PRINT: Rock Climbing in Easter Rock, Colorado Springs

Easter Rock

Colorado > Colorado Springs > Garden of the Gods

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

2018-24 Sleeping Giant/Keyhole Rock & Gray Rock/Kindergarten Rock Seasonal Raptor Closures. Provided by the GOG City Staff.

2023 & 2024 Closure info from GOG staff.

2023 & 2024 Closure photo from GOG staff.

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.

2020-22 Gateway Rock Seasonal Raptor Closures. Provided by the GOG City Staff.

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.

2019 Raptor Climbing Closures. From: Larry, City Staff, Office 719-219-0108.

The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.

2019 Gray Rock/Kindergarten Rock Raptor Closures. From: Larry, City Staff, Office 719-219-0108.

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.

Description

This is a small tower sitting high in the saddle in between Kindergarten (aka Grey or Cathedral) Rock and Keyhole Rock. The rock is a little loose, and the routes are all runout, but you will almost certainly have the tower to yourself.

This formation is NOT affected by the 2018 closures to Keyhole Rock and part of the West Face of Kindergarten Rock.

Getting There

Hike past Montezuma Tower from the main parking lot and negotiate the maze of climbers trails to the base of the tower. Most of the routes start in between Easter Rock and Keyhole Rock.

All chalk and chalk subsitutes 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….

Rattlesnakes

Per Cody Cook: watch for rattlers.

Routes from Left to Right

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 3 ● North Ridge TR
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R 14 ● West Face [Easter Rock] Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 2 ● Bulge Wall TR
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 7 ● Silhouette Sport

● North Ridge

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b TR

● West Face [Easter Rock]

5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R Trad

● Bulge Wall

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b TR

● Silhouette

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The West Face of Easter Rock. There is a two bolt anchor with beefy chains up top.

The view from the top of Easter Rock, looking south at Kindergarten Rock and Sleeping Giant.