GPS: 40.186, -105.333 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 6,749 total · 11/month
Shared By: Richard M. Wright on Dec 31, 1969
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac

Description

Observatory Rock is composed of typical, and excellent, SSV granite. The crag faces South and Southeast providing cool climbing in the afternoon. It presently hosts fewer than a dozen described routes, and some combination of guides is probably useful for orientation. I have found the Falcon Guide by Peter Hubbel to contain more route descriptions than other sources; however, much of this is misleading. For example, routes listed as 130 feet long have turned out to be more like 65 feet long (truly). Routes span the gamut in terms of difficulty with 5.7 and 5.8 trad or 5.12d sport, although there are not many at any grade. The crag is well worth a day's visit.

Getting There

5.1 miles up the South Saint Vrain Canyon, via CO Highway 7, is a large pull-out on the right side of the road. This can be used for parking for Observatory Rock and the Narrows. Observatory Rock is directly above the parking and has a 5 minute approach.

13 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Observatory Rock

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 28
● Original Route
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 3
● Flop, The
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Original Route
 28
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
● Flop, The
 3
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
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Observatory Rock from the road.
Observatory Rock from the road.
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2 Comments

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Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward  
Sport route right of "Original Route"?

There is a bolted line to the right of Original route. Perhaps 5 painted bolts with a tree at top behind a bolder for the anchor. Anyone known anything about this route? From the ground it looked like a 5.6 scramble. On the route it felt like a 5.11 frictionfest. Aug 2, 2004
Bernard Gillett
Bernard Gillett  
AC wants to know about the bolt line right of Orignal Route: it's called "Will Chevy Slab?", and we rated it 5.10d. 6 bolts, though you need small stoppers to get to the first bolt, and TCUs between bolts 1 and 2. Ends at tree of Original Route (75' rap). The name is a silly word play working off of Wilford Roof, the lefthand of three roof cracks through the big roof on the right (the other two roof cracks are also routes now, though the middle one has not been redpointed to my knowledge - it's quite difficult). Lots of new routes on that crag in the last couple years, mostly cracks with an odd bolt or two, and most of them high quality (the rock there is great). Still working on that SSV guide -- keeps getting bigger all the time, so it'll be a while before it's done.

======= Aug 2, 2004