All Locations > Colorado > Estes Park Valley > Big Thompson Ca… > Palisade Mountain > Skull Rock Area

Skull Rock Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map This is our best guess at this area's location.
Fix Location

Routes in Skull Rock

L › R R › L A › Z

	Inca Gold T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Overhanging Crack TR 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Panties T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Skull Fracture T 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
	Temple, The T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Thor's Horn T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b

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GPS:	40.43666, -105.31171 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	8,772 total · 32/month
Shared By:	Jimmie Redo on May 27, 2002 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Access issue - Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc. - open since 2023 Details

Update: per Bruce Hildenbrand: the area has been open since 2023.

Per JF M: as of May 2022, there is no signage on-site, nor information on the USFS webpage for the Cameron Peak Fire (nor on their published map of closures) that indicates the area is closed.

Per Bruce Hildenbrand: it appears that the Forest Service has closed access to all the climbing areas accessed via Storm Mountain Road (Monastery, Cedar Park, Combat Rock, etc.) until they can clear all the dangerous dead trees from the Cameron Peak fire.

I worked this issue with Eric Murdock at the AF, and it looks like the Forest Service picked Devil's Gulch Road as the southern boundary even though all the climbing areas on MP.com were not burned.

Description

As far as I know, there is only one route on this formation. The rock is granite like everything else in the Big Thompson Canyon. Not very good in the summer as it is full on South facing.

Getting There

Going from Estes Park to Loveland on US Hwy 34. Drive about 1.5 miles from the town of Drake (the turnoff for the Monastary and Combat Rock). Park in a big dirt pullout by the Dam. Hike up a gully North of the parking lot for about 30 minutes to the base of the obvious skull formation.

Per Ken Duncan: the easiest approach is to park in the large parking area with a memorial just downstream from MM77. From the downstream end of the parking area, follow a trail uphill. When it splits, take the right turn (continuing up takes you to Nancy’s Rock), and follow cairns up and right. Continue up through several meadows until even with Subskull, then follow cairns to the right. Head downhill, cross a stream, then go back up to Subskull. Work your way around to the right then up to Skull Rock.