Home - Destinations - People - Partners - Forum - Photos - What's New
 ADVANCED
Eureka

Show routes:
Select route...
Eureka Gulch Ice 
First Gully 
Goldrush 
Highway to Hell 
Hoser's Highway 
Second Gully 
Stairway to Heaven 
Whorehouse Hoses 

Eureka

Submitted By: Leo Paik on Nov 30, 1999
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Views: 27,105 page views

Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event 
  Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!

Description 

Uphill from Silverton is a beautiful area of long ice climbs on both sides of the road. Whore House Hoses, Stairway to Heaven are among the classics. Beware however, avalanche risk can be tremendous. Some of these fine classics are in the sun and some are in the shade. Routes here can exceed 1000ft in length.


Getting There 

Hwy 550 south of Red Mountain Pass (S of Ouray) to Silverton. Continue up the main drainage and only significant plowed road uphill as far as you can. Hike the rest of the way on the road. Avalanche debris may cross the road. Climbs are obvious from the road. Beware of avalanche slopes on the way in and out!


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Eureka:
Second Gully   WI3     Trad, Ice, 5 pitches, 800 feet, Grade II   
Goldrush   WI4     Trad, Ice, 3 pitches, 600 feet   
Whorehouse Hoses   WI4-5     Ice, 3 pitches, 600 feet, Grade III   
Stairway to Heaven   WI4     Trad, Ice, 7 pitches, 1200 feet, Grade III   
Browse More Classics in Eureka

Featured Route For Eureka
Earlier party on 1/2/2009.

Whorehouse Hoses WI4-5  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : Eureka
The first pitch goes up a beautiful, wide, chandeliered tongue of ice to bolted anchors on the left (60 m). On the left side, the ice can be thin and undermined - better to stay to the right. WI 4-5, depending on the exact line climbed. A short snow slog goes up to a small bowl (30 m). The second pitch climbs a low-angle ramp of possibly thin, hollow ice to bolted anchors (up and right). 30 m, WI 3.A longer snow slog leads up to a second bowl, wh...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Comments on Eureka Add Comment
Show which comments —
Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Apr 25, 2002
By Anonymous Coward
Feb 11, 2002

Climbed "Tempered by Fire" in the Eureka area on 2/8. It's in fat and is fairly easy. "Stairway" looked awesome and "2nd Gully" looked very good, too. Most of the other climbs in the area are hard to get to right now due to three feet of trapdoor sugar snow. Got great local beta (and stayed in a nice room) from Jim Weller, owner of the Weller House Hotel, right on mainstreet (970)387-5334.

By Erik Johnson
Mar 4, 2002

2nd Gully on 3/2 was great fun. Four mellow pitches of WI 3- gets you to the top. Three double rope rappels off of trees gets you back down. About a 30 minute hike in. The Eureka Boarding House is now open and catering to ice climbers (although I'm still partial to the Weller House in Silverton). Enjoy!

By Anonymous Coward
Apr 25, 2002

There is some ice left. Tempered by Fire was a blast last weekend. The road is clear, so you can drive right up to it. Sadly, Stairway is not totally connected.