North Fork of the St. Vrain River  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  20,053. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  John McNamee on Oct 13, 2012 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon 75° | 48° 82° | 50° 88° | 52° 84° | 50° 84° | 48°

Bob Horan on 3rd ascent of Randy Leavitt's Animal ...

Description 

US 36 is a popular through road connecting Denver to Estes Park and continues into Rocky Mountain National Park. Along the stretch from Lyons to Estes Park is a canyon littered with rocks that draw the eye. Many of these crags lie on private property or are only reasonably accessed through private property, so check first.

The rock here varies from granitic to harder, metamorphic, igneous varieties that are more challenging to characterize. Crags here may range from micro routes to perhaps 1000 feet.

Some of these crags include the River Wall (once called the best crag in Colorado) at Button Rock Reservoir, other scattered crags near Button Rock, boulders at Big Elk Meadows (east of Estes Park along FR 118). There are some scattered crags in the area of Pinewood Springs which have had less-heralded ascents.

North St. Vrain

Lyons Area
Buttonrock
Tomato Rock

Big Meadows Area
Raven's Roost
Coulson Gulch - 2.9 mile hike from Johnny Park off CO 66.
Pierson Point - approached from CO 7.

Pinewood Area
Pinewood Boulders
Pinewood Rock

Getting There 

Some of this can be accessed from CR 41 off of US 36 between Lyons and Estes Park. Some of this can be accessed from Johnny Park off of the Little Valley Rd. from Fish Creek Rd. going south from Estes Park.

To get there from the west, you can go east from Estes Park along US 36. To access this area from Denver, head north on I-25, go NW on US 36 through Boulder to Lyons. No access this from the NE, you can go west on US 66 into Lyons, and then go west on US 36.

Other Activities 

There is a Ciatano Winery located along the St. Vrain River at the Rock'n River just outside of Lyons with wine tasting from grapes grown from the Western Slope. Nice Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and Viogner. $3 for 5 tasting. They have a picnic area with large trout in their pond. 11-5 F-M in Winter & 10-6 daily in Summer. 303.823.5011. Nice for apres climbing or early rainout days.

The Classics

Featured Route For North Fork of the St. Vrain River

Brother From Another Planet 5.13b  CO : Lyons : ... : River Wall II

This superb power route climbs the third route from the left side of the crag. Reach the base by rock hopping across the river just below the Buttonrock Resevoir spillway. The furtherst left two lines are New Horizon and Lost Horizon, a bolted arete and an insane finger crack, respectively.The next line, BFAP, climbs the right side of this constant angle overhanging section of stone on unrelenting powerful slopers and edges. One leaves the security of the initial ramp and right cor...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of North Fork of the St. Vrain River Slideshow

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BH on south overhang of the House Block, Allen's P...	BH on the classic hand-crack, Conquer Crack, House...	Bobby B. at Pierson Park.
Mike F. at Pierson.	Ryan F. at Pierson.