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US Highway 550
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Bear Creek Falls 
Crater Creek Falls 
Highway Robbery 
Seven Year Itch 

US Highway 550 


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Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: eDixon on Aug 30, 2008

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What's New
  Print a Mini-Guide with routes

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The three pitches are visible here.

Description 

North of the Animas Valley scattered along the US Highway 550 corridor there are serveral ice climbs that form. These routes are not the most consistent, but during the right year provide some good climbing. The area classic that should not be missed is Seven Year Itch - steep and exciting climbing up an often thin pillar of ice.


Getting There 

From Durango, take US Highway 550 north through Hermosa. See climbs for more detailed directions.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for US Highway 550:
Highway Robbery   WI3     Trad, Ice, 1 pitch, 100 feet   
Bear Creek Falls   WI4     Ice, 1 pitch, 200 feet   
Crater Creek Falls   WI3-4     Ice, 3 pitches, 450 feet   
Seven Year Itch   WI5     Trad, Ice, 2 pitches, 300 feet   
Browse More Classics in US Highway 550

Featured Route For US Highway 550
Stepped climb left of center.

Bear Creek Falls WI4  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : US Highway 550
A nice amphitheater area with 5-6 different lines depending on fatness of ice. Right side is an easy grade three slab, and the other climbs are steeper. All climbs are about 160-200 feet tall. Here are the climbs!Right Side-Easy slabs.Left Side of Slabs-Fat grade 3.Center Climb-The Shangri La, best line, grade 4.Left of Center-Cool stepped climb-grade 4.Far left-Mixed line-Grade 4/M4??Enjoy this hidden area. Conditions for the falls can be checked from US Highway 550 just north of the train ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO