All Locations > Colorado > Golden > Clear Creek Canyon

Creek Side Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Creek Side

L › R R › L A › Z

	100 Proof S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Are There Bolts Up There? T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R
	Art of the Deal, The T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Big Bro's Watchin' (Luebben Memorial Route) T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Black Gold S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Brennivin T,S 5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Bro's Gold S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Christmas Spirits S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Clown Loach (temporary name) T,S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Crackside T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Crackside Direct (var.) T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Creek Dance S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Creek Nation S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Creekafixion S 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Eternal Now S 5.14c 8c+ 34 XI- 35 E9 7b
	Fish and Chips S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Fish Bowl S 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Fool's Gold S 5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b
	Furlough Day S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Golden Hammer, The S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Guppy S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Labor Day S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Left of Corner S 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Little Sister S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Macho Borracho S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Oyster Bar, The S 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
	Playin' Hooky S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Project S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Psychotic Love T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R
	PTO S 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Rhett Wench S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Rumpleminze aka Drillin' the Bush S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Shenanigans S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Solid Gold T,S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Spun Gold S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a
	Under the Influence S 5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a
	Unknown Big Black Flake T,S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Winterfest S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

Elevation:	7,400 ft
GPS:	39.74102, -105.41042 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	327,731 total · 1,277/month
Shared By:	Richard M. Wright on Apr 29, 2002
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures/CDOT Road Work Details

Please be aware of the annual raptor seasonal closures!

Raptor Closures Effective February 1-July 31

Visit: jeffco.us/open-space/news/2…

Tunnel 1 closure
For more details visit: jeffco.us/open-space/alerts…

CCC Raptor Nesting Closure 1 (MM 270, W of Tunnel 1). Photo reconfiguration: Ron Keller.

CCC Raptor Nesting Closure 2 (E of Tunnel 2). In 2016, the closure WAS lifted June 9 for ONLY the 2016 season, per Eric Krause, JeffCo OS Ranger. Photo reconfiguration: Ron Keller.

The two areas Jefferson County Open Space intends to close in Clear Creek Canyon, shown on the attached maps, encompass the active eagle nests. If the Clear Creek eagles continue to nest in the active nests, these areas will remain closed from February 1 through July 31. If the eagles choose different nesting sites, the closures will be adjusted accordingly to protect those eagles during their breeding season.

Currently, rock climbing areas that fall inside of the seasonal raptor closures include:

Blonde Formation
Bumbling Stock
Evil Area
Ghost Crag
Highlander
Skinny Legs
Stumbling Block
Tetanus Garden
Fault Caves

June 7, 2021 - TBD: Highway 6 is currently doing full road closures from Sunday night to Friday morning every week. The closure is from the junction of Highway 119 and Highway 6 to the junction of Highway 40 and Highway 6 (mile post ~260 to ~257). Vehicles that remain in the closure will be towed at owners expense.

Sundays: 7PM-4AM
Monday-Thursday: 4PM-4AM

Description

Creek Side may or may not be a good name for this wall. Nothing has been published that I have found and no name has been ascribed to the crag. Now, this seems odd inasmuch as Creek Side is the largest expanse of continuous stone in Clear Creek Canyon - bigger than the Mission Wall by at least 100 feet and more continuous than The Little Eiger. The crag towers over 400 feet above the stream, faces depressingly due East, and [used to see] virtually no climbing. It is dark, cold, and windy most of the day except for a spell in the morning when it gets full sun. To make matters worse, the crag appears to be composed of fractured, friable, appalling stone. However, in the '60s, Layton Kor and colleagues punched up a mixed route that exited a large open-book dihedral at the 200 foot mark. This line has been repeated occasionally since then, and at least one fatality has been reported from the '70s. So, Creek Side is not without some history. Furthermore, at least two old lines have been climbed on the crag's West flank. One runs 50 or 60 feet to a pine tree/rap station. Another wanders the entire length of the west wall, but good luck trying to replicate the line - it has no obvious distinguishing characteristic. In 2002, a five pitch line was installed that punches up on the left side of the East-facing, open-book dihedral. The name of the game here is exposure, with a capital E. More importantly, the large confusion of irregularities has, in fact, turned up some terrific, bullet-proof stone. It appears that the time has come to see what this big puppy holds.

Getting There

Park as for the Catslab/Dog Wall just West of tunnel five. Hop over the guardrail as though heading for the Dog Wall but follow the creek West for 250 yards. This will access the East side of the crag only.

To access the west side, you climb a tree with a rope hanging down. You can clip into loops to sort of back you up. 25 feet up, you cross a tyrolean to the Guppy pod.

Note, if you wade the river, you must lead up to the belay pod to start. Plus, there isn't really a great place to switch shoes below the Guppy pod.

L->R:

Binge-Side is the far left side containing:

A. Are There Bolts Up There?, 10- R, 3p, 400', gear.

B. Christmas Spirits, 7, 1p, 40', bolts.

C. Winterfest, 9+, 1p, 55', bolts.

D. Rumpleminze aka Drillin' the Bush, 10+, 1p, 55', bolts.

E. 100 Proof, 12-, 1p, 65', bolts.

above E. Macho Borracho, 12, 1p, 140', bolts.

F. Breninivin, 12+, 2p, 150', gear & bolts.

...F1. Variation a, P1, 10, bolts.

...F2. Variation b, P1, 9+/10- bolts.

Creek-Side which is accessed by the high tyrol contains:

G. Shenanigans, 6-7, 1p, 95', bolts.

H. Rhett Wench, 11+, 2p, gear & bolts.

I. Fish & Chips, 9+, 1p, 115', bolts.

J. Guppy, 8+, 1p, 120', bolts.

K. Clown Loach (temporary name)?, 8 or 9, 1p, 120', gear & bolts.

LJ. Crackside Direct, 9+, 1p, 120', gear & bolts.

M. Crackside, 9+, 1p, 115', gear & bolts.

N. Fish Bowl, 10, 1p, 80', bolts.

Bro-Side is the intimidating middle section containing:

O. Fool's Gold, 12+, 5p, bolts.

P. Labor Day, 10+, 2p, 120', bolts.

Q. Psychotic Love, 10 R, 3p, 450', gear.

R. Bro's Gold, 11, 2p, 185', gear & bolts.

S. Big Bro's Watchin' (Luebben Memorial Route), 11, 5p, 420', bolts & gear.

T. Left of Corner, 9, 1p, 90', bolts.

U. Unknown Big Black Flake, 10+, 1p, 90', bolts & gear.

V. Unknown, 90', 1p, bolts.

W. Little Sister, 10, 1p, 90', bolts.

Gold-Side is the area containing:

X. Black Gold, 7+, 5p, 400', bolts & gear?

Y. Furlough Day, 9, 2-3p, TR now retrobolts.

Z1. Solid Gold, 11+, 5p, 450', bolts & gear.

Z2. First Spun Gold, 12-, 2p var, 450', bolts.

Z3. The Golden Hammer, 12-, 4p, 450', bolts.

Z4. Creekafixion, 11 PG-13, 2p, 135', bolts.

Z5. 1972 Kor/Bracksieck Crack to Dihedral, 8, 4p, 400', gear.

Z6. Playin' Hooky, 8-, 2p, 200', bolts.

AA. PTO, 8+, 1p, 80-100', now bolts.

BB. The Oyster Bar, 9-, 1p, 80', bolts.

CC. Creek Nation, 8, 1p, 75', bolts.

DD. Project, 9+, 1p, 90', project.

EE. Creek Dance, 9-, 2p, 200', bolts.

FF. The Art of the Deal, 8?, 4p, 415', gear.

GG. Under the Influence, 13+, 1p, 65', bolts.

Gully

Stoked Bowl

A. Get Stoked, 10, 75', 1p, bolts.

B. Don't Hate, 12+, 80', 1p, bolts.

C. Unknown Roof, 13?, 1p, bolts.

D. Try These Nachos, 9+, 1p, 60', bolts.

E. Clouds In My Coffee, 13, 1p, 50', bolts.

F. Hateraid, 11-, 1p, 25', bolts.

G. Haters Gunna Hate, 11-, 1p, bolts.

Traverse Rope Hazard

Per Matthew Vernon: on 12/17/2017, the traverse rope from the Guppy pod left towards Brennevin, etc. has a section cut.

38 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Creek Side

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

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 276 ● Black Gold Sport 5 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 1,063 ● Playin' Hooky Sport 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 293 ● Guppy Sport
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 78 ● PTO Sport
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c 54 ● The Oyster Bar Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 116 ● Furlough Day Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 166 ● Fish and Chips Sport
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c 26 ● Big Bro's Watchin' (Luebben Memo… Trad 6 pitches
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c 29 ● Creekafixion Sport 2 pitches
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 21 ● Rhett Wench Sport 2 pitches
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 129 ● Solid Gold Trad, Sport 5 pitches
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 33 ● 100 Proof Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 20 ● Macho Borracho Sport 2 pitches
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b 15 ● Brennivin Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a 8 ● Under the Influence Sport