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Little Twin Owls

Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Lumpy Ridge
Warning Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24 DetailsDrop down

Description

Great toproping (or leading) a couple minutes west of the old Twin Owls parking lot. Now, it lies probably 0.8 miles from the new trailhead. To set up topropes, scramble around either side to the back, and follow your nose to a short chimney between the two little owls, each of which sports a set of bolts. I find scrambling around to the right a bit easiser; both ways are fifth class, so don't do anything stupid. All the routes are worthwhile, with the "Finger Crack" being the most...memorable.

Getting There

From the new parking lot, head west towards the old Twin Owls parking lot ~0.8 miles. Once at the old Twin Owls parking lot, this small crag is just to the west split by a wide crack on its southeast face. Expect ~15-20 minutes.

Per Dom R: a detailed description from the old parking lot (just past the NPS housing) - continue hiking on the Black Canyon trail, follow Batman Rock trail briefly, and go right at a split to the Tooth and Jaws Boulders and the base of Little Twin Owls. For boulderers seeking Angry Man, just after you turn onto the Batman Rock trail is an old park service sign. Follow an old trail uphill for a few minutes into a rocky area.

Routes from Left to Right

5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 58
● Finger Crack
Trad, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a X
 15
● Arete
Trad, TR
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 31
● Knee Catcher
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 17
● Undercling Right
Trad, TR
V8 7B
 9
● Angry Man
Boulder
V3 6A
 7
● Clingon
Boulder
V3 6A
 33
● Jaws
Boulder
V8 7B
 1
● Melancholy Whale
Boulder
V1 5
 16
● One-move Wonder
Boulder
V2 5+
 3
● Pat's Slab
Boulder
V10 7C+
 3
● Right Angry Man
Boulder
V0 4
 21
● Tooth Arete
Boulder
V0 4
 13
● Tooth Slab
Boulder
V0 4
 11
● Trade Problem
Boulder
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Finger Crack
 58
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad, TR
● Arete
 15
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a X Trad, TR
● Knee Catcher
 31
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, TR
● Undercling Right
 17
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
● Angry Man
 9
V8 7B Boulder
● Clingon
 7
V3 6A Boulder
● Jaws
 33
V3 6A Boulder
● Melancholy Whale
 1
V8 7B Boulder
● One-move Wonder
 16
V1 5 Boulder
● Pat's Slab
 3
V2 5+ Boulder
● Right Angry Man
 3
V10 7C+ Boulder
● Tooth Arete
 21
V0 4 Boulder
● Tooth Slab
 13
V0 4 Boulder
● Trade Problem
 11
V0 4 Boulder

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A route overlay for some routes on Little Twin Owls.
[Hide Photo] A route overlay for some routes on Little Twin Owls.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Mike Pharris
Longmont, CO
[Hide Comment] As of 9/13/09 the right hand summit - at the top of the zig zag crack route - only has one chain/bolt. There's one empty hole and one hole that's been cemented over. The rock up there has a bit of a hollow ring to it as well. We couldn't find any real way to back up the chains. Climber beware.

There are two chains on the left hand side - at the top of Knee Catcher. Sep 15, 2009
Dom R
Estes Park, CO
[Hide Comment] A little more descriptive set of directions would be to hike from the new parking to the old one (now just kind of looks like a dirt road with NPS housing areas to your right) and continue hiking on the Black Canyon trail until you get to the Batman Rock trail. Follow that a short ways until the trail split, and there's a sign for Batman and Checkboard Rock pointing left. Go right at this split. Follow this trail a short ways and it spits you out right at the tooth and jaws Boulders and the base of Knee Catcher on Little Twin Owls. If you are looking to go to Angry Man, just after you turn onto the Batman Rock trail, a short ways up trail on your right will be an old park service sign with (as of Sept. 2016) nothing on it. There is an old trail right next to this sign. Follow that uphill for a few minutes, and as you enter into a rocky area, you'll be able to spot Angry Man on your left through some trees. I just kind of bushwhacked over there from here and could find no real trail to the boulder. The boulder isn't super easy to spot from the trail, but if you look at a few pictures of it and know what you're looking for, you'll see the bright white chalk spots on it through the trees. Sep 6, 2016