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North Gateway Rock Rock Climbing
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| Elevation: | 6,489 ft | 1,978 m |
| GPS: |
38.87997, -104.88109 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 135,859 total · 446/month | |
| Shared By: | Darin Lang on Nov 29, 1999 | |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: 2024 Seasonal Closures - these are the same as 2023
Details
Per Bret Tennis, GOG Park Operations administrator: the seasonal closures are the same as in 2023 for 2024.
Previously per B. Tennis: all seasonal rock climbing closures in Garden of the Gods have been lifted for the season.
In 2023, they were the same as for 2022 and 2021.
Kindergarten/Gray Rock
North Gateway
Old info:
Previously: per Bret Tennis, as of 10/19/22: The Garden of the Gods has lifted all the seasonal rock climbing closures. Prior in 2020: seasonal raptor closures for 2020 were now lifted.
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
Closures as of June 5, 2019:
The Northern end of North Gateway Rock is closed for raptor nesting.
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
Continued climbing closures from 2018:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.
Previously per B. Tennis: all seasonal rock climbing closures in Garden of the Gods have been lifted for the season.
In 2023, they were the same as for 2022 and 2021.
Kindergarten/Gray Rock
North Gateway
Old info:
Previously: per Bret Tennis, as of 10/19/22: The Garden of the Gods has lifted all the seasonal rock climbing closures. Prior in 2020: seasonal raptor closures for 2020 were now lifted.
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
Closures as of June 5, 2019:
The Northern end of North Gateway Rock is closed for raptor nesting.
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
Continued climbing closures from 2018:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.
Access Issue: 2024-25 Closure & Seasonal nesting closures
Details
Per PPCA: the city is installing a new water main through the park and as such the West Face of North Gateway Rock will be temporarily closed to climbers until the project is complete. The project is slated to begin its final phase in spring 2025, and we will update with a reopening date as information becomes available.
Per Bret Tennis:
As of 3/29/23: the seasonal raptor closures are the same as in 2022 and recent years.
We have expanded the climbing closure for North Gateway Rock inside the Garden of the Gods. We expect our prairie falcons to fledge soon. Closures will be lifted once the raptors are safely flying and providing for themselves (or they leave the area).
Thank you,
Bret Tennis
Parks Operations Administrator
Garden of the Gods
Office: 719-219-0108
Bret.tennis@coloradosprings.gov
Old info:
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
From Larry, Colo Spgs City Staff (719-219-0108) on 11/10/19:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is now open for rock climbing. The climbing closures on Sleeping Giant and the West Side of Gray Rock remain closed.
From Larry, Colo Spgs City Staff (719-219-0108):
New seasonal climbing closure as of June 5, 2019:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Per Bret Tennis:
As of 3/29/23: the seasonal raptor closures are the same as in 2022 and recent years.
We have expanded the climbing closure for North Gateway Rock inside the Garden of the Gods. We expect our prairie falcons to fledge soon. Closures will be lifted once the raptors are safely flying and providing for themselves (or they leave the area).
Thank you,
Bret Tennis
Parks Operations Administrator
Garden of the Gods
Office: 719-219-0108
Bret.tennis@coloradosprings.gov
Old info:
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
From Larry, Colo Spgs City Staff (719-219-0108) on 11/10/19:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is now open for rock climbing. The climbing closures on Sleeping Giant and the West Side of Gray Rock remain closed.
From Larry, Colo Spgs City Staff (719-219-0108):
New seasonal climbing closure as of June 5, 2019:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Description
While there are a few scary aid lines up the East Face, most of the route development has been on the West and North Faces. The North Face has some difficult free lines including Anaconda (5.11), a Kor aid line freed, I believe, by Wiggins and Dunn. The West Face is divided by the obvious Tourist Gully (5.0). To the North of the Tourist Gully are many hard, vertical, and scary routes from one to five pitches, many put up by Webster, Coyne, Dunn, Wiggins, D'Antonio and others in the '70s and '80s (no offense intended to other first ascenders active during this time period). South of the Tourist Gully is a less-than vertical slab called the Finger Face for the namesake finger-shaped flake. Many classic soft sandstone moderates, generally well protected, are found in this area, including Finger Ramp (5.7), Lower and Upper Finger Traverse (5.8), and Son of Tidrick's (5.9). Protection on these climbs is generally composed of old, but solid drilled angles. Pull down, not out!
Getting There
This is the largest formation in the Garden, it is easily visible on the right as you drive in from the East.
All chalk and chalk substitute are not allowed!
The Park staff want to remind the climbing community that all chalk (calcium carbonate) and chalk substitutes are prohibited in the park due to visual impact starting in 2021.
When placing closure signange/notifications, our park rangers noted chalk stains on several routes in the closure area (Anaconda and Grapefruit Dance), as well as the Blowouts bouldering area (which were cleaned last year, meaning all the chalk here is new). We are again hoping that the community can come together and address this issue before it requires any action on our part. Access may come into play! We'd also like to thank the PPCA for their efforts to remove chalk stains in these areas last year and hope that local climbers might consider helping them remove chalk stains from the rock this season- check their website for more info on upcoming events- pikespeakclimbersalliance.o….
Prior Year Climbing Restrictions/Closures
Prior year climbing closures from 2018:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Update as of 8/4/15: as of this week, SOME closures have been lifted in Garden of the Gods. Grey Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is now entirely open. The Summit Ridge, East Ledges, and West face (excluding the West face of Tower of Babel) of North Gateway is also open.
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110844873
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110848634
The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb. 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110249047
2015 photo.
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Update as of 8/4/15: as of this week, SOME closures have been lifted in Garden of the Gods. Grey Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is now entirely open. The Summit Ridge, East Ledges, and West face (excluding the West face of Tower of Babel) of North Gateway is also open.
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110844873
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110848634
The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb. 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110249047
2015 photo.
Classic Climbing Routes at North Gateway Rock
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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