All Locations > Colorado > Canon City > Shelf Rd

The Gym Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Gym

L › R R › L A › Z

	Armstrong Express, The S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Arnold! Arnold! S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Arrowhead Spire S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Black Mamba Arete S 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Blast from the Past S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Bolt the Planet S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Bone 'n' Vein S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Bottom Feeder S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Bubba's Belly (aka The Example Simulator) S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Butt Flambé S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Cask Strength S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Cimmaron Lanes S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Comin' In Smooth S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Crack of Dawn, The S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Crimp and Punishment S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Crystal S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Deeper Shade Of Soul S 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
	Demagogue S 5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
	Dizzi Lizzi S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Easy Cheese aka Trout Fishing in America S 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
	Ejection Generation S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Ejection Seat, The S 5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Even Bad Dogs Get A Bone S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Example, The S 5.13a/b 8a 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
	Farewell Transmission S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Five Dollars S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Fly Little Super Boy S 5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Free Willie V1-2 5
	Ga-stoned Again S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Great Escape, The S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Green Bonus, The S 5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
	Gym Arete Direct S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Gym Arete, The S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Happy Hinzi S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Head Cheese S 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Here Today Gone Tomorrow S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a
	Hot Rod Lincoln S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	I Am A Machine S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	I Never Met a Carbo I Didn't Like S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	I'll Be Back S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13
	In the Morning, You'll Be Mine S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Jane Fonda Warm-up S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Librium Quiver S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Lockdown S 5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Meathead S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Morning Stretch S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Mountaineer's Route S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Muscles From Brussels S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
	Must Love Dogs S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	My Generation S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Natty Dread S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Needle Haven aka Fallen Prophet S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	New Rule S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	New Vernacular, The S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Oh... What Are You Looking At S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Orange Marmalade S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Our Bosch of Immaculate Conception S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R
	Paradise Regained S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Penitentiary Pump S 5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Pinhead S 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
	Prickly Pear S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Profits of Rage S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Pulley Mammoth S 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Rally Monkey S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Raw and the Roasted, The S 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Real Deal, The S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Rio Station S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13
	S&M Crack S 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Scarface S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R
	Senor Verde S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	She's Got a Full Set of Camalots! T,S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Shorty Bob S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Smoking Pickle, The S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Solar Flex S 5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a
	Spontaneous Combustion S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	St. Patty's Slab S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Stud with a Rug S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Tapped Out S 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	There Goes the Neighborhood S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Three Stooges S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a
	Thunder & Lightning S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Tomato, Tomotto S 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Trailer Park Logic S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Untapped S 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Up Valley Goes Downtown S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Urban Fringe S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	VHS or Beta S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

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Elevation:	7,050 ft	2,149 m
GPS:	38.6329, -105.2165 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	168,567 total · 548/month
Shared By:	Richard M. Wright on Nov 29, 1999 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

Situated just North of the big hairpin and tad up the road, The Gym holds some of Shelf Roads most brilliant (and difficult) climbs. The wall is East facing and gets sun, therefore, only part of the day. Climbing at the Gym reminds me of Sinks Canyon or Ten sleep, with somewhat fewer pockets. The newer lines still retain sharp edges and spines, but for most routes these have been eroded away. Most routes can be done with a 50 meter rope, although a 60 meter is preferred overall. The occasional two pitch routes are readily done with the same equipment. For its overall climbing value, I think The Gym is the best crag at Shelf, with almost none of the discontinuities found at the Bank.

Getting There

EDIT: The current "approved" approach is to park at the Bank Campground parking area, then follow the Cactus cliff trail down into the drainage for The Bank, up the other side, east along the base of the Bank to reach the old Cactus cliff access road, then up the road, along the base of The Vault to the pit toilet below the Cash Wall, then east again to reach the far left end of Cactus Cliff. Then follow the Cactus Cliff cliff-base trail along the entire length of Cactus, then to Spiney Ridge, along the entire legth of Spiney, around the point, then north past "The New Gym", to eventually reach The Gym. Sounds like a pretty long approach, huh? Basically its ~15 minutes further than Cactus, depending on your specific destination.

The upside is that there will be zero crowds once you finally arrive.

87 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Gym

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 425 ● Ga-stoned Again Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 293 ● The Crack of Dawn Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 150 ● Crystal Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c 332 ● The Raw and the Roasted Sport
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a 188 ● Pulley Mammoth Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 147 ● In the Morning, You'll Be Mine Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 169 ● The Gym Arete Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 72 ● Spontaneous Combustion Sport
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 116 ● The Ejection Seat Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 44 ● Gym Arete Direct Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 33 ● Ejection Generation Sport
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b 54 ● Head Cheese Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c 40 ● My Generation Sport
5.13a/b 8a 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c 43 ● The Example Sport
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c 29 ● Deeper Shade Of Soul Sport

● Ga-stoned Again

425

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport

● The Crack of Dawn

293

5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport

● Crystal

150

5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport

● The Raw and the Roasted

332

5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport

● Pulley Mammoth

188

5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Sport

● In the Morning, You'll Be Mine

147

5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport

● The Gym Arete

169

5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport

● Spontaneous Combustion

5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport

● The Ejection Seat

116

5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport

● Gym Arete Direct

5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport

● Ejection Generation

5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport

● Head Cheese

5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Sport

● My Generation

5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport

● The Example

5.13a/b 8a 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Sport

● Deeper Shade Of Soul

5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c Sport

More Classic Climbs in The Gym »

Sun & Shade

Sun Angles Details:

Routes Mostly Face: Northeast · East · Southeast

Sunny Roughly 6am to 2pm during high season

6am

8pm

Details: The crag starts facing due east at the New Gym, these routes get shade early. As one travels right, the wall faces more Southeast. Many of the popular routes face north-east and get shade around noon but the Ejection Wall loses sun in the early afternoon.