Happy Hour Crag Rock Climbing
Elevation: | 6,874 ft |
GPS: |
40.0033, -105.3939 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 134,662 total · 493/month |
Shared By: | Michael Komarnitsky on Dec 31, 2000 · Updates |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
W. McCurry, NF Info Deliv. Lead, Arapahoe/Roosevelt NFS: The USFS began annual area closures in BC beginning 2/1/23. The closures include Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress & Security Risk.
Effective through 7/31/23, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera will remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with the BCC to monitor nesting progress & to inform climbers about the importance of giving the eagles space to raise young.
Federal & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors can help protect wildlife by respecting all closures. Signs will be posted at key access points into the closed areas. Closure info: fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/eagles.
K. Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist, Nat'l Forest Service: as of 6/8/21: BC areas reopen after unsuccessful nesting.
K. Armstrong, NF Ranger 7/29/20:
Following a 5 month closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF has reopened Eagle Rock climbing area in BC.
“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong and healthy eaglet this year,” said wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, but unfortunately only 1 survived to fledge, which isn’t uncommon in birds of prey.”
Visits to the nest did not reveal the exact cause of death of the 2nd chick, but cooperation by climbers with the closures are crucial to the eagles’ success each season.
“Golden eagle pairs are most susceptible to disturbance when choosing a nest. These closures allow the birds to pick the best site for survival without impact of other factors, such as human presence. Once chosen, the nest site stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.
After the eagles’ site selection was made unused areas reopened in April.
The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress & Security Risk in BC.
Effective through 7/31/20, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving the eagles space to raise their young.
It is against federal and state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, and wildlife professionals under an agreement with the Forest Service enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest and the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, and the public. Visitors can help protect wildlife by respecting all closures and leaving immediately if you should accidentally enter one.
For the most current closure information, check signs in the areas, call the Boulder Ranger District office at 303-541-2500, or visit local climbing websites or fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
As of 4/21/20, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open. Eagle Rock remains closed until 7/31/2020 confirmed with Matt Henry, Rec Prog Mgr, FS.
From K. Armstrong, FS Pub Aff, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607: 3/20/19, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open to activities. Eagle Rock remains closed to climbing and other activities through 7/31/19.
The Boulder Ranger District partners with BCC & AF to monitor nesting progress & to inform climbers....
See - fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
Perennial notice:
Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk will close 2/1 - 7/31 for nesting. Depending on updated information, the closure time can be shortened/lengthened.
Each year, BC raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting 2/1 through 7/31 at Eagle Rock, Security Risk, Blob Rock, & Bitty Buttress. The area is monitored & closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the FS Boulder Ranger District, BCC, & Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. More info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/rec…
Description
Happy Hour Crag is a south-facing wall that keeps the sun for a long time. There are a number of pleasant moderates on this quite high friction rock. Unfortunately, not all of the routes are able to take advantage of that rock quality. Some of the routes are nothing to write home about. That doesn't mean you should write off the rock; there's a number of cool routes, mostly in the middle of the rock. The crag is 70-120 feet high. It can get quite popular after work or on weekends.
L->R these appear to be:
A. Left Side, 5, 1p, 50', gear.
BA. Variation??, 8, 1p, gear.
B. I, Robot, 7, 1p, gear.
C. Are We Not Robots, 7, 80' gear.
D. Are We Not Men, 7, 1p, gear.
E1. Twofers, 8-, 1p, gear.
E2. Twofers Bypass, 8-, 1p, gear.
F? Twofers Gully, 5, 1p, gear.
G? The Big Spit, 9, 1p, gear.
H. Rush Hour, 11+, 1p, gear? bolts?
I. Last Call, 9+, 1p, gear.
J1. Dementia, 9+/10-, 1p, gear.
J2. Seeing Double, 10+, 1p, bolts (which may be gone) & gear.
J3. Cheers aka Thrill Of The Chaise, 10-, 1p, bolts & gear.
J4. Tipsey, 9, 1p, gear.
J5. Malign, 7, 1p, gear.
K. Perched-Pillar Pile, 9, 1p, 95', gear.
L. Nightcap, 9-, 1p, gear.
M. Skid Row, 9+, 1p, gear.
N1. Mayhem, 12-, 1p, gear & bolts.
N2. Mayhem Direct, 12, 1p, gear & bolts.
O1. Last Laugh, 11-, 1p, 100', gear.
O2. Grins, 8-, 1p, 100', gear.
O3 or P. Teetotaler, 11-, 1p, 100', gear & bolts.
Q1. Hands Off, 7+, 1p, 100', gear.
Q2. The Great Race, 9+, 1p, 100', gear.
Q3. Baby Aliens, 12-, 1p, 60', gear.
Q4. Bad Sneakers, 9+, 1p, gear.
Q5. Cruel Shoes, 9, 1p, gear.
Below & right
R. Bent Faith, 8- R, 1p, gear.
Getting There
Pass Cob Rock on the left at 6.6 miles. 100 yards further is a pulloff on the right for Blob Rock. 100 yards further there is a pulloff on the left side of the road (at 6.8 miles). Park, cross the road, and find a steep trail that heads directly up towards the rock. Take the left branch at trail forks; the right branch heads up to Security Risk
The hiking time is about 10-15 minutes to the crag.
An easy path leads up around the left (west) side to the top of the rock; this is also used to descend from routes that don't have bolt anchors.
Per Karl Hanzel: note that there's a good amount of poison ivy, along the middle~third of the trail up to the crag.
Column near Malign & Cheers dangerously loose!
Per Shadrock: climbing Cheers 9/12/20, which shares about 50 feet with Malign, I came upon a very loose, toaster-oven-sized block at the top of the offwidth column/tooth thing on Malign (immediately right of the first bolt on Cheers). No one was around, the road was empty, so decided to trundle the block. As I started levering it out, the ENTIRE column began to shift slightly. I left the loose block in place, put a chalk X on it, and stuck around to inform later parties that the block was loose. Not really sure what to do at this point: it was pretty creepy, but it's possible that column has always been loose and it's only the levering at the very tip of it that causes the shift.
Per Karl Hanzel: I am quite certain that I was looking at the same column of sketchy boulders as I seconded Malign this past Monday, 06/27/22. It gave me the willies! I've phoned the Colorado DOT and talked at length with a staff person there who took extensive notes. I suggested that it presents a hazard to CO Hwy119 below. They've got details including links to the relevant MountainProject pages, and I offered to meet any highway personnel at the crag itself, to show them the specific column of boulders.
So if the route ends up changing its sketchy character in the coming days/weeks/months, you can blame me. :^) In the meanwhile, I would personally steer away from the route!
Classic Climbing Routes at Happy Hour Crag
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