Vallecito Crags  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  9,500' Page Views:  19,334. Good page? (3 likes)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Manky on Oct 7, 2008 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 70° | 37° 66° | 36° 64° | 37° 73° | 39° 84° | 45°

High Times Wall.

Description 

A nice little area with alpine feel. Some quality quartzite routes from one pitch sport climbs to three pitch trad climbs. Sometimes it is nice to climb on something besides sandstone. This is a fairly secluded area, and seeing other climbers is not commonplace. Some of the climbing here is quite adventurous, and this would be a bad place to need a rescue. On the longer routes, be prepared for difficult route finding, run outs and gear behind loose features as the quartzite can be quite flaky. There is still a lot of potential here, but the main lines have been cleaned up and climbed. Shady in the morning, and super sunny all day.

Getting There 

Drive up Middle Mountain road a little ways past the 5 mile marker and park at switchback. Trail to start hiking down is a four wheeler trail and is marked as the Berry Park Trail. Drop right off of the Berry Park Trail almost immediately. Hike down ridgeline about 10-15 minutes to the topmost crag (Penthouse). Downhill hike on the way in, and uphill on the way out.

These cliffs are easily visible from below near the Vallecito Creek Trailhead. To reach the larger cliffs of the High Times Wall and South Park, countinue on the trail past the Penthouse to the south which takes you to the top anchors of the multi-pitch climbs.

Map: maps.google.com/?ll=37.479373,-107.536514&spn=0.00493,0.0096>>>.

The Classics

Featured Route For Vallecito Crags

The Green Mile 5.11c  CO : Durango : ... : High Times Wall

Pitch one - Climb straight up through triple roofs to an anchor on large ledge. Fun climbing on good rock, a little dirty. 100', 5.9.Pitch two - Quite possibly the nicest piece of stone in the area. Using gear and quickdraws, ascend steep face to anchor. 100', 5.11c.Pitch three - Nondescript 5.8 to the top. 100'....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of Vallecito Crags Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: Overview picture of the Vallecito crags. The penth...	Hey, want this too? Base of Dr. Greenthumb-Dave H...	Self medicating at the top of the High Times wall.
Dan Wright at Vallicito.	The superb stone of the Penthouse.	Nick starting up South Park. The second pitch ends...
Trundle Wall profile.	Alex on some awesome steep face climbing on Vertic...	Past the crux. The Yardstik (5.11+).
BETA PHOTO: -Courtesy of National Geographic Maps- www...	BETA PHOTO: Based on approach descriptions, I've found these t...	BETA PHOTO: Main single pitch crags. Penthouse is primarily s...

Comments on Vallecito Crags

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By bmo From: durango, co Dec 13, 2011

The directions could use a little more description, you branch off the Berry Park Trail almost immediately, we missed it due to lots of leaves on the ground and wandered around in the woods for a while.

By Dylan Weldin From: Durango, CO Apr 18, 2012

Google map link directly to the talus field below the wall: maps.google.com/?ll=37.479373,-107.536514&spn=0.00493,0.0096>>>. I'm heading up there this weekend for my first time and will report back with photos/ driving directions/ approach instructions.

By ozman From: CO / NM May 7, 2012

Jump off of the Berry ATV trail after about 150 feet onto a footpath on the right. It's a nice trail down the ridgeline. Somebody put nice cairns all the way to the vertical wall. It helps funnel traffic on a trail and keeps people from getting lost. Thanks. This area is great.

By Dylan Weldin From: Durango, CO Oct 9, 2012

Fort Lewis College Climbing Club put cairns in last spring. If you park at the right switchback, you shouldn't be able to miss the approach. Enjoy! High Times cairn. Submitted By: Dylan Weldin on Oct 9, 2012 The trail begins here and almost immediately cuts right following the ridge line. Submitted By: Dylan Weldin on Oct 9, 2012