Georgetown Climbing

Georgetown. I've waited a long time to post this area largely because most of the crags are approached across private land. I had gone up a couple of years ago scouting and managed to get in one long route called "Dirty Pool" (5.12a, 170 ft, 18 clips) named after the biased drubbing that Mayor Koleen Brooks received when she was evicted from office. Subsequently, a sign appeared near the approach trail declaring the land private and for sale. So, I blew it all off for a while. In February 2004, I ventured back by first asking one of the land owners if I could cross their property. They gave a warm heads up with the caveats that (1) I was not hunting and (2) would respect their privacy and (3) their land. So, it would appear that one can climb here. Just treat the private property for what it is and ask permission first.

The Main crag, "The Georgetown Buttress" lies well up the West/North facing hill and is immediately obvious after crossing under the highway. The complex is composed of half a dozen granite crags, some upwards of 160 feet in height. The granite is nearly perfect. The East faces remain shady and are composed of bullet proof edges that are just a kick to climb on. The main west facing crag has several outrageous overhangs, faces, fins, and slabs. Development has just started on this main crag. A great deal of rock exists up toward and along the Guanella pass road. I humped into one of these crags, a mile or so up the road, last year only to find a nest slings high on one of the crags. So others have poked around here as well. Numerous crags also exist on the South side of the highway, but the best lie ominously above the road and any approach has to be immaculate. Nonetheless, some of these crags are brilliant, bullet-proof, and offer great potential for terrific climbing. Georgetown has been hardly tapped as climbing area, but if you are willing to make the hikes and are willing to deal with the process of securing permision, then terrific potential exists for some excellent sport climbs.