The Millenium Boulder

pretty cool chunk of rock, and most of the stuff is indeed very difficult, although there are a few moderate problems on the right-hand side of the northern face with nice top-outs and good landings...should you fall.

The MB can also be reached by taking the main entrance into Red Rocks (i.e. Jewel/Alameda goes across C470, along Dinasaur Ridge, back down the other side, then into Red Rocks). Go about a mile up the road. When it turns South, a dirt parking lot will appear on the left. From here, one can cross the road and take the RR trail into Jeffco (Matthews/Winters). After a series of switchbacks along a beautiful red wall, a fork occurs. Either continue up and have a nice hike, or take the trail right, below the ridge. After about 1/2 mile you will see the MB downhill on the right. Keep going past it till you find the trail. Watch for cacti, snakes, slumbering elk, and prarie dog holes.

Very seriously watch for rattlesnakes on the path down to the boulder. Especially in summer.

This comment may be worth bringing up to the level of a forum discussion. It concerns our preparedness to handle snake bite while out at the crags. My impression is that few of us are capable of an appropriate, effective, and timely response to snake bite.

I was bouldering at The Millenium Boulder last weekend, near the end of September, and really enjoying the fall evening, flat landings, and nasty hard problems. Initially there were several other people at the crag. As the sun dipped below the hills, the other climbers departed, but I stayed on until dusk, when the temperature started to fall. I hiked out using the climber's access trail. About half way up, I took a step with my foot just about to drop onto rattlesnake coiled up directly in the path. My readjustment left my foot well within striking range of the snake. Fortunately, he did not even flinch.

Several things struck me about this close encounter. First, the climbers trail winds through very dense vegetation, is very narrow, and provides the only good place for the snake to warm itself. Second, during these warm evenings the snakes will be about catching the last rays, just like us. Third, I was completely unprepared to do anything other than wrap a tourniquette above a bite. I had waited to leave until all the others were gone, so no help was immediately available. I had a cell phone, although it was unlikely to bring help in timely fashion. I did not carry a knife.

If you are bitten while significantly far from help, how many of us know what do and are in a position to do something? We can all throw the tourniquette. But, how many of us can, or are even capable, of cutting the bite. Do we know how to make the cut? How deep to make it? The chances are high that a bite would occur on the lower leg. Can any of us suck out the venom by ourselves? It would be easy to imagine being stranded as the light is failing and parks clearing out without the proper recourse.

I don't think that this is cause for any great concern. However, I do think that it is important to have an appropriate, effective, and timely plan in mind in the event that you are bitten. Bear in mind that a bite from a western timber rattler will indeed kill you unless you spring into action immediately.

Bring it to forum, Richard. I would be interested how to treat a snake bite.