PRINT: Rock Climbing in Happy Hour Crag, Boulder Canyon

Happy Hour Crag

Colorado > Boulder > Boulder Canyon

Access Issue: Seasonal Closures 2025 - Bitty Buttress, Blob, Security Risk reopened. Eagle Rock opened 5/19/25. Details

On 5/19/25 Eagle Rock opened. On 3/14/25: Bitty Buttress, Blob, & SR reopened.

2/3/25. Bitty Buttress, Blob, Eagle Rock &, Security Risk closed for raptor nesting.

FS (3/27/24): Eagle Rock & Security Risk are now open!

2/1/24: W. McCurry: USFS annual area closures in Boulder Canyon beginning 2/1/24 - Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, Eagle Rock, Security Risk.

From W. McCurry: 2/10/23 Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk opened. Eagle Rock is closed - info: fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news….

W. McCurry, NFS, Arap./Roo. NF: USFS began annual area closures in BC 2/1/23. The closures were Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.

Through 7/31/23, the closures protect 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 with BCC monitors nesting progress & informs climbers about giving eagles space to raise young.

Fed. & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting closures. Signs are posted at key access pts 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 mo. closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF has reopened Eagle Rock.

“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong & healthy eaglet this year,” wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, 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 climber cooperation with closures are crucial to the eagles.

“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, nest sites stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.

After the eagles’ site selection was made, unused areas opened in Apr.

The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.

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 & state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, & wildlife professionals under an agreement with the FS enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest & the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, & the public. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting all closures & 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 @ 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 stays 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, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security are open. Eagle stays closed to climbing & 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, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security 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, Security, Blob, & 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!

Cell Phone Coverager

FWIW, Verizon's cell phone covers does reach this crag. The service is a bit iffy.

Routes from Left to Right

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 173 ● Left Side Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 255 ● I, Robot Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 68 ● Are We Not Robots Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 126 ● Are We Not Men Trad, TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 331 ● Twofers Trad, TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 88 ● Twofers Bypass Trad, TR
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 91 ● Twofers Gully Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 51 ● The Big Spit Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 38 ● Rush Hour Trad, TR
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 100 ● Last Call Trad, TR
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 361 ● Dementia Trad, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 20 ● Seein' Double TR
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 139 ● Cheers aka Thrill of the Chaise Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 30 ● Tipsey Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 204 ● Malign Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 3 ● Perched-Pillar Pile Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 333 ● Nightcap Trad, TR
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R 7 ● Skid Row Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 1 ● Mayhem Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 1 ● Mayhem Direct Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 30 ● Last Laugh Trad, Sport, TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 422 ● Grins Trad, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 45 ● Teetotaler Trad, TR
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 65 ● Hands Off Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 33 ● The Great Race Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R 1 ● Baby Aliens Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 12 ● Bad Sneakers TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 21 ● Cruel Shoes TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 12 ● Bent Faith Trad

● Left Side

173

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a Trad

● I, Robot

255

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR

● Are We Not Robots

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR

● Are We Not Men

126

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 Trad, TR

● Twofers

331

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, TR

● Twofers Bypass

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, TR

● Twofers Gully

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a Trad, TR

● The Big Spit

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad

● Rush Hour

5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad, TR

● Last Call

100

5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad, TR

● Dementia

361

5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, TR

● Seein' Double

5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c TR

● Cheers aka Thrill of the Ch…

139

5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, TR

● Tipsey

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR

● Malign

204

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR

● Perched-Pillar Pile

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad

● Nightcap

333

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR

● Skid Row

5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R Trad

● Mayhem

5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport

● Mayhem Direct

5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport

● Last Laugh

5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad, Sport, TR

● Grins

422

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, TR

● Teetotaler

5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad, TR

● Hands Off

5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

● The Great Race

5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad

● Baby Aliens

5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R Trad

● Bad Sneakers

5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a TR

● Cruel Shoes

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a TR

● Bent Faith

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A topo overview.

Directions to Happy Hour Crag. <br>
Park at pullout with mile 34 marker or pullout immediately after (where trail starts). Both parking spots are on the left hand side (south) of road. The trail is on the right (north) side.

Directions to Happy Hour Crag. Park at pullout with mile 34 marker or pullout immediately after (where trail starts). Both parking spots are on the left hand side (south) of road. The trail is on…

Happy Hour Crag. Photo taken from Witches Tower.

Oso & Ayda enjoy watching the climbers from their shady lounge at Happy Hour Crag.

The Peace Train.

Interesting lenticulars from the high winds.

View from the top of Nightcap(5.9), with Cob Rock visible on the opposite side of the Canyon.<br>
<br>
Photo: Dave Fiorucci

View from the top of Nightcap(5.9), with Cob Rock visible on the opposite side of the Canyon. Photo: Dave Fiorucci

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

jon peckham

This place can get crowded on the weekends in the summer! If you go mid-week, you can usually have your choice of routes. Also, its a good place to go to introduce people to outdoor climbing... Feb 1, 2002

Karl Nichols

Jon - you're not kidding. I would avoid this rock at all costs during the weekends. We were short on time and went a couple of Sundays ago in hopes of doing a few quick routes. Major mistake. My girlfriend was climbing Last Laugh and almost had a rope thrown down on her by someone wanting to top-rope a 5.8 close by. We left after one route. This crag has become a mecca for beginner climbers looking for quality top ropes. Unfortunately, not all of them are too climbing savvy yet and are a bit lacking when it comes to basic etiquette (i.e. don't throw ropes on people).When I was at the anchor, there was so much yelling and confusion amongst the beginners that I thought someone was going to fall off. For a better and less crowded area, deal with the heat and try security risk.

Aside from the crowds, happy hour is a great place for some after work and quick routes. I've had great luck in early season. Jul 1, 2002

John Saccardi

I really love Happy Hour as a great place for after work climbing. I'm getting a little concerned, however, about the profusion of trails beneath the crag. Perhaps the Access Fund could continue its fine work in the area by establishing an "official" trail to the crag. In the meantime, I might suggest that folks stick to the slab approach across from the parking area that climbs directly up to the crag. This will minimize erosion on the hillside. Jul 3, 2002

Bruce Hildenbrand
Silicon Valley/Boulder

In early June, Ron Olsen and I replaced all the rappel/lower hardware in the fixed anchors on this crag with 5/16" quick links and 3/8" chain links. In the process, we removed all smash (lap) links; the ones on the anchor of Grins were especially bad most likely due to the not-recommended practice of belaying and lowering directly through the anchors.

This effort was part of the American Safe Climbing Associations (ASCA - safeclimbing.org) Clean Anchors Campaign. They could use your support! Jun 27, 2003

Anonymous Coward

Really enjoyed this rock. The guides claim there are some bolts at the top left usually listed as route 3, but I couldn't find any. Also don't get upset with us newbies who are TRing. Those of you aid climb and get there after we are aleady in the process of setting up, just ask if you can climb a route first. People like me realize that you are going to tie up a route a lot less than TRing. Jul 3, 2003

Greg Hand
Golden, CO

Anybody know when the 2 big peace symbols were painted on Happy Hour? We drove past there today and I think they are in the Cheers vicinity and are probably 6-8 feet in diameter. Very obvious from the road. Makes you want to wring a few necks. May 22, 2006

Scott Edlin
boulder, co

They were not there eight days ago. This is very disappointing news. May 23, 2006

Greg Hand
Golden, CO

Check out the Peace Train

. May 24, 2006

Jo Holloway

If these peace-niks on rappel had cajones, they would paint the modified Mercedes symbol on the Pentagon. Instead, the individual(s) have created a trite gesture of vandalism that is utterly devoid of meaning. Good job, kids. May 25, 2006

Gusana

WTF--someone has spray painted two large peace signs up high on
Happy Hour crag (just right of Dementia)! Who thought this was a good idea?? May 25, 2006

Jason Shatek

The peace signs were there on Saturday, May 20th. They look really bad! Does anyone know how to get the paint off without damaging the rock? Happy Hour is one of my favorite rocks and I hate to see it damaged like that. If someone has experience getting paint off of rock, please let me know. Is paint thinner the best way to get this off? May 30, 2006

Scott Edlin
boulder, co

FYI: a thread has been started regarding the defacement at mountainproject.com/v/color…. May 31, 2006

English Bloke

Thanks to whomever took the trouble to clean the spray paint vandalism at Happy Hour on Sunday - I don't know if they succeeded in getting it off with the bucket of soapy water - but perhaps using a solution of ethanol might work. Jun 6, 2006

Lizzy Scully
Mancos, CO

Does anyone know the name/rating of the steep, bolted line just right of Last Laugh? It feels like 5.12b, but it's not in the book or on MP. Jun 27, 2011

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

To the right of Last Laugh or to the right of Last Call? Do you mean this one ('Rush Hour'):

???
5.11+ if you are tall, harder if you are short. Jun 27, 2011

Lizzy Scully
Mancos, CO

Nope. It's to the right of that climb, just left of that one-move wonder 11a with a couple bolts. It's on a gently overhanging wall. Jul 9, 2011

Lizzy Scully
Mancos, CO

I found out the route is 12b, though I don't know the name. It seems an accurate grading. It's a fun route. Jul 16, 2011

DempseyMcKinzie

I found a nice pair of kid's climbing shoes at the base of Happy Hour Crag this afternoon. Let me know if they're yours ... clintonmckinzie@gmail.com. May 5, 2013

Tim Farkas
Albuquerque, NM

Does anybody know what the bolted route is just to the right of Dementia and to the left of Cheers? It follows the left-facing arete/flake making the giant overhanging V-slot finger crack of Dementia. I've topped it a couple times now and it feels much harder than Cheers to me.

Thanks! Jun 30, 2013

Mark Roth
Boulder

Seein' Double @ Farkas.time Jun 30, 2013

GhaMby Eagan
Heaven

My friend and I went climbing at this wall yesterday. We had fun, it was nice that we could set up a top rope on these hard climbs. There were some holds that had chalk marks on them, I think they were marking the holds that were loose. I put more marks on a lot of other holds that I think are going easy to break soon. Watch out, there are lots of holds that are loose at this wall, hopefully other people will mark with chalk all of the loose holds so people don't get hurt. Jun 13, 2014

John W
Denver, CO

Hey guys, I left my jacket at the base of Happy Hour Crag today (3/8/18) near the left (west) side of the crag. It's a dark, grey REI puffy with a hood. If anyone sees it and would be able to return it to me, that would be awesome. I can buy you a six pack in return! I'm easiest to contact by texting me at 720-502-8378. Thanks a bunch!!!! Mar 8, 2018

Ryan Stefani

Today at H.H.: 1 guide, 1 assistant, 3 ropes, and 8 customers. Plan accordingly. Jul 27, 2020

Shadrock
Here and there.

I was running laps on Cheers today and 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. The route most affected is Malign, a popular 7 newbie trad lead. I'm happy to join anybody who wants to inspect, trundle, etc... but I didn't want to do anything further without posting here. Will also post a notice on the Malign page. Feel free to DM if you want more info or want to take some further action. Sep 12, 2020

Alex Mandrila
Boulder, CO

Lower-off hooks have been added to all six bolted anchors, courtesy ASCA. Feb 21, 2022

Leo Paik
Westminster, Colorado

From the NFS (2/3/25):

Seasonal restrictions to protect nesting birds of prey

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (Feb. 3, 2025) – To protect nesting birds of prey, the Roosevelt National Forest began implementing annual closures in several popular recreation areas within the Canyon Lakes and Boulder Ranger Districts on Feb 1, 2025.

On the Boulder Ranger District, the closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, and Security Risk in Boulder Canyon. These areas are located along Colorado Highway 119, approximately 1.5 miles east of Boulder Falls. Happy Hour, Bihedral and Riviera climbing areas will remain open as long as visitors respect closure areas.

The Roosevelt National Forest works closely with partners like Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Boulder Climbing Community and the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition to monitor nesting progress and inform climbers about the importance of giving raptors space to raise their young.

Federal and 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. Additional closure information is available online. Feb 4, 2025