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Elevation: 6,024 ft
GPS: 40.6926, -105.37838
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Shared By: Holly Barnard on May 22, 2002 · Updates
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Description Suggest change

Poudre Canyon lies up CO Highway 14, just north of Fort Collins. The rock is made up of granite, gneiss, and [schist] which results in a wide range of rock quality - solid granite to complete choss (bring a helmet). Roadside lines are mostly sport or mixed routes, but there are some quality trad lines as well. For those willing to carry their pack in for a ways (about 3 miles), Grey Rock offers some great climbs on solid granite with a true summit, great views, and a typically quiet setting. Many/most of the lines up the canyon and at Grey Rock were developed by Craig Luebben. Some obvious roadside bouldering exists up the canyon. For more options, ask a local or do some exploring.

Small 'mom and pop' stores are scattered up the canyon. Many are only open during the summer months. I like to support the Rustic Resort located in Rustic for grub and suds. It's one of the few places open in the winter. Camping is mostly limited to developed campgrounds that get a lot of traffic in the summer. Higher up the canyon towards Cameron Pass more primitive camping opportunities can be found, but that's pretty far from the climbs. I'd suggest making a day trip and then drinking some fine micro-brews in Fort Collins.

Edited to add: HughC notes that many of the routes in Poudre Canyon are bolted in an "old school" style and may present more risk than climbers accustomed to more modern sport routes may expect. As with any climbing situation or route, climbers should carefully evaluate the conditions of the route, fixed gear, themselves, and the environment before committing to a climb.

Getting There Suggest change

I-25 to Fort Collins. Take the CO Highway 14/Mulberry St. Exit and head west into Ft. Collins. Follow the signs for CO HWY 14 and CO 287. By following the signs, you will take a right on Riverside(immediately after the RR tracks) and another right on College Ave. Follow this north and around to the west until it merges on 287. Stay on CO 287 for about 10 miles and hang a left onto CO 14 at Ted's Place.

From Laramie, simply take CO 287 south to CO 14 (Ted's Place) and go west.

Guidebook

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The Poudre Canyon Guidebook 3rd Edition by Bennett Scott was released in October of 2018. The new edition covers over 1200 routes and boulder problems across 44 different climbing areas.

You can purchase copies in town at Ascent Studio and Jax Outdoor Gear, among others.

If you would like to purchase a copy online, please use the redirect link on the NCCC site so the climbers coalition can receive a portion of the proceeds: https://fixedpin.refersion.com/l/884.121247.

Crags (downstream to upstream)

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Low Hanging Fruit Crag - 2.1 miles

Picnic Rock - 2.6 miles

Poudre Practice Rock - 6.7 miles

Greyrock - 8.4 miles

- Greyrock Summit Trail 946

Routes / Pine Vu - 9.6 miles

Triple Tier Area - 14.7 miles

Crystal Wall - 15 miles

The Palace - 15 miles

Stove Prairie Road Areas - 16.3 miles

- Stove Prairie Cracks

- PMA Crag

The Narrows

- Electric Ocean - 18.1 miles

- Yankee Doodle Slab

- The Trough

- Eden Area

- The Nod (formerly submitted as The Fable)

- Eve's Cave

- Snake Eyes Wall

- Twilight Area

- - Upper Midlife Wall

- Last Turn Crag

- The Beach

- Narrowslab

Pingree Park Road - 26.7 miles

West of Rustic

- Hatchery Rock - 38.3 miles

- Bone Caves

- Critical Mass Area

- Pearl Area - 40 miles

- Roaring Creek Area

- The Bog - 41 miles

- 420s - 41.5 miles

- Gandalf Area - 46.1 miles

- Poudre Falls - 47 miles

Thanks go to Ben Scott and Pete Zagorski for their assistance in this reorganization!

Flow Rate for Cache de la Poudre

Bats - conservation

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See a bat on a route, give a shout. Climbers for Bat Conservation is working with climbers to understand bat ecology and why bats choose certain cracks and flakes. If you see bats, and want to tell them, here is their email (climbersforbats@colostate.edu) and their website ( climbersforbats.colostate.edu/).

Climbers for Bat Conservation is a collaboration between climbers, bat biologists, and land managers to understand where bats roost and where large populations may reside. They are interested in finding bats because a new disease, called white-nose syndrome ( whitenosesyndrome.org/), has killed millions of bats in North America. This collaboration has identified bat roosts throughout the U.S., and as far away as Norway and Bulgaria. CBC was developed by biologists who climb and they are advocates for climbing access and bat conservation. If you see bats while climbing, please let them know by emailing them at climbersforbats@colostate.edu, or visiting their website to learn more ( climbersforbats.colostate.edu/).

Rob Schorr

Zoologist, Colorado Natural Heritage Program ( sites.warnercnr.colostate.e…)

Director, Climbers for Bat Conservation

Robert.schorr@colostate.edu 

1,284 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Poudre Canyon Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Poudre Canyon

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V6 7A
 50
Scarface
Boulder
V6+ 7A
 38
Against Humanity
Boulder
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 151
East of Eden
Trad
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c PG13
 48
Fish & Whistle
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 80
Dear Slabby
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 59
Delicious Demon
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 30
Home-school Ballerina
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 42
Sporting Green
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 139
O.D.K.
Sport
5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a
 141
Tour de Poudre
Sport 2 pitches
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 115
Tailspin
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 41
Pinklebear
Sport
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
 44
Dream of Poudre
Sport
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
 9
Foreplay/Longtime
Sport
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
 9
Dark Pony
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Scarface W of Rustic > 420s > Hank's Boulder
 50
V6 7A Boulder
Against Humanity W of Rustic > Gandalf Area > Against Humanity
 38
V6+ 7A Boulder
East of Eden Narrows > Eden Area > Eden Wall
 151
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Fish & Whistle Narrows > Eden Area > Eden Wall
 48
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c PG13 Sport
Dear Slabby Palace > Palace Pages
 80
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Delicious Demon Narrows > Snake Eyes Wall
 59
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Home-school Ballerina Narrows > Upper Snake Eyes Wall
 30
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Sporting Green Palace > Palace Pages
 42
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
O.D.K. Triple Tier Area > Old Aid Wall aka Uppe…
 139
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Tour de Poudre Crystal Wall > N Face
 141
5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a Sport 2 pitches
Tailspin Triple Tier Area > Old Aid Wall aka Uppe…
 115
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
Pinklebear Triple Tier Area > Old Aid Wall aka Uppe…
 41
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Dream of Poudre Triple Tier Area > Old Aid Wall aka Uppe…
 44
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Sport
Foreplay/Longtime W of Rustic > Boston Peak > Hall of Fame
 9
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Sport
Dark Pony Triple Tier Area > Old Aid Wall aka Uppe…
 9
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c Sport
More Classic Climbs in Poudre Canyon »

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