This tiny crags hosts some of the best short, steep, and perfect limestone in Colorado Springs with routes from 5.7 to 5.12d! With a south-facing amphitheatre and all day sun, this crag is perfect year round and can be a nice afternoon workout area for locals.
Most routes are between 15 and 20 feet tall, and a handful of them have been soloed or bouldered. Bring 8 draws and you should be able to do everything there. Try for the crown and send all the routes in a day, where the prize back in the '90s used to be a six pack of beer. Routes are listed from right to left, as encountered on the trail down from the top:
Springs View, 5.10a Short Crack, 5.9 Chickens at Risk, 5.7 Common Misconception 5.11c The CHCA, 5.10d, bolts. Edolecence 5.11a Damage I Have Done, 5.12c, bolts. Project, 13+, 3 bolts.
I wrote the names and ratings on the bottoms of most of the routes...
A few routes on the right side of the wall may be missing hangers due to some pathetic loser stealing them in the mid '90s, I have made an effort to replace almost all of the stolen hangers, but if you want to chip in that would be great! Have fun....
Getting There
Head in the west entrance to the Garden of the Gods and drive past the Balanced Rock to enter Rampart Range Road on your next left. From here, drive 4.9 miles up the washboarded and rutty road until you get to a sharp right handed turn. There is a ten foot tall, ripped up juniper tree there, as well as a cairn with a blue mirror on the left side of the road, and this is where you should park(not a real parking area, just a small pullout). Follow a climbers trail that starts by hopping over a tree and following the cairns and logs down the hill into a small wooded valley, which trends east and brings you to the top of a hill. Follow the trail east across the hill and head down past more cairns until the rocks begin to turn Verdon Gorge blue and grey. The trail should deposit you at the top of the cliff, overlooking a small valley as well as colorado springs to the east, and Cedar Heights directly south. walk down the left side of the cliff, where you will encounter the first route (Springs View 5.11a).
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Ed Rock:
By Patrick J From: Manitou Springs, Co Oct 13, 2008
Climbed here five or six years ago, and it was surprisingly fun considering how short the cliff is.
I always thought these routes made great top-rope problems, so it's nice that you're replacing the hangers but people should try this area out even if there are missing hangers.
Before the hangers were removed, the routes(not enhancement) were put up by Mark VanHorn and Eric Christiansen and Ed. I helped with developing the base(landing area) and trail work. Ian Spencer-Green and myself are responsible for a few or the routes(which we bouldered, on the left side of the wall), but did not name.
Never mind the climbing, I want to see all those Karens hanging out there. Is Karen Black one? Are they in bikinis during the summer? Maybe one of them could show me where the cairns are.
I thought I was on Ed Rock today, but I think I was in William's Canyon. I asked this guy where to go and he happened to be the guy in charge of trails and stuff who directed me to this cool cliff nowhere near where Ben S was telling me, and it had a lot more routes.
Hey Kurt, Well now that you know where Ed Rock is, Williams Canyon was where you were in your previous post....
By Jake Carroll From: Colorado Springs May 16, 2009
After some wandering around, Phil and I finally found this. Some of those 2 finger pockets were absolutely perfect. We felt like the routes were sandbagged a little, as we could not send Chica which was labeled 11a on the crag.
Rednecks probably shot the mirror off the cairn, I'll try to make a sighn in the next couple weeks to put a couple feet from the road. The CHCA has key beta that makes it closer to 11a, involving a heel hook and some clever backstepping. No sandbagging was intended....
By Michael West From: Colorado Springs, CO Jun 12, 2009
Hey, I was just curious, is Williams Canyon worth a visit?
If you're down for chossy rock but a great view, I would say check it out. However, I don't think it's the best place to climb. I always try to trick myself into thinking the rock will get better to bolt, but am always disappointed....
The rock is pretty sweet here. There's about 7 climbs and a few boulder problems. Unfortunately, Springs View (10a) and Short Crack (5.9+) have been chopped. Anyone know why? Is this due to the vandals in the '90s you spoke of? It'd be nice to have a few more moderates to warm up on. Plus, one day I want to win the alleged six pack for climbing all the climbs in one outing. I'd be happy to pitch in for the hardware if someone will rebolt them.
William's Canyon is definitely worth checking out. My dad, Stewart Green and I bolted 20+ routes there and they are excellent. It may not be the best limestone on the planet, but it is the closest limestone to the Springs, and there is tons of potential. Just pretend you are climbing in American Fork or Rifle when they were being developed. Routes range from 5.8 to 5.13 and I'll be happy to email anyone interested a topo. Check it out!
I'm glad to hear your psyched on the routes, It was the vandals that stole the hardware back in the day, but I will happily replace them so there is more rock to climb! I also bolted a new line on the left side of the wall, which is probably a V10 with bolts, an open project for whoever wants it.
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