks and climbs the sometimes thin ice to the chockstone. Plug in a cam and layback left around it. Belay...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of Camp Bird Road Slideshow

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Powder slide from the approach to Choppo's Chimney...	View towards Ouray.	The Talisman in fat conditions.
Sunset view of Camp Bird road.	Hiking up Camp Bird Road in Ouray, CO.