Hillbilly Rock Rock Climbing

Follow Table Mesa Rd. to its end at NCAR. Park at NCAR and take the NCAR/Mallory Cave Trail (trailhead on west end of parking lot, entrance) to the Mesa Trail intersection, about 0.75 miles from the parking lot. Take the Mesa Trail north and it will very quickly dip down into Skunk Canyon; cross the bridge, then after two switchbacks go around a fence/low rock wall and head west on the climber's trail into Skunk Canyon proper. 

Follow this about 250 yards into the mouth of the canyon, noting some pink Dakota sandstone slabs leading north up the first proper ridge on your right. Take the established climber's trail immediately west of these, beginning steeply on slabs and talus then zigzagging up the hill toward the toe of the rock, and the east-face routes. DO NOT CONTINUE WEST TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED SOCIAL TRAIL IN THE TREES JUST EAST OF RIDGE 1/THE GUARDIAN. This trail has turned very quickly into an erosion nightmare, and is not sustainable. OSMP and the City of Boulder would prefer that we not approach this way, but instead use the compacted, established approach trail to the east, which has been there for decades.

For the west-face sport climbs, pass a short boulder problem on your right then hug the south face of Hillbilly Rock in the gully, eventually bending around to the west face.

This crag has become too popular for its small size, and climbers have, despite repeated admonitions, created a new social trail to get there that’s creating erosion issues and that OSMP is not happy about. In order to keep access copacetic and ensure the future of new-routing at this and other cliffs, climbers are asked to use the original approach trail, to the East Face of Hillbilly, moving along the eastern edge of the big gully running north-to-south up to the toe of the rock. Cairns have been placed on the talus and rock slabs marking the beginning of this approach. Please leave these in place or feel free to add others to mark the route. 

The Flatirons Climbing Council is hoping to have a trail day with OSMP up there this year—to block off the new trail and shore up the old one and more clearly designate access. In the meantime, be extra careful about limiting erosion, and any help in blocking off the new social trail is also appreciated.