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Below the Road 
Picnic Area 
Picnic Boulder 

Sleeping Indian 


Photos: Recent | Best | Popular
Elevation: 8,500'
Lat, Long: 38.8406, -106.1057 Map
Page Views: 5,017. Good page?   
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Dustin Urban on Apr 13, 2009

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"New Year's Reservation" V1-2?
technical slab sta...


Description 

The Sleeping Indian, aka Midland Hill, is directly across the Arkansas River to the east of downtown Buena Vista. There is a ton of granite strewn about the hill. Much of the rock is poor quality, but if you know where you're going, there is some nice bouldering to be had. Excellent lines on very good rock are stashed all about and I would imagine there are many more to be had for the adventurous willing to bang out an approach.


Getting There 

Access is either on foot from the Buena Vista River Park footbridge or from CR 304, "Scenic Overlook Drive" in the CO Atlas and Gazetteer. Heading east up trout creek pass on US 285 from Johnson Village, turn left (north) onto 304 at the scenic overlook. Bear right at the first fork (left takes you to the fee area for overlook). Continue on this road and bear left at the next major intersection. At this point the road is level and on the old railroad grade. Follow for 5 minutes or so until you're overlooking downtown Buena Vista. There are several different pullouts in this zone near good rock. The pullout for the Picnic Boulder is on the right after you pass the log home and subsequent blasted ledge road cut. Hike into the field above for 100 yards to the boulder. Maps to come....

For footbridge, turn off of CO Highway 24 (at the one traffic light in BV) east onto East Main Street. Follow east main toward Midland through the stop sign, past the elementary school and courthouse on left. Follow until it bears left and into the parking lot with bathrooms above the footbridge. Barbara Whipple trail system accesses bouldering below CR 304. Or hike 20 minutes + to the road and rock above it.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Sleeping Indian:
NE Corner   V0     Boulder, 10 feet   Picnic Boulder
SW Arete   V2     Boulder, 15 feet   Picnic Boulder
Not Waking   V2     Boulder, 20 feet   Below the Road
Still Sleeping   V2     Boulder, 15 feet   Below the Road
Southside Splitter   V2-3     Boulder, 15 feet   Picnic Boulder
SE Arete   V3     Boulder, 15 feet   Picnic Boulder
Wambli Slab   V3     Boulder, 12 feet   Below the Road
Browse More Classics in Sleeping Indian

Featured Route For Sleeping Indian
Crack splits the middle of the face. Bad pic but very aesthetic line. Pad is under SE arete.

Southside Splitter V2-3  CO : Buena Vista : ... : Picnic Boulder
This is the obvious crack on the boulder's south face. It has thin feet and sharp crack holds with a nice, airy topout....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of Sleeping Indian Slideshow Add Photo
Project?

Project?

Project.

Project.

"Still Sleeping" V2 goes up the feldspar crystals. <br />"Not Waking" V2? traverses right and then tops out.

"Still Sleeping" V2 goes up the feldspar crystals....

Looking East with downtown Buena Vista in the foreground and the Sleeping Indian/ Midland Hill in the background

BETA PHOTO: Looking East with downtown Buena Vista in the fore...


Comments on Sleeping Indian Add Comment
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By chad beckelhymer
From: alamosa, co
Apr 14, 2009

I don't know how to edit the name, but for boulders just east of town, can those be called "Sleeping Indian", and for boulders closer to Johnson Village be under "Midland"?

By Dustin Urban
Apr 14, 2009

Hey Chad. I'm good with the name change. Psyched you posted some photos of some of the classic ones near the river.

By Gabe Anderson
Jul 24, 2011

From the turnoff from US 285 to 304, we clocked 3.1 miles to picnic boulder pulloff...lots of great potential around.

By Dustin Urban
Jun 13, 2012

Glad you hit it up, Gabe. There's been a lot more development going on here in BV... hoping start building up our Mtn Project listings, cause there's some great bouldering to be had.
You hit the "The Moccasin" area on the way to the further north bouldering via 304. After turning off 285 and driving the switchbacky section of road for a while, it's the area off to your left. It's just before you hit the Midland bike trail trailhead and 304 becomes flat. Classic stuff out there!