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East Animas

Submitted By: eric dixon on Apr 28, 2006
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
Views: 23,273 page views

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Watch Crystal Face @ East Animas.


Description 

Located just outside of town, East Animas is the local trad climbing area. There are also some fine bolted climbs. The rock is Sandstone of varying quality. Most of the routes are one or two pitches and range in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.12. The majority of the highest caliber routes are on the Watch Crystal, which is possibly the best piece of stone in the Durango area. Face climbing or crack climbing, almost every route on this face is a worthwhile affair.

See the area map for locations.

Most of the walls are shady in the morning and get sun in the afternoon. Typically the best seasons are spring and fall. Summer mornings and winter afternoons can also be pleasant.


Getting There 

The area is located on the east side of the Animas Valley. You can see the rock when driving north out of town. Take County Road 250 north from Durango for almost a couple of miles and locate a dirt parking lot on the east side of the road. It is just past an old barn. There is a sign for East Animas Climbing in the parking lot. The surrounding land is private so respect the locals.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for East Animas:
Angel Dust   5.7     Trad, 2 pitches   Byrd's
I Need a Shower   5.7+     Trad, 2 pitches, 100 feet   Jabba Buttress
Byrd's Classic   5.8     Trad, 2 pitches   Byrd's
Triple Tree Direct   5.8     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Far Left
Yosemite Crack   5.8     Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Left
Apple Cider   5.8     Trad, 2 pitches, 150 feet   Apple Cider
Simians to the Sun   5.9+     Trad, Sport, 2 pitches, 250 feet   Watch Crystal
Push-Me-Pull-You   5.10a     Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet   Watch Crystal
Easy To Remember   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 30 feet   Apple Cider
Apes of Wrath   5.10     Sport, 2 pitches, 250 feet   Watch Crystal
Heros Are Hard To Find   5.10c     Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet   Apple Cider
Durangotang   5.10c     Trad, Sport, 3 pitches, 300 feet   Watch Crystal
Watch Crystal Crack   5.10d     Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet   Watch Crystal
Crime & Punishment   5.11a     Sport, 1 pitch, 150 feet   Watch Crystal
Doctor Doolittle   5.11-     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Watch Crystal
The Kong Route   5.11b     Trad, Sport, 2 pitches, 250 feet   Watch Crystal
Contortionist   5.11d     Trad, 1 pitch   Apple Cider
Jailhouse Monkey (on dope)   5.12a     Trad, Sport, 2 pitches, 250 feet   Watch Crystal
Chingadero?   5.12a/b     Sport, 1 pitch, 65 feet   Apple Cider
Stargazer   5.12b     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Stargazer
Browse More Classics in East Animas

Featured Route For East Animas
Aid soloing Watch Crystal Crack.

Watch Crystal Crack 5.10d  CO : Durango : ... : Watch Crystal
Climb the same start as Simians to the Sun, avoid the belay ledge and then bust up the crack to a two bolt achor....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of East Animas Slideshow Add Photo
Apple Cider Wall.

Apple Cider Wall.



Watch Crystal.

Watch Crystal.


Comments on East Animas Add Comment
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By Steve C
From: Missoula, MT
Nov 29, 2007

One comment regarding access. I climbed often at East Animas between 2002 and 2005. At the time you had to cross a bit of private property to access the cliff. The landowner was extremely sensitive about having climbers' dogs cross his property. I know a separate parking area has been built since, but be sensitive to the residents living literally a stone's throw from the lower part of the access trail.

By Bill Grasse
From: Durango, CO.
Apr 12, 2009

Anyone know the name of the new bolted route just left of The Contortionist? It's rad! ...just wondering.

By Steve DiMarino
From: Los Alamos, NM
Aug 10, 2009

Anyone know what a "Standard East Animas Rack" is? The route descriptions assume everyone knows what an Animas rack is. "Protection: Standard East Animas Rack"...Huh?...If we knew that we wouldn't be reading the damn thing. You have to laugh, but how about telling us what the rack is?

By Sam Feuerborn
Aug 12, 2009

A standard East A rack...I've always used a double set of nuts and a set of hexes and been just fine...that has all ways been more than enough. I know a lot of people carry #4 & 5 Camalots for some of the bigger cracks. So, I guess in short it's just a standard rack.